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Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular MusicA B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y ZFISHER, Archie(b Archibald Macdonald Fisher, 23 October 1939, Glasgow) Singer, songwriter and guitarist; brother of singers Ray and Cilla Fisher. He grew up in a family with a history of light operatic works, as father sang in the City of Glasgow Police Choir. He was introduced to Scotland's own tradition by people such as Norman Buchan (b October 1922; d October 1990), then a schoolteacher and later a Member of Parliament, and Janie Buchan, sister of folksinger Enoch Kent and later an MEP (Member of European Parliament). Discovering the power of traditional music, he phased out his light American accent and began to sing in his own; recording debut was with his sister Ray on Far Over The Forth on Topic '61. He contributed to anthologies including two volumes of Edinburgh Folk Festival on Decca and Folk Festival: Festival Folk on Waverley. He recorded with the family group as the Fisher Family; there was an eponymous album on Topic '66. In the folk boom years of the 1960s he landed the prestigious folk slot with his sister Ray on the Scottish television programme Here And Now. He recorded intermittently over the years, including an eponymous solo debut Archie Fisher (originally on Xtra '68, later reissued by Celtic); given the era, he not only used guitar, concertina and dulcimer but added sitar as well. Orfeo '70 on Decca was especially effective; its title ballad was a reconstruction with the help of Martin Carthy. Topic released Will Ye Gang, Love with Allan Barty on fiddle and mandola and John Tams (later of Home Service) on melodeons, and the (U.S.) Folk Legacy label The Man With A Rhyme, both '76. Collaborations included The Fate o' Charlie (Trailer), an account of Bonnie Prince Charlie with Barbara Dickson and John MacKinnon, and Thro The Recent Years on Decca '70 produced by Ray Horricks (reissued by Celtic) again with Dickson, and Off The Map with Garnet Rogers. His song ‘Wounded Whale’ was covered by Fairport Convention, and ‘Dark Eyed Molly’ by both Stan Rogers and Fairport. He worked extensively live and on record with the Clancy Brothers. An album from '80 Ashfields And Brine remained in the can, but material from it subsequently appeared on Sunsets I've Galloped Into on Greentrax in UK, Snow Goose in USA/ Canada; the stocktaking album gathered together excellent performances including ‘Shipyard Apprentice’. He guested on albums by Cilla Fisher and Artie Trezise '80s, worked as artistic director to the Edinburgh Folk Festival '88-92 and continued to work as a broadcaster, e.g. presenter of Fisher's Folk Steps on BBC Radio 2 '95. |