Sirs Helped Deacon Blue Strike Gold
The Daily Record 24th January 2002

Dougie's disc gift to school

ROCK star turned TV presenter Dougie Vipond gave his teachers his first gold disc. The Deacon Blue drummer kept a promise he made as a pupil at Park Mains High School, Erskine, Renfrewshire. His teachers spotted his talent straight away — but expected him to become a classical musician.

Dougie said: “They advised me to stick with classical music. I wasn’t so sure, but promised to take them my first gold disc. “And I did. I presented it to the music department.” Dougie, who is now a presenter on BBC Scotland’s Sportscene, is full of praise for Brian Duguid and Keith Hamilton, the teachers who set him on his musical career. He said: “They were very influential. We had a concert band, a jazz band and an orchestra.

“Brian Duguid and Keith Hamilton were brilliant teachers. “Our Christmas concerts lasted a week because so many kids were in a band or choir of some sort.” Brian, who is now arts and cultural services manager with West Lothian Council, said: “It was a fantastic time to teach. “We had 360 or 370 pupils out of 1000 in the school involved in the music programme.

“Dougie was a first class percussionist. He had a real feel for it.” He added: “It’s interesting to see him on Sportscene because he wasn’t a good footballer. He was much better on the drums.”