Silly Wizard

Biography

Silly Wizard were a Scottish folk band that began forming in Edinburgh in 1970. The founder members were two like-minded university students—Gordon Jones (guitar, bodhran, vocals, bouzouki, mandola), and Bob Thomas (guitar, mandolin, mandola, banjo, concertina). In January 1972, Jones and Thomas formed a trio with their flatmate Bill Watkins (guitar, vocals, fiddle) and performed (occasionally unpaid) under various band names in Edinburgh folk clubs. In the spring of 1972, Watkins returned to Birmingham and, in June 1972, Chris Pritchard (vocals) came in as his replacement. In July 1972, this newly formed trio were offered their first paid booking at the Burns Monument Hotel, Brig O' Doon, Scotland, and needed a band name in a hurry. The name "Silly Wizard" was chosen and the continuing stream of bookings ensured that the name became permanent. In September 1972, the trio recruited Johnny Cunningham (1957–2003) (fiddle, viola, mandola, vocals) and Silly Wizard started to take off.

Formation

Thomas credited the name of the band to a flatmate who was writing a book of children's stories, and the group first performed as "Silly Wizard" in summer 1972. Chris Pritchard (vocals) replaced Bill Watkins (vocals, guitar) in 1972. From September 1972 until March 1974, the band organized the Saturday night bookings, and regularly performed, at the Triangle Folk Club in Edinburgh. In February 1973, vocalist Pritchard left the band and was replaced by Madelaine Taylor (guitar, bodhran, vocals). In October 1973, the band was signed to the Transatlantic Records XTRA label. An album was recorded but before it could be released, Madelaine Taylor left the band in December 1973. The master tapes were subsequently lost and the album has never been released.
Jones, Thomas, and Cunningham began touring as a trio in January 1974, and went on the first of many French tours in April 1974.
The band added Neil Adam (bass, harmonium) in September 1974 and Andy M. Stewart (vocals, tin whistle, tenor banjo) in December 1974. In March 1975, Silly Wizard began work on their next album. The band was then joined by Freeland Barbour (accordion, bouzouki) and Alastair "Ali" Donaldson (1955-2013) (bass, flute), who replaced Neil Adam in July 1975 when the latter decided to return to university. Their eponymous LP Silly Wizard was released on the XTRA label and the band began touring throughout the UK and Europe.

Departure of Barbour; addition of Phil Cunningham

In late 1976, Freeland Barbour left the band and was replaced by Johnny Cunningham's younger brother, Phil Cunningham (accordion, tin whistle, harmonium, synthesizer, octave mandolin, vocals), then sixteen years old. At the same time Alastair "Ali" Donaldson left and was replaced by Martin Hadden (bass, guitar, piano). This six-member lineup then recorded the band's second LP, Caledonia's Hardy Sons (Highway/Shanachie, 1978). Founding member Bob Thomas left just as the group began work on their third LP, So Many Partings×So Many Partings1979 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 9 tracksA1A Scarce O’Tatties / LyndhurstA2The Valley of StrathmoreA3Bridget O’MalleyA4A.A. Cameron’s Strathspey / Mrs. Martha Knowles / The Pitnacree Ferryman / The New Shillin’B1Donald McGillavry / O’Neill’s Cavalry MarchB2The Highland ClearancesB3Miss Catherine BrosnanB4Wi’ My Dog and GunB5Miss Shepherd / Sweeney’s Buttermilk / McGlinchey’s Reels (Highway/Shanachie, 1979).

Departure of Johnny Cunningham

Johnny Cunningham departed the band for the U.S. in 1980 and was replaced for six months by Dougie MacLean.

Dissolution and aftermath

They continued recording until the late 1980s, when the band decided to dissolve after performing for seventeen years and releasing nine albums. The band played its final performance in Voorheesville, New York in April 1988. Johnny Cunningham died on 15 December 2003 in New York.
Andy M. Stewart died in hospital in Melrose, Roxburghshire, Scotland on 27 December 2015 as a result of medical difficulties that arose after failed spinal surgery in 2012.

Musical style

Silly Wizard played a variety of Scottish folk music, both instrumental and vocal, from fast jigs and reels to slow airs. While the majority of the items they played were traditional songs or tunes, the band did write many compositions of their own. Phil Cunningham generally wrote instrumental music centered on the accordion, and Stewart wrote several songs in a style often distinctly traditional. Once Stewart's singing and the driving, impassioned instrumentals of the Cunningham brothers had established themselves at its centre, the group's overall sound changed little.

Honours

In Scots Trad Music Awards, 2003 Silly Wizard were nominated for the best folk band award.
Members of Silly Wizard played at Celtic Connections in February 2007.
In December 2012, Silly Wizard was inducted into the Scottish Traditional Music Hall of Fame.