Jimmie Macgregor

For the Hong Kong official, see Jimmy McGregor.

Jimmie Macgregor
MBE
Born (1930-03-10) 10 March 1930 (age 94)
Glasgow, Scotland

Jimmie Macgregor MBE (born 10 March 1930) is a Scottish folksinger and broadcaster, best known as half of a singing duo with Robin Hall.[1]

Biography

Jimmie Macgregor was born in Springburn, Glasgow, Scotland,[2] and grew up in a tenement and then a council house, about which he has said: "Our house was a focus for people to gather and make music.... I had aunties and cousins who were chorus girls."[3] After doing his national service, he studied at Glasgow School of Art, graduating in the mid-1950s and becoming a potter and teacher.[2]

Partnership with Hall

In 1960, he formed a musical partnership with Robin Hall that would last 20 years.[4] They appeared extensively on BBC Television – both on the Tonight programme[3] and on the White Heather Club.[5] Both also played as part of The Galliards with Leon Rosselson and Shirley Bland.[2]

Hall and Macgregor recorded over 20 albums during their partnership, which ended in 1981.[4][6] One of their most successful singles was the anthem "Football Crazy", released in 1960 on Decca Records.

Television and radio work

Macgregor went on to make television programmes for BBC Scotland, many on long-distance walking, including In the Footsteps of Bonnie Prince Charlie, On The West Highland Way, and Macgregor Across Scotland. He also made Macgregor's Gathering, a long-running show for Radio Scotland.[2] He has been involved in various conservation organisations, among them the Association for the Protection of Rural Scotland,[7] and was awarded the MBE in 1994 for services to Scottish heritage and culture.[8]

References

  1. ^ "Robin Hall and Jimmie MacGregor MBE" Archived 11 December 2013 at the Wayback Machine, Scottish Traditional Music Hall of Fame.
  2. ^ a b c d Colin Larkin, ed. (2002). The Virgin Encyclopedia of Fifties Music (Third ed.). Virgin Books. pp. 182/3. ISBN 1-85227-937-0.
  3. ^ a b Tom Shields, "He’s set to celebrate his 80th birthday but Jimmie Macgregor is far from over the hill", The Herald, 8 March 2010.
  4. ^ a b Craig McQueen, "Folk legend Jimmie Macgregor: I'm still going strong at 80 with no plans to retire", Daily Record, 29 November 2010.
  5. ^ Guida, Nick. "Robin Hall and Jimmie Macgregor". Archived from the original on 19 November 2008. Retrieved 19 September 2007.
  6. ^ "Robin Hall and Jimmie MacGregor". Footstompin.com. Retrieved 19 September 2007.
  7. ^ "APRS". Archived from the original on 12 March 2003. Retrieved 19 September 2007.
  8. ^ Jimmie Macgregor biography, Shetland Folk Festival.