The Early Days

Fiddlers' Bid formed in 1991 when original fiddlers Maurice, Chris, Kevin and the late Michael Ferrie, together with Davie Keith on piano were students at the Anderson High School in Lerwick.



The boys were tutored by some of Shetland's most outstanding players: the late Willie Hunter, late Arthur Scott Robertson and Trevor Hunter. They would also have informal sessions, almost daily - often with Willie Hunter - and this helped to create the rapport that exists between the fiddlers today.

During this period the fiddlers were in great demand, mostly when a band cancelled or often as a last minute invite to an event with a reminder to take along the fiddles (hence Maurice's mum's appropriate suggestion of Fiddlers' Bid as a band name).

Countless SWRI meetings and coffee evenings took up the week nights. Highlights included a performance at the Cats Protection League with Bogey Dalzeil on piano, a knitters night in Tingwall Hall where Peerie Willie Johnson stood in on guitar, the hairst social in Bigton Hall where the show was stolen by a clockin hen, and playing for the hokey cokey in the Gruting school. Not to forget bannocks from Voe to Bigton.



Steve Yarrington assisted in recording the band's first tape, a recording produced by the fiddlers, which also featured tracks from Shetland's Young Heritage and the Alliance. The cassette, referred to by the band as the "blue tape", was very successful, receiving alot of radio play. With all copies selling out, it helped establish Fiddlers' Bid as part of the Shetland music scene. Steve put down guitar on a couple of tracks and became a member of the band. Dave Coles (bass guitar) joined the band in 1993 to complete the 7 piece line-up.



Thanks to Kevin and June Jones for the auld picters of the band. If anyone else has any old photos of Fiddlers' Bid or archive video footage that we could get a copy of, we would be very grateful. Just send us an email.