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Andy Stewart (musician)

January 25, 2023

For the musician who was a member of Silly Wizard, see Andy M. Stewart.

Andrew Stewart MBE (30 December 1933 – 11 October 1993) was a Scottish singer and entertainer. He presented the BBC TV variety show The White Heather Club throughout the 1960s, and his song "Donald Where's Your Troosers?" was a hit in both 1960 and 1989. Internationally, the song most closely associated with Stewart is "A Scottish Soldier".

Andy Stewart
MBE
Background information
Birth nameAndrew Stewart
Born(1933-12-30)30 December 1933
Glasgow, Scotland
Died11 October 1993(1993-10-11) (aged 59)
GenresComedy music
Folk music
Occupation(s)
  • Singer
  • comedian
  • compere
  • impressionist
Years active1955–1993
LabelsEMI Top Rank
Capitol (North America)

Early life and education

Stewart was born in Glasgow, Scotland in 1933, the son of a teacher. When he was five years old, the family moved to Perth and then, six years later, to Arbroath. Even in early childhood, he loved imitating people and amazed his parents with impersonations of famous singers and actors. He attended Arbroath High School, where his father taught science.

In 1950, at the age of 16, he participated in the Arbroath Abbey Pageant, taking the part of "A Knight in Shining Armour". Up until this time, he had not thought seriously about a career in entertainment, as he had aspirations of becoming a veterinary surgeon. He then decided to train as an actor at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama in Glasgow, where he studied until 1954. During his first year at the college, he obtained First Prize for Comedy; he also excelled in fencing, particularly at the foil.

Career

Stewart's patriotic wearing of tartan and his use of stereotypical Scottish humour throughout the 1960s, echoed the music hall style and songs of fellow Scot Sir Harry Lauder.

Stewart himself attributed his "breakthrough" onto the international stage to the success of his "A Scottish Soldier" recording, which became a no. 1 hit in Canada, Australia and New Zealand, spent 40 weeks in the UK Singles Chart (1961),[1] reached no. 69 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and also achieved hit status in South Africa and India. His other international hit singles included "Come in-Come in", "Donald Where's Your Troosers?", "Campbeltown Loch", "The Muckin' O' Geordie's Byre", "The Road to Dundee", "The Battle's O'er" (No. 1 on the Australian charts in July 1961), "Take Me Back", "Tunes of Glory", and "Dr. Finlay" (1965). He is also remembered for being the compere of The White Heather Club. This was a BBC Scotland television programme that existed as an annual New Year's Eve party (1957–1968), and also as a weekly early-evening series (1960–1968). At the height of its popularity, the show had a viewership of 10 million.

"Donald Where's Your Troosers?" was a hit in late 1960 and again when reissued in 1989. Stewart is said to have written the song in 10 minutes as he sat, minus trousers, in the lavatory of a recording studio.[2] Stewart included an Elvis Presley impersonation halfway through the song. On the strength of this comedy hit, Stewart toured Australia and appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1968, doing impersonations of Dean Martin. His skill with different accents is also evident on "The Rumour", where the rumour moves across Scotland and into Ireland, with Stewart speaking in a different accent for each place. Stewart's stage shows often included his impersonations of other famous singers, including Tom Jones, Billy Eckstine, Louis Armstrong, Dean Martin, Johnnie Ray, Elvis Presley, Petula Clark and Johnny Cash.

His albums, such as Scottish Soldier, The Best of Andy Stewart and Andy Stewart's Scotland, were also popular internationally. In 1973 he recorded a "live" album in Johannesburg, South Africa, entitled Andy Stewart in South Africa – White Heather Concert, which also featured accordionist Jimmy Blue, singers Alexander Morrison and Anna Desti and pianist Mark Simpson.

His international appeal was well-illustrated by his appearance at the World Fair, New York in 1964, attended by many thousands of people. From the early 1960s to the mid-1980s, he frequently and successfully toured Canada, the US, Australia and New Zealand. He appeared in concert throughout South Africa in 1968, 1971 and 1973. He also performed in Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) as well as in Singapore and Hong Kong. Coming out of retirement in 1991, he began tours at home and abroad once again.

A prolific lyricist, he penned words to many traditional Scottish tunes, e.g. "Green Hills of Tyrol" (which he called "A Scottish Soldier"), "The Black Bear" ("Tunes of Glory"), and "The Battle is Over" ("The Battle's O'er"). He wrote his first lyric at the age of 14 (to a tune composed by his father) and called the song "My Hameland", which in 1969 (21 years later) became the title track of one of his albums.

