Willie was born in the Scottish village of Canonbie Dumfriesshire in 1897 and spent much of his life in Liddesdale as a shepherd. Willie was from the same stock and musical traditions as James Hogg, the Ettrick Shepherd. He was one of a family of seven, most of whom were singers, storytellers and musicians.
During the 1960s folk revival, he was much in demand and appeared at many folk clubs and festivals, including a concert tour in America. He inspired people with his knowledge, repertoire and musical performance.
Here he describes the ‘hill pairties’ where songs and stories were shared.
‘If there wes a young shepherd at the hoose, he cam (along) and that’s how the kindae sing-songs got agoing. That’s whaur ye got the sangs. If the young shepherd cam frae a distance an he had a different sang, if ee liket it, ee’d memorise it at great length and ee got roon aboot tae askin him tae gie ye the words. There wes herdly a hoose in the hillglens but had a fiddle or twae hingin in the hoose, an auld melodeon an yon Jewish harps. There wes hardly a body but could play somethin or sing a song.’ From Shepherds by Willie Scott.
Willie Scott died in 1989.
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