This Is Your Life: Jimmy Shand

Jimmy SHAND MBE (1908-2000)

THIS IS YOUR LIFE - Jimmy Shand, musician and conductor, was surprised by Eamonn Andrews while being presented with his first gold disc at the Caledonian Hotel in Edinburgh.

Jimmy, who was born in Fife and started his working life as a miner, was offered work as a demonstrator in a Dundee music shop in 1932 after the manager heard him playing the accordion. A recording deal followed and in 1940, while working for the Fire Service, Jimmy formed his own band to boost wartime morale.

Having made its first radio broadcast in 1945 and television debut in 1956 on the BBC's White Heather Club, Jimmy's band achieved worldwide fame performing his brand of traditional Scottish music all over the world and releasing records which sold in the millions.

programme details...

Edition No: 500
Subject No: 498
Broadcast live: Wed 29 Nov 1978
Broadcast time: 7.00-7.30pm
Venue: Scottish Television
Series: 19
Edition: 6
Code name: Box

on the guest list...

Andy Stewart
Jimmy Logan
Ian Wallace
Chic Murray
Anne - wife
David - son
Jimmy - son
Margaret - sister-in-law
Erskine - brother
Henry - brother
George Denham
Isa Binney
Annie Stewart
Andy Gow
Jack Cooper
members of the Gay Gordons
Marjorie Mitchell
Ian Powrie
former members of the Jimmy Shand Band
Diane - granddaughter
Miss MacConvie
Moira Anderson

production team...

Researchers: Debbie Gaunt, John Graham
Writers: Tom Brennand, Roy Bottomley
Directors: Royston Mayoh, Terry Yarwood, Stuart Hall
Producer: Jack Crawshaw

names above in bold indicate subjects of This Is Your Life

related pages...

A Musical Life

blowing a trumpet for the musicians

Screenshots of Jimmy Shand This Is Your Life

Ian Cameron recalls this edition of This Is Your Life in his book, The Jimmy Shand Story...

The retired Jimmy flew to the United States for a special charity performance, at the request of an old friend, and in 1977 was persuaded to do a limited tour of Australia, with The Alexander Brothers and other Scottish artistes. The following year Jimmy was kept busy, mainly with charitable events and hospital visits, which did not receive massive publicity but gave him a great deal of satisfaction. He was informed he was to receive a special gold disc, and went to Edinburgh on 29 November for the presentation. The award had just been handed to him by Ramon Lopez, the Managing Director of EMI Records, when a tall Irishman interrupted the ceremony and said, 'Thank you Ramon Lopez. Jimmy you weren't expecting a second presentation, but I came along here so that I could say, musician, conductor, award-winning musician, tonight Jimmy Shand - This Is Your Life!' The Irishman, of course, was Eamonn Andrews and when the surprised Jimmy finally found his voice he said, 'Very nice, thank you.' It was a pleasant evening and Jimmy was seen by millions of television viewers laughing and smiling. Actor and comedian Jimmy Logan referred to the tour that he and Jimmy had made to Canada and the United States, and how after each show there was always a large crowd outside Jimmy's dressing room. They all seemed to be relatives or friends, he must have had a very good bike; said Jimmy Logan. He continued: 'When I was in Australia, I went back stage after Jimmy's show but could not get near his dressing room. Later I was watching a parade which lasted for hours and involved thousands of people. A friend of mine said to me, 'I wonder where they have all come from?' and my reply was 'Jimmy Shand's dressing room. Andy Stewart paid tribute to Jimmy and said, 'We not only love Jimmy, we are very proud of him because he has kept alive a tradition of Scottish music, a tradition of the makars and of Robert Burns, and a tradition that means a great deal to a great many of us. And we are delighted to see, in this day and age, the resurgence of the fiddle and accordion clubs throughout Scotland, a fantastic thing this to all of us who love our own music and I know to Jimmy as well. If it wasna for Jimmy, you wouldn't get these brilliant young lads coming along and playing the music they do. Jimmy, from all of us, for your music, thank you very much indeed! The programme finished with Ian Powrie, who had come all the way from Australia, and some former members of Jimmy's band, playing a tune. The final touch was when Jimmy's grand-daughter Diane danced a jig to the music.

Series 19 subjects