Scottish blues singer Tam White dies at 68

GRAVEL-voiced Scottish bluesman and actor Tam White – who sang with everyone from Rod Stewart to BB King – has died aged 68.

Friends in the music industry paid tribute to the "rough and ready diamond", the one-time stonemason reckoned to have the finest blues voice that ever came out of Scotland.

The musician, who was scheduled to appear with his Sermon Orchestra at the Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival on 1 August is believed to have suffered a heart attack last week and to have died after returning to his home in Edinburgh.

Yesterday, his website carried the announcement: "It is with great sadness to announce that Tam passed away today. May our thoughts be with his wife Moira and children."

White, whose career began in the 1960s with the Boston Dexters, provided the singing voice for Robbie Coltrane's character Big Jazza McGlone in John Byrne's television series Tutti Frutti in 1987. He appeared on screen himself as Clan Chief MacGregor in Braveheart and in television shows such as Rebus and Taggart.

But it is as a singer with various blues combos that White was most celebrated.

On his website, singer Fish said : "We today lost an iconic figure that will never be replaced. He had a voice that could capture your heart and draw you into his deep soul."

Bill Kyle, owner of the Jazz Bar in Edinburgh, said: "No one can quite believe it. He was always bouncing about and full of beans."

Ian McKinna of Offbeat.co.uk said: "He will be sadly missed."