Obit: folksinger & songwriter Jim Reid-July 2009

Subject: Jim Reid - R.I.P.
From: BobKnight
Date: 06 Jul 09 - 01:54 PM

I've just heard that Jim Reid, folksinger and songwriter passed away today, 6th July 2009.

He'll be remembered for his great song "Norlan Winds" also known as "The Wild Geese." I'll leave it to others who know more about him to elaborste and pay him the tributes that he's due.

A sad loss.

Subject: RE: Jim Reid - R.I.P.
From: GUEST,julia
Date: 06 Jul 09 - 03:09 PM

I'm so sorry to hear this! His songs are so beautiful and timeless- they'll live with us and be passed on as classics

Subject: RE: Jim Reid - R.I.P.
From: DebC
Date: 06 Jul 09 - 03:12 PM

Man, two in one day. First Johnny Collins, now Jim Reid. I didn't know Jim but I know that he put the tune to Mary Brooksbank's Tired O' Workin'. Ewan MacVicar always spoke highly of him as did many others in Scotland.

Debra Cowan

Subject: RE: Jim Reid - R.I.P.
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 06 Jul 09 - 03:54 PM

They'll miss him at the Foundry Bar, and so will we all. A fine man.

John 'G'

Subject: RE: Obit: Jim Reid - R.I.P.
From: Drumshanty
Date: 06 Jul 09 - 04:12 PM

Jim Reid's myspace page has more information.

I did know Jim, albeit not well. He was at every Keith Festival apart from the last one or two, being a founder member. He was always a gentleman and very kind to me and my partner. I loved to hear his voice; it had an indescribable quality and gentleness. His settings of Violet Jacob's poetry to music have become classics, especially "The Wild Geese", "Hallowe'en" and "Noran Water", and sad though today is, we have those.

Subject: RE: Obit: Jim Reid - R.I.P.
From: GUEST,julia
Date: 06 Jul 09 - 04:36 PM

I was not able to find more info on the myspace link- any tips on finding it?
thanks

Subject: RE: Obit: folksinger & songwriter Jim Reid-July 2009
From: goatfell
Date: 07 Jul 09 - 07:29 AM

so sad well I'll be singing the wild geese tonight at the Harbour Lights tonight.

Subject: RE: Obit: folksinger & songwriter Jim Reid-July 2009
From: Diva
Date: 07 Jul 09 - 08:00 AM

Very sad. A lovely and a talented man.

Kathy Hobkirk

Subject: RE: Obit: folksinger & songwriter Jim Reid-July 2009
From: Johnny J
Date: 07 Jul 09 - 08:55 AM

Very sad news indeed and I'm sure there'll be a lot of tributes at Staney this weekend. He was a wonderful "canny" man.

Subject: RE: Obit: folksinger & songwriter Jim Reid-July 20
From: GUEST,Bill Hanlon
Date: 07 Jul 09 - 02:15 PM

I am saddened at the news of Jim's passing, I have fine memories of Jim and his music from a time we worked together over forty years ago,and as an old folkie have followed his singing career and recordings over the years, although we have never caught up since then, his music and songs always brought me back home to the north east and Dundee.
My sympathies to his family on their sad loss.

Bill Hanlon

Subject: RE: Obit: folksinger & songwriter Jim Reid-July 20
From: GUEST,Gaye and Trish and Jo
Date: 08 Jul 09 - 06:49 AM

He is a huge loss. We'll all miss him greatly. Jim's myspace page is www.myspace.com/jimreidangus   His funeral will be on Monday in the church in Letham.

Subject: RE: Obit: folksinger & songwriter Jim Reid-July 20
From: GUEST,julia
Date: 08 Jul 09 - 11:49 AM

Thanks Trish & Gaye- can anyone tell us what happened?
We have a house guest (George Haig) from Dunfermline who said he saw him a couple of months ago and said he seemed fine...

Subject: RE: Obit: folksinger & songwriter Jim Reid-July 2009
From: Drumshanty
Date: 08 Jul 09 - 12:10 PM

I don't know that anything "happened" - his death notice in The Courier said he passed "peacefully" at the home he was living in. Jim was diagnosed with dementia a few years ago, and he was clearly starting to have difficulties the last couple of times I saw him perform.

