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I have a friend who is as mad as a box of frogs. He’s also one of the most talented people I know. He’s a professional opera singer who does a bit of TV and Radio presenting, and had me as a guest to talk about my favourite piece of music.
I think I blogged about it at the time.
The Danse Macabre.
No surprise there.
Anyway, his name is Jamie McDougall If you google Jamie McDougall
Highland Cathedral and watch the BBC
link, ( He’s wearing a white jacket). It's traditional to start crying 2 mins and 10 seconds into the video. If you don't you are devoid of a heart.... or you might be a bit deaf.....
His voice has been described as a “soothing mug of
hot chocolate on a chilly night.”
So Jamie is appearing on Broadway, or off Broadway, or somewhere
around there. He’s in New York at the mo, talking to folk at the Met….
The operatic version of Where Do You Get Your Ideas From
Doing what I hear you ask.....
Well. You may know the songs
I Love a Lassie, When I
Get Back Again to Bonnie Scotland, Stop
Your Ticklin’, Jock!, Roamin’ in the
Gloamin’, The Picnic (Every Laddie Loves
a Lassie), Keep Right on to the End of
the Road ]
All those songs were either written or co written by Sir
Harry Lauder 4 August 1870 – 26 February 1950).
He was Scotland’s most beloved music hall entertainer,
achieving international stardom in the early 20th century and was well known
for his tartan attire, his bent walking
stick ( which has a type of tree named after it) plus the songs as above.
He was the first Scottish artist to sell two million
records. ( and among the first few Brits to do so)
And all that is very lovely, BUT, and it’s a very tragic
but, he actually got his knighthood for services to charity, raising a funds for the
British war effort during World War I.
Lauder’s only child, a son called John Currie Lauder,
was born on 19 November 1891 in Hamilton, South Lanarkshire. He was a very
talented boy, very musical, he was
the cox for the Cambridge Footlights rowing boat, attended City of London
School then Jesus College, Cambridge ( BA in Political Economy in 1911).
Then World War I
broke out. John enlisted with the Argyll
and Sutherland Highlanders. He saw service and sustained a wound to his arm, then got dysentery, fever, and was then fatally wounded on 28th December 1916.
Understandably, news of John’s passing devastated his dad.
He wrote in his biography about reading the piece of paper that informed him that John
had been killed in action, realising that he had been killed days before they
knew.
Harry wrote the song Keep Right On To the End Of The Road,
in memory of his son. It’s a song of resilience and sacrafice.
“Keep right on to the end of the road,
Keep right on to the end,
Tho' the way be long, let your heart be strong,
Keep right on round the bend.
Tho' you're tired and weary still journey on,
Till you come to your happy abode,
Where all the love you've been dreaming of
Will be there at the end of the road.”
All Scots kids of my vintage know that off by heart.
There’s a one man show written about Harry Lauder, his
songs, his humour and of course the tragedy of the loss of his son.
Jamie McDougall has
taken this musical event all round Scotland, and to London and is now….. Here’s
the quote....(drum roll here...)
I’m beyond excited at the prospect of taking Lauder
to America in the city that Welcomed Lauder in 1907. So watch this space folks
it’s going to be an exciting time.”
Jamie in full voice.
Cheers
Caro
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