On this recording we hear Jack Armstrong's band playing the tune Blaydon Races. Northumbrian piper Jack Armstrong was a contemporary and friend of Billy Pigg. He was born at Wideopen, just north of Newcastle, in 1904. His self-taught style, influenced by his father's playing, led him in very different directions to Billy. At one time there were basically two schools of piping - the Tom Clough school, followed by Billy Pigg, was very clever and fast; in contrast Jack Armstrong favoured the playing of slow airs using an instrument with rich resonant tones, using tremendous control and perfect intonation. Both Jack and his father worked as colliers at Dinnington Colliery, but a few years after the First World War Jack managed to get out of the pit and get a job as a chauffeur. Jack married in 1926 and lived at Skipton in the Yorkshire Dales, where he took up the pipes in the following year. American folk singer Burl Ives used reeds made by Jack Armstrong in a set of Northumbrian pipes he occasionally used to accompany himself when singing. Through this connection Jack was invited to Hollywood where he recorded an LP on Sunset Strip with Burl singing, for which Leonard Bernstein wrote the music. In 1948 he became official piper to the Duke of Northumberland. A post which he held for many years, until he was succeeded by Tom Mathews. He recorded extensively in the 1950s, both solo and with his dance band, The Barnstormers and made many broadcasts for the BBC. He also taught himself to make pipes and passed on much of this knowledge to the next generation of pipe makers. Jack Armstrong died in 1978. This recording is taken from a 78rpm disc recorded at Dinnington, Northumberland, on the 1 July 1950. Although the label on the original disc attributes the recording to 'Jack Armstrong's Band', it is probable that the musicians on this disc are Jack Armstrong's regular band The Barnstormers. Jack Armstrong formed The Barnstormers in the mid 1940s and they went on to become one of the most popular bands of the 1950s and 1960s. Jack's wife Jenny played the drums, later followed by Bill Armstrong (no relation). Jack played first fiddle and Les Beattie second. Phil Southerland played double bass, while for the first few years Alice Ellis played piano. Later Alice's place was taken by Wally Fell. Roy Hartnell, piano accordionist joined in 1950 and, with Jack, wrote and arranged, much of the music. The Barnstormers became one of the most popular bands of their day. From city hall to country barn, they entertained throughout the Borders and Northern England six nights a week and several times performed in London at the Royal Albert and Seymour Halls. The band recorded at Abbey Road studios and made countless radio broadcasts throughout the 50s and 60s, appearing regularly on the BBC's long running TV series 'Barn Dance' which was also shown on TV in the USA. Towards the end of the 50's, ill health prevented Jack from appearing more than briefly with the band, which continued until 1968, led by Roy Hartnell. |
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Musician : Clough, Tom ; Musician : Pigg, Billy ; Composer : Bernstein, Leonard ; Patron : Duke of Northumberland ; Folk singer : Yves, Burl
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