Allan jets in from Canada – all for the love of Fergie
IF FURTHER proof were ever needed of the affection and respect in which Moidart’s ‘Ceilidh King’ Fergie MacDonald is held by other musicians, look no further than next month’s Royal National Mòd in Fort William.
Fergie, who recently celebrated his 80th birthday with a special show at the Nevis Centre, Fort William, will be playing three gigs with his band on three nights during the Mòd in the Volunteer Arms pub.
Fergie will be joined by the usual members of his band Colm Oru, of Glenfinnan, on banjo; Hugh MacCallum, of Inverlochy, on drums; Iain Macfarlane, of Glenfinnan, on fiddle; Addie Harper, from Wick, on accordion and Robert Nairn, from Acharacle, on accordion.
Also in the line-up will be regular fiddler and Blazin’ Fiddles founder member Allan Henderson, of Mallaig, who will make a special trip across the Atlantic from Canada where he will be on tour.
Allan will take the stage alongside Fergie and the rest of the band in the Volunteer Arms on Wednesday October 18, Thursday October 19 and Friday October 20.
Following the Friday night show, Allan will grab a few hours’ sleep before getting up at the crack of dawn and making his way to Glasgow for the first flight to New York, where he will take the stage later the same night.
Asked what it was about Fergie that made him want to come all that way from Canada, Allan said: ‘I’d travel an awful lot further than that for Fergie.
‘I’ve been playing with him since I was 14 and he has been a huge influence on me and my career - on top of which we’re good friends.’
Allan will be playing at venues in Cape Breton in early October. ‘I will then fly back to play with Fergie at the Mòd and then on the Saturday will fly to New York for a show that night, before a series of gigs on the east coast,’ he said.
Asked what he thought of Fergie having been in the music business for 65 years, Allan said it was amazing: ‘Fergie’s staying power is incredible.
‘Every so often he talks about retiring, but then he’s out playing again and playing as well as ever. He still has the same amount of energy as when I first met him.
‘His popularity has never waned because his music is a cross-generational thing and people love him. That’s why the shows at the Volunteer Arms will be something special.’
And asked how he felt about Allan travelling thousands of miles back and forward over the Atlantic just to play the three shows with him, Fergie said: ‘That’s something else, isn’t it? But I think it says more about the kind of person Allan is, than anything it says about me.’
The BBC broadcast the special 80th birthday show staged recently at the Nevis Centre and, ahead of the Mòd, Fergie fans will have a chance to hear him in concert with a special edition of BBC Radio Scotland’s ‘Take the Floor’ programme to be broadcast this Saturday, September 30, from 7pm.
The programme was recorded in Glasgow and saw Fergie give an hour-long interview to presenter Gary Innes, also from Lochaber, on his 65 years in the music business.
Born in Glasgow, Fergie grew up on a Moidart croft and it was here he developed his expert marksman’s eye that would eventually see him represent Scotland numerous times at international shooting events.
He has also been a physiotherapist, army PT instructor, Highland Games athlete, hotelier, red deer manager, writer and historian, gamekeeper and even a poacher.
At the age of 14, Fergie acquired his own accordion and his high school headmaster invited him to perform at the Christmas school dance.
‘I can remember it like it was yesterday,’ Fergie said. ‘I was shaking in my shoes. The school always used to hire a band for its dances but one of the masters also played the accordion and thought I was capable of doing the Christmas dance.
‘That must’ve been 1954 as I was away to the army in 1955. Aye an’ there’s been some water under the bridge since then!’
It was when Fergie went to Glasgow to study physiotherapy, that his music career really took off and the rest, as they say, is history.
He has played with the greats of Scottish music, of which he himself has long been counted, but has never lost his down-toearth
I’d travel an awful lot further than that for Fergie Allan Henderson
honest Highland manner and charm. To mark his 65 years in music, Fergie was recently presented with a Landmark Award by the Hands Up for Trad music organisation in Fort William.
On his upcoming gigs at this year’s Mòd, Fergie says he can’t wait. ‘I really like being in the fringe at the Mòd, in amongst the crowds. The boys and I are really looking forward to it.
‘Allan will be the slightly tired, jet-lagged one on the fiddle.’