Alan Coull
Hi Carl
I was fortunate enough to know Jimmy. The first time I met him was in the Barrhead Hotel. A local band were playing and I knew the drummer. We sitting having a beer before they were due to start their Sunday afternoon gig and who walked in but the man himself (who came up to the table said hello as he also knew my pal the drummer). I was introduced and stammered a bit in fact I became starstruck and couldn't speak. He burst out laughing and said "Well! D'ye want a pint or no?" A real down to earth man. He got up and did 3 songs with the band. To say they improved would be an understatement. Sheer class..
Mattie, his Mrs was a wee gem. Big George Watt and myself went over to Jimmys and Mattie's first words to me were "Are you staying for your dinner? We're having mince & tatties." Real nice down to earth peple.
At a party one night Jimmy did his party piece, a cover of Scarlet Ribbons. There wasn't a dry eye in the house after he had finished such was the emotion he put into it.
In later years he gave me a cassette tape of his solo album as it had been discontinued. I was well chuffed. I wasn't too chuffed however to find it missing after a night out on the tiles with one George Ross Watt who may have "borrowed" it.
I remember playing with Alan Wheeler in a band called Loose Cut in a pub in Glasgow and Jimmy came up and did a couple of numbers, a real treat that was. One great mystery to me is why Chryslis have never released "Hosanna" as a Christmas single. Everyone I have let hear it is just astounded by how good it is. A sure fire number one hit. Maybe you should start a petition to have it released?
All the best.
Alan Coull