My Guitar Hero

A Memory of Motherwell.

Brandon High's 1957/8 Christmas show featured a spot by a fellow named Willie McAloney who played guitar and sang “Worried Man Blues”. He later played in a group called The Electrons and sometimes performed at the local Majestic at the top of Brandon Street, a venue long since demolished. When I got my first guitar at the age of 13 Willie, who was a couple of years older, taught me to play 'Move It', and also 'Bird Dog' by the Everly Brothers, lessons conducted on street corners at night by the light of a lamppost. These impromptu lessons stood me in good stead, for I later became a musician and at 68 still give the occasional performance. So wherever you are now – thank you Willie.