The Jimmy Dewar Years

The Jimmy Dewar Years

Let’s begin at the beginning, well slightly before, as the scene has to be set. It was all over thirty years ago, so I’m not sure if it’s all in the right order, but hopefully I’ll capture the spirit of it.

I had been introduced to a band called Big George and The Business by a friend. George and the guys played some of the best Blues I had ever heard, and I had been along to every gig possible. The main venue was The Exchequer on Glasgow’s Dumbarton Road (Lord knows what they have changed it into now) and many great nights were enjoyed.

One particular night the usual musical conversations turned to singers we loved, and I went into my usual appreciation of Jimmy Dewar. One of the company mentioned that he sometimes jammed with George, and it was then pointed out that he had just come in through the door. I had never seen Jimmy in the flesh before, and a more unassuming guy you would never set eyes upon. When he took to the mike though, it was something special to say the least.

Fast forward a few months…often seeing the new line up of Big George and The Business which frequently featured Jimmy. I remember meeting them at a Frankie Miller gig and George mentioned that they had been speaking to Bill Lordan about coming over to form a trio. Bill told me via MySpace a few years later that he remembered that discussion.

I had finished at Falkirk College earlier that year, and when Big G mentioned that he would be gigging at the town’s Burns Bar I said to him that I would most likely pop through for the gig.  “Do you want a lift through in the van?” was the reply. Well I wasn’t going to turn down a lift was I?

I waited at the pick up point in the Exchequer the next week, and was duly picked up by Eric Thompson the then sound engineer, driver and one-man road crew. On the way to collect Jimmy in Paisley, George asked the question that would change it all for the next nine years

”Do you want a job as a roadie? It’s a fiver a night”. Needless to say I took the plunge and was introduced to Jim Dewar junior, who showed me the ropes. Well, the cables and plugs to be more accurate.

All went well and at the end of the night Jimmy was the man who paid me that first five pounds, asking, “That’s what you were told you would get yeah? By the way what do you prefer to be called, Richard or what?”

“Don’t really mind” I replied.

“Anything but Dick right” he said, and I’ve been using that ever since.

Jim junior was great company for this new recruit, and I still have fond memories of him and the rest of the family. Mattie always had a cup of tea ready when we dropped off Jimmy and his gear.

Gigs came and went, the band expanded with the addition of a keyboard player. The name was changed to Adults Only, with George on guitar and vocals, Jimmy on bass and vocals, Tony McLennan on drums and Andy Craig on keys. I remember the set was mix of blues and soul standards and songs written by both George and Jimmy. You’d hear the likes of “634-5789” and “He’ll Have To Go”, Jimmy’s “Sands of Time” George’s ”Towerhill Road, Jesse Winchester’s “Biloxi”. The Trower tunes were there too, “Long Misty Days” and “Rock Me Baby”, along with odd ones like Randy Newman’s “Jolly Coppers On Parade” and Springsteen’s “Independence Day”.

After a while there was talk of a bass player named Jimmy Johnstone being brought in so that Jimmy could concentrate on vocals. It never happened though, and for some reason George and Jimmy parted musical way ways. I have no idea why, but it was very amicable. Jimmy carried on working for a while with a great player called Alan Wheeler, who still plays in various bands to this day

He still used to pop in for a jam now and then though, and let Tam ‘Shifty” McLucas use his four by fifteen Marshall speaker cabinet. That thing sounded wonderful, but was not designed with pub gigs in mind. I remember one night Jimmy was depping for Tam and brought along a 1958 Strat for George to play. He took me aside and said “If there’s any trouble in here tonight, make sure you get that guitar of here. We can look after ourselves.”

After Jimmy became ill George kept in touch with him and the family, and Jim and his sisters used to come to gigs. I remember when he heard George playing “Bridge of Sighs”, he said to me “One day I’m gonna get up and show him how to sing it right”. I wish he had, as he had inherited Jimmy’s gift and did a brilliant take on “Rider In The Rain” by Randy Newman.

I will never forget the day that George called to let me know that Jimmy had passed away. He led the service at his funeral, a true rock and roll preacher. Frankie Miller was there, and George told a story about when he and Jimmy were listening to what at the time was Frankie’s new album. “It’s brilliant”, Jimmy had said, “But don’t you tell him I said that, until the day I die!” George looked over to Frankie and said “So now you know”. Cue thumbs up and big grin from Mr Miller.

That seemed to be that for a while, until I got a message from Tam saying that he had been contacted by a fella who was trying to set up a tribute site for Jimmy. I contacted Carl Kennedy and left a few comments and memories.

Then I thought, "Why not see if anyone else has any memories?". I consulted my "Stumbledown Romancer" sleeve notes, as I recalled there were a few well known musos on there and fired off a few emails. Much to my surprise I got a reply almost instantly from John Platania, well known for his work with Van Morrison. He remembered the sessions well, and wrote lovely piece.

Next up was Dave Mattacks, of Fairport Convention and many sessions. He admitted that he had forgotten that he played on the album, but remembered Jimmy well from the mid to late sixties. I sent him a copy of the album as he had never heard the end result. 

I also heard from Andy Fraser of Free, who also had fond memories of Jimmy and his family.

The website is still there if you fancy a look at what they all said.

George passed away in 2013, but the memory of my time with these two guys will stay with me forever and I still smile when I think of them both.