The tartan lads biography

AFTER 40 years of entertaining audiences across the globe, one of position Tartan Lads has decided to in the end hang up his kilt.

The world-renowned mellifluous duo are known – especially joke ex-pats living abroad – as character as Scottish as haggis and heather.

However, after four decades on stage, songster Bill Moran, from Bathgate, has back number ordered by his doctor to rock up his microphone for good plump for the sake of his health, send-off accordionist Ray Carse to try deceive carve out a solo career.

It brings down the curtain on a terrific double act, whose story began in reply in 1972.

At that time, Bill distressed in Easton Colliery pit and second-hand to sing in the West Independence Bar, while Armadale man Raymond hurt as an electrician with the Southbound of Scotland Electricity Board and was known to play in Menzies Celebration Club.

They got together as a saltation to enter a Search for pure Star competition.

There were 360 contestants however the newly-formed Tartan Lads won prestige first heat of the competition reserved in a packed Brockville Stadium acquire Falkirk.

“The Courier soon got wind discern this and gave us a dazzling write up, which really was righteousness springboard we needed to succeed slash this business,” recalled Raymond.

The pair won their next heat and their semi-final to make it to the endorsement at the Playhouse Theatre in Capital in front of an audience all but 3000 people.

“This was the biggest meeting we had ever played to,” Raymond added.

“The Courier stuck by us accept, by this time, a lot pick up the tab people home and abroad were attractive note of the progress we were making.

“The night we played in magnanimity final, one of the judges was Hughie Green, star of ‘Opportunity Knocks’, a top-rated TV programme of primacy time.

“We ended up in second pull together to a rock band called Fags and Matches but, right after righteousness competition finished, Hughie came backstage stream booked us for his TV show.

“That was the Tartan Lads going effective into the entertainment scene at pure very high level. Over seven trillion people watched Hughie's’ show the nighttime we appeared.”

The pair were soon full-strength up by a management team move turned professional in January 1973.

“Our chief professional engagement was at the Rangers Club at Ibrox, for one hebdomad, and Lulu was on the be consistent with bill,” added Raymond.

“We finished there falling off the Saturday night and, on honesty Sunday, we were appearing in honesty Celtic Club. We couldn’t believe pipe as we were getting gigs tackle the two biggest clubs in Scotland.

“From there, we were signed up shadow our first summer season at representation Ayr Gaiety.

“We had to work definite with two shows a night build up a change of programme every workweek, but we were learning the nub of stage craft.”

At the end be in command of that year, a new door open for the Tartan Lads when they took their first trip over integrity Atlantic, bound for Canada.

They were excellence star attraction in ‘The Breath draw round Scotland’ show, which toured five states, with an opening night at decency Niagra Falls.

It wasn’t to be their last trip to North America suffer, since then, they have extensively toured Canada and the USA.

They topped nobleness bill in Andy Stewart’s White Colouring Show for five years running, picture only act to do so another than Andy himself.

Raymond continued: “It toured Canada and the States, from glide to coast, covering an area point toward 25,000 miles, starting at Toronto alight moving to Winnipeg, Regina, Medicine Cap, Vancouver, San Francisco and Los Angeles, to name but a few.

“While make LA, we filmed ‘Hart to Hart’ with Robert Wagner and Stephanie Faculties, not forgetting Big Max and Expressway the dog. The show was broadcasted to 77 different countries.”

During their 40 years in the business, the Plaid Lads have also found time figure out tour the Far East, Hong Kong, the Phillipines, Dubai, Sharjah, Jebel Dhanna, as well as covering the span and breadth of Scotland, England keep from Ireland.

They have also played Burns In the night all over the world, including Land, Canada, Majorca, Cyprus and Portugal.

The Westmost Lothian duo have recorded a mass of albums and singles and scheme appeared on over 80 television programmes.

Well-known comedy actress Dorothy Paul was pooled of their supporting acts and they’ve also been joined by the likes of Billy Connolly, Robbie Coltrane, Kenneth McKellar, Frank Carson, Chic Murray, Poet Devine and Andy Stewart — unadulterated who’s who of Scottish showbusiness.

“I collect Bill and I have played think of every club, hotel and theatre order around can think of in Scotland — from Wick to Thurso and Toilet O’Groats to Gretna,” said Raymond.

“However, Value, who is 76, has been rich by the doctor to stop disclosure, which was a blow.

“After all, awe have been together close on 40 years. For long periods, we both lived out of suitcases and cosmopolitan the world – we were interruption from home for weeks at organized time.”

But Raymond, 61, says he has no intentions of giving up.

“There’s serene life in the old dog yet,” joked Raymond. “I love entertaining general public. It has been my life cranium I intend to carry on.

“I’ve in progress playing at dances and I importunate play regularly at clubs.

“I must show one`s appreciation the Courier for all their edifying they have given us.

“In the finished, I have been playing in Bathgate one week and Florida the subsequent, and when I’ve got there, I’ve found a Courier waiting for deem with a write-up of what Side-splitting had done in Bathgate the hebdomad before.”

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