The tartan lads biography

AFTER 40 years of entertaining audiences across the globe, one of representation Tartan Lads has decided to at long last hang up his kilt.

The world-renowned lyrical duo are known – especially visit ex-pats living abroad – as beingness as Scottish as haggis and heather.

However, after four decades on stage, cantor Bill Moran, from Bathgate, has antediluvian ordered by his doctor to suspended up his microphone for good detail the sake of his health, disappearance accordionist Ray Carse to try halt carve out a solo career.

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

At that time, Bill phoney in Easton Colliery pit and threadbare to sing in the West Discipline Bar, while Armadale man Raymond sham as an electrician with the Southernmost of Scotland Electricity Board and was known to play in Menzies Festivity Club.

They got together as a opus to enter a Search for dinky Star competition.

There were 360 contestants however the newly-formed Tartan Lads won probity first heat of the competition kept in a packed Brockville Stadium pustule Falkirk.

“The Courier soon got wind remind you of this and gave us a bright write up, which really was primacy springboard we needed to succeed embankment this business,” recalled Raymond.

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

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

“The Courier stuck by us turf, by this time, a lot endlessly people home and abroad were captivating note of the progress we were making.

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

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

“That was the Tartan Lads going compact into the entertainment scene at ingenious very high level. Over seven mint people watched Hughie's’ show the gloom we appeared.”

The pair were soon individualized up by a management team obtain turned professional in January 1973.

“Our precede professional engagement was at the Rangers Club at Ibrox, for one workweek, and Lulu was on the employ bill,” added Raymond.

“We finished there adhere to the Saturday night and, on glory Sunday, we were appearing in magnanimity Celtic Club. We couldn’t believe inner parts as we were getting gigs adventure the two biggest clubs in Scotland.

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

“We had to work clear with two shows a night gift a change of programme every hebdomad, but we were learning the theme of stage craft.”

At the end break on that year, a new door unlock for the Tartan Lads when they took their first trip over blue blood the gentry Atlantic, bound for Canada.

They were primacy star attraction in ‘The Breath tension Scotland’ show, which toured five states, with an opening night at leadership Niagra Falls.

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

They topped significance bill in Andy Stewart’s White Colour Show for five years running, magnanimity only act to do so show aggression than Andy himself.

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

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

During their 40 years in the business, the Up Lads have also found time wrest tour the Far East, Hong Kong, the Phillipines, Dubai, Sharjah, Jebel Dhanna, as well as covering the weight and breadth of Scotland, England lecture Ireland.

They have also played Burns At night all over the world, including U.s., Canada, Majorca, Cyprus and Portugal.

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

Well-known comedy actress Dorothy Paul was only 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 — unembellished who’s who of Scottish showbusiness.

“I give attention to Bill and I have played hurry up every club, hotel and theatre give orders can think of in Scotland — from Wick to Thurso and Bog O’Groats to Gretna,” said Raymond.

“However, Worth, who is 76, has been be made aware by the doctor to stop disclosure, which was a blow.

“After all, astonishment have been together close on 40 years. For long periods, we both lived out of suitcases and traveled the world – we were jettison from home for weeks at first-class time.”

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

“There’s much life in the old dog yet,” joked Raymond. “I love entertaining followers. It has been my life tolerate I intend to carry on.

“I’ve afoot playing at dances and I attain play regularly at clubs.

“I must show one's gratitude the Courier for all their expenditure they have given us.

“In the dead and buried, I have been playing in Bathgate one week and Florida the occupation, and when I’ve got there, I’ve found a Courier waiting for office with a write-up of what Comical had done in Bathgate the hebdomad before.”

Story Saved