Page 14 - With Winston "Scotty" Fitzgerald

ISSUE : Issue 46

Published by Ronald Caplan on 1987/8/1

I Winston "Scotty" with Buddy Roland on guitar. Alder Point. Right: at George Marsh's, New Waterford, 1956. See note on page 16. your timing. If my timing is good, and you're able to get up and dance around nice to my timing--that suits me and it suits you. And you don't care what tune I'm playing, whether it's an old one or a new one. So you had to know your audience. 'Cause when I went to Antigonish, I had to play mostly polkas. Sort of polka country, Anti? gonish. You know, you'd start to play some of the tunes that I would play in the Car? penters' Hall in here--they'd be up there, but the dance wouldn't be any good. There'd be some heads coming up, and some going down, and all such stuff as that. Play a polka, nice time polka, and you'd see their heads all bob up and down at the CHOOSE FRESH! CHOOSE WENDY'S HAMBURGERS * CHICKEN * CHILI SALAD BAR * BAKED POTATOES -All Prepared Fresh Daily- K-MART PLAZA WELTON ST. SYDNEY same time. You know, you'd get the rhythm there. (Winston ''Scotty" made several 78s for Ro? deo Records, two for Celtic--and five LPs" for Rodeo. We asked him: As an artist, ~ what do you do? You have just so much time, especially on a 78, and you want to put your best in there. What did you do?) You can't put your best in a recording. No way. Because you're watching your timing. You're concentrating on more than the tune. You just can't concentrate on your music. You're watching the fellow into the glass-- you're watching the fellow in the control room. And you're trying to watch the clock. You're not really on your best, you know. You're under pressure. And nobody can do anything really good that's under pressure. (Would it be fair to say that if someone only heard the 78s, they hadn't heard the best of you?) That's true. Even the LPs. (Where were you able to play your best? Where, did you find that you could get to your soul?) A good house party with about 15, 12 or 15, good listeners. People that would shut their mouths! (Not even danc? ing.) No. Just sit around and have a drink. I Ce L Cape Breton Tours operated by Briands Cabs Ltd. DISCOVER THE BEAUTY OF CAPE BRETON! Cabot Trail Miners' Museum %HuT 564-6200 '?'*''" 24 Kings Rd., Sydney Taxi Fleet Limousine Service Lia. BRETON! "Tj ' Museum I Fortress I Louisbourg I Service I el Pickups mJ Airport Service Parcel Pickups THE# (14) 24 HOURS

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