Stewart took part in the 1961, 1962 and 1978 Royal Variety Performances and also appeared for the Royal Family at a Christmas party at Windsor Castle.

Scotch Corner, a Scottish television series (1972–1976) featured Andy Stewart and various guest singers and musicians. Some of the artists included in these broadcasts accompanied Stewart on his international White Heather concert tours during the 1970s. Andy's Party was another popular TV series on Grampian Television in the late 1970s.

He was the subject of This Is Your Life in 1975 when he was surprised by Eamonn Andrews.

From 1973 onward, recurrent ill-health took its toll on his voice and stage vitality. Frequently hospitalised in the 1970s and 1980s, he underwent several heart and stomach operations, including triple heart bypass surgery in 1976 and again in 1991.

Retirement and death

In retirement, he moved back to Arbroath. "Donald Where's Your Troosers" was a surprise hit when reissued in late 1989. Marketed as a novelty song ideal for Christmas parties, it was actively promoted by BBC Radio One DJ Simon Mayo and reached number 4 on the UK Singles Chart. In response, Stewart provided a jingle for Mayo, "Simon, where's your troosers?".[3]

Coming out of retirement in 1991, he began touring once again and recorded two CDs on the Scotdisc label. In 1993 a summer season at the Capitol Moat House Hotel in Edinburgh was cut short because of a back injury. A further long season for the following year was planned at the same venue. Shortly before he died in 1993, he gave a small concert at Arbroath High School for the pupils. He was also due to appear in The "Pride of the Clyde" at Glasgow's Pavilion Theatre and other tours and concerts were planned. A sheltered housing scheme in Arbroath, 'Andy Stewart Court', was named in his memory.

Stewart died the day after a performance at a Gala Benefit Concert for Children's Hospice Association Scotland (CHAS) at Usher Hall in Edinburgh. Stewart suffered a fatal heart attack at his home. Stewart's funeral took place at St Andrew's Church (Church of Scotland) in Arbroath on Friday 15 October. His family were joined by many stars and friends from the entertainment world. A large crowd gathered outside the church to pay their respects to "The Tartan Trooper", while a piper played "A Scottish Soldier" and "The Battle's O'er".

Awards and family

Stewart was awarded an MBE in 1976. He received the Freedom of Angus in 1987.

His son Ewan Stewart is an actor, whose film and television credits include Rob Roy, Titanic, Valhalla Rising, Only Fools and Horses and River City.

Stewart's grandson Harris Beattie played the title role of Billy Elliot in the eponymous West End production. In 2017 Harris won the prestigious Royal Academy of Dance Gold medal at the Genée International Ballet Competition and currently is a dancer with Northern Ballet based in Leeds. Another grandson, Alistair Beattie, toured internationally as a dancer in Matthew Bourne's, Swan Lake (2018-2020).

Discography

Albums

  • A Scottish Soldier (1961) (EMI)
  • Andy Stewart (1961) (EMI)
  • Andy Sings Songs of Scotland (1963) (EMI)
  • Andy the Rhymer Comedy Verse (1963) (EMI)
  • Tunes of Glory (date unknown) (EMI)
  • I'm Off To Bonnie Scotland (1966)) (EMI)
  • Campbeltown Loch (1965) (EMI)
  • The Best of Andy Stewart (1967) (EMI)
  • Andy Stewart and his Friends of The White Heather Club (1967) (EMI)
  • Andy Stewart on Stage Live from Canada (August 1967) (EMI)
  • I Love To Wear The Kilt (1969) (EMI)
  • Andy Stewart Sings Harry Lauder (1969) (EMI)
  • My Hameland (1970) (EMI Music for Pleasure)
  • Here's Tae You! (1971) (EMI)
  • Andy Stewart Invites You to Scotch Corner (based on the television series) (1973) (EMI)
  • Andy Stewart in South Africa – White Heather Concert (1973) (EMI)
  • The Very Best of Andy Stewart (compilation) (1975) (EMI)
  • Brand New From Andy (with Jimmy Blue and his Band) (1975) (PYE)
  • Country Boy (with Anne Williamson)(1976)
  • Andy's Hogmanay Party Live Album (1977) (PYE)
  • Andy Stewart's Greatest Hits (with Jimmy Blue and his Band) (1977) (PYE)
  • Scotland is Andy Stewart (1978) (EMERALD)
  • Sing A Song of Scotland Double Album (1979) (Warwick Records)
  • For Auld Lang Syne (1980) (EMERALD)
  • Come In, Come In (1983) (LISMOR)
  • Back to the Bothy (1987) (LISMOR)
  • Andy Stewart's Scotland (1992) (Scotdisc)
  • Andy's Party Live Album Recorded in the Beach Ballroom, Aberdeen (1993) (Scotdisc)
  • 20 Scottish Favourites (compilation) (1993/re-issue: 2001) (EMI)
  • Andy Stewart, Forever In Song (Compilation)
  • My Homeland (70's and 80's compilation)
  • Andy Stewart Scottish Songs (2010) (Compilation of early material) (Pickwick Group Ltd)
  • The Scottish Soldier (2012) ( Compilation of less well known early material) (Pickwick Group Ltd)

