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IAN POWRIE'S FAREWELL TO AUCHTERARDER (J128)
Sq.Set
Bill Hamilton
1- 8
All circle 8H round to the left & back
9-24
Ladies dance in front of partner, behind next Man, into RH across, in
front of Man opposite their partner, behind next Man into RH across &
back to place
25-32
All Promenade clockwise
33-40
1s & 3s dance clockwise behind next couple, Men dance past couple
as Ladies dance in between couple, both turn R to face couple, all
set & turn RH
41-48
All dance parallel reels of 4
49-56
1s & 3s dance a full Fig of 8 round the standing 2s/4s
57-64
1s & 3s dance LH across & dance back to places (Men round & Ladies
through the standing 2s & 4s)
65-96
2s & 4s repeat 33-64
97-104
All Promenade anticlockwise
105-120
Men dance in front of partner, behind next Lady, into LH across,
dance in front of Lady opposite own partner, behind next L into LH
across & back to place
121-128
All circle 8H round to the right & back
Ian Powrie bade his final farewell in October 2011 when he died in Australia aged 88, survived by his wife Leila,
their two children Findlay and Ailsa and four grandchildren.
Ian's family life began at Essendy near Blairgowrie and at the age of five he took up the violin. His father Will, a
farm servant, was an accomplished bothy accordionist and Ian went on to lay down his first '78' recordings with
his dad at the age of 12. Violin lessons were provided by famous local band leader, Adam Rennie of Coupar Angus.
Aside from his Scottish music, Ian took classical lessons from Harry Ogilvie of Dundee.
In the early 1940s Will Powrie took his young family to Bankhead Farm, near Forteviot, where he became the
grieve. Ian left school and took up his role on the farm as a tractorman while forming his first dance band. He
met and married Leila Mailer of Dunning in 1951.
The first band line-up included brother Bill, a first class three-row button accordion player but he was called up
for national service in 1952. Ian had the foresight to surround himself with the best of musicians and they
included the recently crowned Scottish champion accordionist, Jimmy Blue.
The Powrie band with its blend of button and piano accordion, along with Ian's tone and intonation, had a sound
which was the benchmark for decades. They developed into a unit capable of backing Andy Stewart on his famous
White Heather Club, giving them the status of the best band in the land.
In the space of 10 years he had gone from ploughman to leading a band on world tours, playing full summer
seasons in Scotland's top theatres, as well as Balmoral Castle for the Queen and two famous concerts in the Royal
Albert Hall, London.
West Kirkton Farm at Auchterarder was to be the family home until immediately after a tour of Australia in 1966
when he dropped the bombshell that he was planning to pack up and emigrate. This news took everyone by
complete surprise but, true to his word, the farm was sold, farewell concerts were performed, a final LP was
recorded and the cases were packed.
At the height of his career, Ian left it all behind and moved to Australia. Although the Powries returned to
Scotland in 1984, at the end of his playing career Ian and Leila took the decision to move back to Australia to be
closer to their children and grandchildren. So in 1999, they left Scotland for what was to be Ian's last long-haul
trip.
He was a charismatic man who would tackle anything. He flew his own light aircraft, was a championship
ploughman, a top-class violinist and most of all a great family man with a love for life. His encouragement for
young musicians was well known. He was generous with his time and his praise, fun to be around and always gave
more than he received.