Oggie, thanks for passing on the link to Dick Gaughan's excellent piece on Alex. I agree with it 100%, and would like to add a few more points.

On dealing with hecklers: for decades, Alex played most of his gigs in venues with no PA system, so he had to be able to read the audience and 'work the room'. Dealing with hecklers effectively was just one skill among many needed for this job, all of which he deployed in a masterly fashion.

On the drink question: yes, Alex sometimes appeared on stage the worse for drink - but there is a context to the story. So many people loved him, and so many of them wanted to show their affection by buying him a drink that it was quite difficult for him to stay sober even when he wanted to. Many other artists have fallen into this trap and been lost for ever. Alex did eventually fight his way out of it, though not before seriously damaging his health, and his reputation.

On encouraging and advising younger performers: Dick Gaughan is only one among many who can testify to Alex's generosity in this regard - the full list would include not only quality performers of Dick's stature, but also a large number of hopefuls with far more limited talents (myself among them) who benefited from his counselling.

As the Bard wrote "He was a man, take him for all in all: we shall not look upon his like again."

Wassail!