Bandmates return for Paton tribute

Published on Tuesday 14 July 2009 09:49

FORMER bandmates of the ex-Bay City Rollers manager Tam Paton will be reunited at a special memorial concert in his honour later this year, with some even flying in from America for the event.

Friends and musicians who played alongside the controversial figure in bands across Edinburgh in the 1960s are getting together to pay tribute after his death from a heart attack in April.

No members of the Bay City Rollers are expected to take part in the event in September, at the Royal Golf Club in Musselburgh.

Friend Frank Connor said: "We'd started talking about the possibility of doing some sort of reunion concert after Tam died, and this will be it.

"It will be a tribute to him."

Mr Connor, 66, played guitar alongside Paton in The Crusaders in the 1960s, bringing covers of popular tunes from the era to audiences across Edinburgh and the Lothians.

Paton acted as manager for the group, as well as accordion and keyboard player, at venues such as The Place, on Victoria Street, and The Gonk, on Riego Street.

The Crusaders will reform for the tribute concert, including members who now live in the US who are making the flight to Edinburgh to pay their respects.

Many members, including Mr Connor, had kept in regular contact with Paton over the decades, remaining friends and staying at his mansion in Gogar when they were visiting Edinburgh, many having moved away from the area.

Paton, 70, was found dead in a bath in his mansion on 8 April, having suffered a heart attack.

The multi-millionaire made his fortune through the 1970s tartan-clad pop stars The Bay City Rollers, but following his high-profile split from the band received a lifetime of bad publicity.

He was convicted of sex offences against two boys aged 16 and 17 in 1982, but cleared of child sex abuse allegations in 2003. He then was convicted of drug dealing in 2004 after 26,000 worth of cannabis was found at his home. He was later cleared on appeal.

In 2007 he was cleared of raping the band's guitarist Pat McGlynn in a hotel room in 1977.

Friends insist the tribute concert will focus on their time with Paton in the 1960s when he led The Crusaders into great popularity in the Edinburgh music scene.

All proceeds from the concert will be donated to charity.