This sad news just came in to us from Australia:

Hi,

A note to any who may be interested that my neighbour here in Perth, Western Australia Ian Powrie of Scottish Fiddle fame passed away peacefully today 5th October 2011. A great man, a great musician, ......

Sincerely

Jim Ward.

He's also in your "Hall of Fame", I believe.

Ian played in what many might now describe as a more "old fashioned" style of Scotish music although I'd prefer to call it traditional. However, he was one of the great fiddlers of our time.

This is one of my favourite tunes which ought to feature much more in sessions.

http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display/2075

Sad news indeed. Ian was a fine musician and a great character, his band set a benchmark in the sixties which is still aspired to by many even today... my sincere condolences to Leila and the family.

Very sad indeed. He was truly one of the hreats on the Scottish Dance Band scene.

Very sad to hear this. I had the honour of working with Ian a couple of times and he was a lovely, gentle man as well as being a great fiddle player.

My 86 year old mother says that Ian Powrie's band was her favourite of the numerous bands that graced the stage of the Skye Gathering Hall in Portree.

She recalls that he used to have a couple of mechanical monkeys on top of the piano playing cymbals!!

Ian was a major figure in an era where bands sounded unique and distinctive, all with their own style. He lead from the front and few bands were as tight,- if any, than the Powrie Band.

Today you have Two choices Jazz or Clones. Take your pick !

I too had the pleasure of working beside Ian. His sense of humour, musicianship and friendship is something that will stay with me for ever. He had a unique skill in passing on his ideas in style and performance, never letting his incredible technique get in the way of the sheer love for our native tunes which he had and displayed in abundance.
A true master of his art, Ian's passing means we have lost one of the all time great fiddle players and one of life's real characters.

Isle of Skye RSCDS paid their tribute to Ian tonight by dancing "Ian Powrie's Farewell to Auchterarder". It came as a great shock to some of our members to hear of his passing.