The very last time I saw him sing was at Keith Festival in 2007. At the end of his set on the Saturday night, he received a long (and tearful) standing ovation.

I don't think he performed much after that, and was certainly off the ciruit by the time his partner Julia made his myspace page.

According to an email from the TMSA, the funeral will take place at Letham Parish Church, Dundee Road, Letham, Angus on Monday 13 July at 12.00 noon, followed by the interment at Dunnichen Cemetery.

Subject: RE: Obit: folksinger & songwriter Jim Reid-July 20
From: Susanne (skw)
Date: 08 Jul 09 - 06:10 PM

I'm sorry to hear this. I would not rate him among my favourite singers, but I fondly remember a live night he did at the Glasgow Folk Club some years ago, and he was responsible for a couple of my favourite songs. My sympathies to his family and friends.

Subject: RE: Obit: folksinger & songwriter Jim Reid-July 2009
From: Shanty Jack
Date: 09 Jul 09 - 01:05 PM

I only met Jim a few times but he made a great and lasting impression on me.

A greatly talented, gentle, gentleman.

A sad loss.

S.J.

Subject: RE: Obit: folksinger & songwriter Jim Reid-July 2009
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 09 Jul 09 - 02:50 PM

Yes, sad news, what a talent.
We sang some of his repertoire at our local session on Tuesday.
If you look at the credits on some of his CDs he played just about every instrument himself.
I was also at Keith in 2007, when he was having to use the words in front of him, but still managed to joke about getting lost in them: as Drumshanty says, it was all very moving.
His "acceptance speech" in the Scottish Trad Awards a couple of years before was hilarious: he said nothing, was nearly off the stage, then the presenter asked him if he had something to say. Without even returning to the mike, he just said "No afore time"!

Subject: RE: Obit: folksinger & songwriter Jim Reid-July 2009
From: GUEST,Claude &Peggy Gibson Tauranga New Zealand
Date: 11 Jul 09 - 03:39 AM

As expats from Kirriemuir, Jim`s songs are a happy reminder to us of the happy days we spent in and around Kirrie and Angus in our youth.He will be missed by many.

Subject: RE: Obit: folksinger & songwriter Jim Reid-July 20
From: GUEST
Date: 11 Jul 09 - 01:36 PM

The following email was sent out on Wednesday and is repeated here to add to the contributions already made.

Jim Reid - a man who many will consider as one of Scotland's finest folksingers - passed away on Monday 6th July after a long illness. His contribution to Scotland's singing tradition has been immense and, in 2005, he was voted Scots Singer of the Year in the Scots Trad Music Awards. His love of the poetry of Tayside and Angus and, in particular, his inspired setting to music of poems by Violet Jacob and Helen Cruickshank have given us a lasting legacy. His setting of Violet Jacob's Wild Geese (or Norland Wind) has become a classic of the folk song repertoire.

It was at Jim's suggestion that some of the musicians from the regular sessions at Arbroath's Foundry Bar got together, entered and won the 1971 Ceilidh Band competition at the Kinross Festival - and so was born the hugely influential and very enjoyable Foundry Bar Band who played at festivals, ceilidhs and dances for over another 30 years.

Funeral arrangements:
As in the Courier Wednesday 8 July:
Peacefully at Lisden Nursing Home, Kirriemuir on Monday June 6, 2009, James Crighton (Jim, folk singer), dearly loved by Julia, much loved dad of Linda and Craig, father-in-law of Ewan and Tracey, also much loved grandad of Craig, Megan and Kirsty. Funeral service will be held in Letham Parish Church, Letham, Angus on Monday 13th July at 12 noon, thereafter to Dunnichen Cemetery to which all family and friends are respectfully invited. Family flowers only but donations may be made at the church in aid of Alzheimer Scotland.

Some of Jim Reid's songs may be listened to or freely downloaded from the following link where donations may also be made direct to Alzheimer Scotland:
http://www.springthyme.co.uk/album15/15go.html

Public thread:
http://www.footstompin.com/public/forum?threadid=548322

Peter Shepheard
email: [e-mail]
Springthyme Records • Springthyme Music
Balmalcolm House, Balmalcolm, Cupar, Fife KY15 7TJ
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Weblinks:
Springthyme Records: www.springthyme.co.uk