The Corries
The Corries were a Scottish folk band (1965-1990), first in a cast of four, later three singers, eventually as a duo with Ronnie Browne and Roy Williamson ( 1936-1990 ).
By developing a new musical instrument, the Combolin, a kind of mixture of guitar and mandolin, acquired the Corries notoriety, fame but by the song Flower of Scotland, this is true with the official support of the Queen as the unofficial Scottish national anthem since the mid- 70s.
Band History
Roy Williamson (1936-1990) came early to music. His mother played the piano and soon he learned to play the flute itself. Before joining the College of Art in Edinburgh, where he met Ronnie Browne in 1955, he taught nautical and navigation. The partnership with Ronnie Brown was the beginning of more than 30 years of collaboration.
With Bill Smith and Ron Cockburn Roy Williamson founded in 1962 the " Corrie Folk Trio". After only a few weeks Ron Cockburn left the band and was replaced by Ronnie Browne. Furthermore, the Irish singer Paddie Bell joined the band and they took the name " Corrie Folk Trio and Paddie Bell ". When Edinburghfestival obtained " Corrie Folk Trio and Paddie Bell " then popularity. Did they play initially to eight people, the concerts were always sold out then at the end of the festival.
As the band became more successful and even seen on television were, Bill Smith and Paddie Bell left the group. Roy Williamson played mainly the instruments and Ronnie Browne sang. Under the new name, " The Corries ", they occurred in Angus.
1970 were represented in the Scottish charts several albums. The Corries 1974 brought out the song Flower of Scotland, which became a sort of unofficial national anthem. Within the next few decades came to The Corries gaining in popularity. However, outside the limits of Scotland, the band has remained rather unknown.
Roy Williamson died in 1990 of a brain tumor. This meant the end of the band.
Ronny Browne occurs today before the games of the Scottish national football team, where he is accompanied loudly while singing the national anthem ( " Flower of Scotland " ) of more than 50,000 spectators.
The combo Linen
Roy Williamson invented in 1969 two instruments, the combo Linen. One of the two instruments combined a mandolin with a guitar, the other combined guitar with the Spanish bandurria. This combo Linen were primarily used in order to accompany ballads, such as Silkie of Sule Skerry or The Gartan Mother 's Lullaby.