IT helped introduce the unofficial anthem Flower of Scotland to the nation.
Now a crowdfunder’s been launched to save it for posterity.
Roy Williamson of The Corries played this bouzouki during the very first televised performance of Flower of Scotland in 1968.
After his death on August 12, 1990, it was sold off with many more of his instrument collection in a charity auction in his hometown of Forres, Moray.
It’s been with the same private owners ever since, but they’re now ready to sell – and musician Steve Byrne, who plays bouzouki in folk band Malinky, wants music fans to back a crowdfunder aimed at raising the £3000 needed to buy it.
If successful, the eight-stringed instrument and its tortoiseshell decoration are set to be put on public display at Edinburgh University, which holds a vast collection of historically significant instruments.
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The plan had been to launch the donation drive during the live concert that had been planned to mark the 700th anniversary of the Declaration of Arbroath at the Angus town’s Webster Theatre in April. However, that was cancelled due to coronavirus and the crowdfunder has launched this week instead to mark the anniversary of Williamson’s death.
Byrne, of Tranent in East Lothian, told Sunday National: “I’m probably a bit obsessed with it.
“The instrument is one of the first to be used in traditional music in Scotland, prior to the Celtic music revival which saw them become popular in Irish and Scottish music.
“The Corries punctuated my childhood. I grew up before the internet and spent my time tracking down their records.
“I started playing bouzouki myself after my dad brought one home from Dens Road Market in Dundee when I was 13 or 14.
“When Roy Williamson died, I couldn’t get to the auction but I kept the brochure and clippings from the time. I tracked the bouzouki down by doing a bit of detective work through Facebook. The owners have had it for 30 years and they want a fair price for it. It’s well-looked after and it has that wee bit of magic.”
More than £500 has been pledged since Tuesday and it’s hoped the target will be reached by the start of next month.
Byrne said: “Bouzoukis might not be, but The Corries and Flower of Scotland are mainstream. It would have a special place in the university’s collections.”
To donate, visit www.crowdfunder.co.uk/corriesinstrument
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