 |
Kenneth McKellar was born in Paisley in 1927. He originally studied Forestry at Aberdeen University, after graduation working for the Scottish Forestry Commission. He later trained at the Royal College of Music as an opera singer. Kenneth’s great talent as a singer first came to public notice in 1947 through a broadcast with the BBC in Glasgow. "It was the ballad opera The Gentle Shepherd, by the early 18th century Scottish poet Allan Rarnsay," he recalls. "The music for it was arranged by Cedric Thorpe Davie, who was Professor of Music at St.Andrew's University. I sang the main tenor part in that. It was very beautiful. That was my introduction to broadcasting." He did not enjoy his time with the Carl Rosa Opera Company and left them to pursue a career singing traditional Scottish songs and other works. A year after he left opera for good he signed with the Decca Record Company where he remained for over 25 years during which time he recorded some 35 or more LPs which have sold many millions of copies throughout the world. He was a star of both radio and television and even represented the UK in the 1996 Eurovision Song Contest. His Songs of Robert Burns album is regarded in Scotland as the definitive Burns collection. His recordings in Paisley Abbey, Sacred Songs and Hosana are among the best-loved ever to come out of Scotland. |
|