Singles

  • "A Scottish Soldier" (1960 UK; 1961 US)[4]
  • "Donald Where's Your Troosers?" (1961) (EMI Top Rank)
  • "Campbeltown Loch"
  • "The Muckin' O' Geordie's Byre"
  • "The Road to Dundee"
  • "The Battle's O'er"
  • "I've Never Kissed A Bonnie Lass Before"
  • "Soldier Boy (The Sunset Call)"
  • "Barren Rocks of Aden"
  • "Take Me Back"
  • "Tunes of Glory"
  • "Dr. Finlay" (1965)
  • "The Gallant Forty-Twa" (1968)
  • "Rainbows Are Back in Style" (1969)
  • "Farewell My Love" (1972)
  • "Song of Freedom" (1975)
  • "The Green Crystal Bag" (1976)
  • "Mcginty's Meal and Ale" (1986)
  • "The Muckin' O' Geordie's Byre" (re-issue, 1986)
  • "Donald Where's Your Troosers?" (re-issue, 1989)
  • "Donald Where's Your Troosers?" (re-re-issue, 2018)

Four track EPs

  • Andy Sings (1960)
  • Andy Sings (1961)
  • Andy's Hits
  • Heather Bells (1965)

DVDs

  • Andy Stewart's Scotland (1992)
  • Andy's Party (1993)
  • Andy Stewart and the Scots Dragoon Guards

See also

References

  1. ^ "a scottish soldier | full Official Chart History". Officialcharts.com. Retrieved 17 January 2023.
  2. ^ Irving, Gordon (12 October 1993). . The Independent. Archived from the original on 7 March 2016. Retrieved 5 October 2016.
  3. ^ "Donald, Where's Your Troosers?", Andy Stewart Discography. Andystewart.info, Retrieved 30 April 2019
  4. ^ "Andy Stewart - A Scottish Soldier". Discogs.com. Retrieved 21 July 2020.

