Traditional Songs & Ballads
self-accompanied on fiddle.
T om was born in Aberdeen, on the north east coast of Scotland, in 1947 and was brought up in an extended family environment where singing was the norm. In 1962 he joined Aberdeen Folk Song Club where he served his apprenticeship as a fiddler and singer. It was here too he got to know and admire legendary singers such as Jeannie Robertson, Jimmy McBeath and Lizzie Higgins, who were regular club guests and an invaluable source of material.
In 1966, Tom and folklorist Peter Hall were founder members of The Gaugers, a folk group which specialised in songs from North East Scotland. With Arthur Watson, who joined them in 1974, they made several fine recordings. Their collaboration lasted for 30 years, ending with the untimely death of Peter Hall in 1996.
In 2001 Tom was invited to record a solo CD Allan Water - on The Tradition Bearers label, and thereafter to perform in clubs, concerts and festivals in the UK and USA.
In 2002 Tom and Arthur Watson teamed up with Pete Shepheard under the name of Shepheard, Spiers & Watson and their recent CD (August 2005) on the Springthyme label They Smiled As We Cam In has been critically acclaimed. They have have been been guests at festivals and clubs and have been at the great Whitby Festival (for three years) where they have taken part in the usual range of concerts and presented Workshops on Ballads, Maritime Songs and Bawdy Songs etc.
In October 2004 Tom and Pete were guests of the Folksong Society of Greater Boston and played at concerts and workshops around Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont and New York state and this November 2006 Shepheard, Spiers & Watson are taking part in the Eisteddfod in New York.
