A HUMBLE STAR
BY RECORD REPORTER MOURNERS paid their respects yesterday as original Bay City Roller Alan Longmuir was laid to rest.
The Edinburgh-born star passed away after falling ill on a trip to Mexico.
He died surrounded by his family at Forth Valley Hospital, Larbert, Stirlingshire, on July 2. He was 70.
His wife Eileen stood alongside Alan’s famous Roller brother Derek and the rest of their close-knit family during the funeral service in Allan Church, Bannockburn.
Alan’s stepson Nik Rankin and Rollers producer and close friend Liam Rudden paid tribute to him at the service, which started with the hymn Morning Has Broken and ended with Abide By Me.
Highland Cathedral was also played on the bagpipes as the coffin was brought into the church.
They reminded everyone how far Alan had come after his singing debut at the Usher Hall in Edinburgh with the Tynecastle High School choir.
Former Roller Nobby Clark looked on along with Les McKeown’s wife Peko, while John McLaughlin, who brought the group together for a final fling, also paid his respects.
Alan’s bandmates were not at the service as they are touring in Australia. There was little to indicate Alan’s pop star past aside from some Bay City Roller music – Don’t Let The Music Die and La Belle Jeane – played at the end of the ceremony.
A plumber by trade, Alan took more delight in telling people he’d achieved his accreditation as a bylaws inspector than he did his pop career.
Tartan was also hard to find at this low-key funeral, however one mourner slipped a red Rollers tartan scarf into the grave following the emotional service. Mourners were given a pack of Forget Me Not seeds to plant in Alan’s memory.
The bass guitarist was a founding member of the Rollers with brother Derek.