External links

  • Andy Stewart discography at Discogs
  • Andy Stewart at IMDb

January 25, 2023
andy, stewart, musician, musician, member, silly, wizard, andy, stewart, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sour. For the musician who was a member of Silly Wizard see Andy M Stewart This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Andy Stewart musician news newspapers books scholar JSTOR August 2010 Learn how and when to remove this template message Andrew Stewart MBE 30 December 1933 11 October 1993 was a Scottish singer and entertainer He presented the BBC TV variety show The White Heather Club throughout the 1960s and his song Donald Where s Your Troosers was a hit in both 1960 and 1989 Internationally the song most closely associated with Stewart is A Scottish Soldier Andy StewartMBEBackground informationBirth nameAndrew StewartBorn 1933 12 30 30 December 1933Glasgow ScotlandDied11 October 1993 1993 10 11 aged 59 GenresComedy musicFolk musicOccupation s SingercomediancompereimpressionistYears active1955 1993LabelsEMI Top RankCapitol North America Contents 1 Early life and education 2 Career 3 Retirement and death 4 Awards and family 5 Discography 5 1 Albums 5 2 Singles 5 3 Four track EPs 5 4 DVDs 6 See also 7 References 8 External linksEarly life and education EditStewart was born in Glasgow Scotland in 1933 the son of a teacher When he was five years old the family moved to Perth and then six years later to Arbroath Even in early childhood he loved imitating people and amazed his parents with impersonations of famous singers and actors He attended Arbroath High School where his father taught science In 1950 at the age of 16 he participated in the Arbroath Abbey Pageant taking the part of A Knight in Shining Armour Up until this time he had not thought seriously about a career in entertainment as he had aspirations of becoming a veterinary surgeon He then decided to train as an actor at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama in Glasgow where he studied until 1954 During his first year at the college he obtained First Prize for Comedy he also excelled in fencing particularly at the foil Career EditStewart s patriotic wearing of tartan and his use of stereotypical Scottish humour throughout the 1960s echoed the music hall style and songs of fellow Scot Sir Harry Lauder Stewart himself attributed his breakthrough onto the international stage to the success of his A Scottish Soldier recording which became a no 1 hit in Canada Australia and New Zealand spent 40 weeks in the UK Singles Chart 1961 1 reached no 69 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and also achieved hit status in South Africa and India His other international hit singles included Come in Come in Donald Where s Your Troosers Campbeltown Loch The Muckin O Geordie s Byre The Road to Dundee The Battle s O er No 1 on the Australian charts in July 1961 Take Me Back Tunes of Glory and Dr Finlay 1965 He is also remembered for being the compere of The White Heather Club This was a BBC Scotland television programme that existed as an annual New Year s Eve party 1957 1968 and also as a weekly early evening series 1960 1968 At the height of its popularity the show had a viewership of 10 million Donald Where s Your Troosers was a hit in late 1960 and again when reissued in 1989 Stewart is said to have written the song in 10 minutes as he sat minus trousers in the lavatory of a recording studio 2 Stewart included an Elvis Presley impersonation halfway through the song On the strength of this comedy hit Stewart toured Australia and appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1968 doing impersonations of Dean Martin His skill with different accents is also evident on The Rumour where the rumour moves across Scotland and into Ireland with Stewart speaking in a different accent for each place Stewart s stage shows often included his impersonations of other famous singers including Tom Jones Billy Eckstine Louis Armstrong Dean Martin Johnnie Ray Elvis Presley Petula Clark and Johnny Cash His albums such as Scottish Soldier The Best of Andy Stewart and Andy Stewart s Scotland were also popular internationally In 1973 he recorded a live album in Johannesburg South Africa entitled Andy Stewart in South Africa White Heather Concert which also featured accordionist Jimmy Blue singers Alexander Morrison and Anna Desti and pianist Mark Simpson His international appeal was well illustrated by his appearance at the World Fair New York in 1964 attended by many thousands of people From the early 1960s to the mid 1980s he frequently and successfully toured Canada the US Australia and New Zealand He appeared in concert throughout South Africa in 1968 1971 and 1973 He also performed in Rhodesia now Zimbabwe as well as in Singapore and Hong Kong Coming out of retirement in 1991 he began tours at home and abroad once again A prolific lyricist he penned words to many traditional Scottish tunes e g Green Hills of Tyrol which he called A Scottish Soldier The Black Bear Tunes of Glory and The Battle is Over The Battle s O er He wrote his first lyric at the age of 14 to a tune composed by his father and called the song My Hameland which in 1969 21 years later became the title track of one of his albums Stewart took part in the 1961 1962 and 1978 Royal Variety Performances and also appeared for the Royal Family at a Christmas party at Windsor Castle Scotch Corner a Scottish television series 1972 1976 featured Andy Stewart and various guest singers and musicians Some of the artists included in these broadcasts accompanied Stewart on his international White Heather concert tours during the 1970s Andy s Party was another popular TV series on Grampian Television in the late 1970s He was the subject of This Is Your Life in 1975 when he was surprised by Eamonn Andrews From 1973 onward recurrent ill health took its toll on his voice and stage vitality Frequently hospitalised in the 1970s and 1980s he underwent several heart and stomach operations including triple heart bypass surgery in 1976 and again in 1991 Retirement and death EditIn retirement he moved back to Arbroath Donald Where s Your Troosers was a surprise hit when reissued in late 1989 Marketed as a novelty song ideal for Christmas parties it was actively promoted by BBC Radio One DJ Simon Mayo and reached number 4 on the UK Singles Chart In response Stewart provided a jingle for Mayo Simon where s your troosers 3 Coming out of retirement in 1991 he began touring once again and recorded two CDs on the Scotdisc label In 1993 a summer season at the Capitol Moat House Hotel in Edinburgh was cut short because of a back injury A further long season for the following year was planned at the same venue Shortly before he died in 1993 he gave a small concert at Arbroath High School for the pupils He was also due to appear in The Pride of the Clyde at Glasgow s Pavilion Theatre and other tours and concerts were planned A sheltered housing scheme in Arbroath Andy Stewart Court was named in his memory Stewart died the day after a performance at a Gala Benefit Concert for Children s Hospice Association Scotland CHAS at Usher Hall in Edinburgh Stewart suffered a fatal heart attack at his home Stewart s funeral took place at St Andrew s Church Church of Scotland in Arbroath on Friday 15 October His family were joined by many stars and friends from the entertainment world A large crowd gathered outside the church to pay their respects to The Tartan Trooper while a piper played A Scottish Soldier and The Battle s O er Awards and family EditStewart was awarded an MBE in 1976 He received the Freedom of Angus in 1987 His son Ewan Stewart is an actor whose film and television credits include Rob Roy Titanic Valhalla Rising Only Fools and Horses and River City Stewart s grandson Harris Beattie played the title role of Billy Elliot in the eponymous West End production In 2017 Harris won the prestigious Royal Academy of Dance Gold medal at the Genee International Ballet Competition and currently is a dancer with Northern Ballet based in Leeds Another grandson Alistair Beattie toured internationally as a dancer in Matthew Bourne s Swan Lake 2018 2020 Discography EditAlbums Edit A Scottish Soldier 1961 EMI Andy Stewart 1961 EMI Andy Sings Songs of Scotland 1963 EMI Andy the Rhymer Comedy Verse 1963 EMI Tunes of Glory date unknown EMI I m Off To Bonnie Scotland 1966 EMI Campbeltown Loch 1965 EMI The Best of Andy Stewart 1967 EMI Andy Stewart and his Friends of The White Heather Club 1967 EMI Andy Stewart on Stage Live from Canada August 1967 EMI I Love To Wear The Kilt 1969 EMI Andy Stewart Sings Harry Lauder 1969 EMI My Hameland 1970 EMI Music for Pleasure Here s Tae You 1971 EMI Andy Stewart Invites You to Scotch Corner based on the television series 1973 EMI Andy Stewart in South Africa White Heather Concert 1973 EMI The Very Best of Andy Stewart compilation 1975 EMI Brand New From Andy with Jimmy Blue and his Band 1975 PYE Country Boy with Anne Williamson 1976 Andy s Hogmanay Party Live Album 1977 PYE Andy Stewart s Greatest Hits with Jimmy Blue and his Band 1977 PYE Scotland is Andy Stewart 1978 EMERALD Sing A Song of Scotland Double Album 1979 Warwick Records For Auld Lang Syne 1980 EMERALD Come In Come In 1983 LISMOR Back to the Bothy 1987 LISMOR Andy Stewart s Scotland 1992 Scotdisc Andy s Party Live Album Recorded in the Beach Ballroom Aberdeen 1993 Scotdisc 20 Scottish Favourites compilation 1993 re issue 2001 EMI Andy Stewart Forever In Song Compilation My Homeland 70 s and 80 s compilation Andy Stewart Scottish Songs 2010 Compilation of early material Pickwick Group Ltd The Scottish Soldier 2012 Compilation of less well known early material Pickwick Group Ltd Singles Edit A Scottish Soldier 1960 UK 1961 US 4 Donald Where s Your Troosers 1961 EMI Top Rank Campbeltown Loch The Muckin O Geordie s Byre The Road to Dundee The Battle s O er I ve Never Kissed A Bonnie Lass Before Soldier Boy The Sunset Call Barren Rocks of Aden Take Me Back Tunes of Glory Dr Finlay 1965 The Gallant Forty Twa 1968 Rainbows Are Back in Style 1969 Farewell My Love 1972 Song of Freedom 1975 The Green Crystal Bag 1976 Mcginty s Meal and Ale 1986 The Muckin O Geordie s Byre re issue 1986 Donald Where s Your Troosers re issue 1989 Donald Where s Your Troosers re re issue 2018 Four track EPs Edit Andy Sings 1960 Andy Sings 1961 Andy s Hits Heather Bells 1965 DVDs Edit Andy Stewart s Scotland 1992 Andy s Party 1993 Andy Stewart and the Scots Dragoon GuardsSee also EditMusic of Scotland Royal Variety Performance List of British Music Hall musicians List of artists who reached number one on the Australian singles chart List of number one singles in Australia during the 1960s List of Scottish musiciansReferences Edit a scottish soldier full Official Chart History Officialcharts com Retrieved 17 January 2023 Irving Gordon 12 October 1993 Obituary Andy Stewart The Independent Archived from the original on 7 March 2016 Retrieved 5 October 2016 Donald Where s Your Troosers Andy Stewart Discography Andystewart info Retrieved 30 April 2019 Andy Stewart A Scottish Soldier Discogs com Retrieved 21 July 2020 External links EditAndy Stewart discography at Discogs Andy Stewart at IMDb Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Andy Stewart musician amp oldid 1134202964, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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