George Scott-Wood was born in Glasgow on 27th May 1903. He studied the piano from the age of five with Miss Hoffman, Crossland Hirst and Philip Halstead (a pupil of Leschetizky). He performed his first concerto, Beethoven's Third in C Minor, at the age of 16, winning awards at the Glasgow and Edinburgh Music Festivals. He also won (with his brothers) the famous Marchant Cup for Chamber Music. In 1925, George toured the USA, making many concert appearances.

His career in popular music started sometime during the twenties when he played with a Glasgow University Band called the Five Omega Collegians, touring and recording with them until their disbandment in 1928, at which time he joined Jay Whidden's Band for a two-year spell as pianist and arranger.

In 1930 he became Director of Light Music for Parlophone (under Oscar Preuss) and subsequently for the other three EMI companies — HMV, Regal-Zonophone and Columbia - a post which he held until 1939. The thirties was a decade in which George Scott-Wood really established himself in a big way Apparently, he made more records than anyone else in Britain, either directing one of his own combinations or accompanying famous artists, often under pseudonyms or anonymously. He conducted accompaniments for an impressive list of performers which included Richard Tauber, Sir Harry Lauder, Beatrice Lillie, Larry Adler, Gracie Fields, Vic Oliver, Stanley Holloway, Max Miller, Evelyn Laye and Ivor Novello, to mention but a few of the 80 or so artists he backed! He recorded about 20 sides with the New Mayfair Dance Orchestra in 1935 after Ray Noble left for America.

It was in 1934 that Scott-Wood's Six Swingers came into being. This was a rather superior jazz group which really caught the public's attention during its seven-year existence and produced over 50 recordings. George was later described as 'the pioneer of swing music in this country'. In the 1938 Daily Mail radio popularity poll, the Six Swingers were voted top of radio entertainment, with all other dance music grouped together in seventh place.

Apart from his considerable talents as a virtuoso pianist, arranger, conductor and composer (of which more later), George Scott-Wood was regarded as one of the country's leading piano-accordion exponents. This instrument has, unfortunately, gone out of fashion in recent decades and I know of people who do not even regard it as a proper musical instrument! Nevertheless, over the years there have been, and still are, many brilliant exponents of the instrument. George Scott-Wood was the author of the first ever comprehensive accordion tutor, published in 1930; indeed, he is credited with having introduced the piano accordion to Great Britain, becoming its first professional exponent.

Having spent some years singing Spanish tangos to his own accordion accompaniment, it isn't surprising that his interest was such that in 1934 he became MD of the London Accordion Band, a Regal-Zonophone house band. By 1940, he had formed his own accordion band. This, initially, had nine accordions but, after the war, it reduced to four accordions, bass, drums, guitar and Hawaiian guitar (later vibraphone). It always surprises me that accounts of George Scott-Wood's career concentrate on the Six Swingers with little reference to his work with accordions which, after all, represented a much larger part of his career.

From 1943 to 1947, George topped theatre bills as a solo pianist, travelling extensively up and down the country. He spent much time visiting garrison theatres, hospitals, factories, remote camps and action stations.

By the end of the war, George Scott-Wood and his Accordion Band resumed regular broadcasting and were featured in 'Accordion Club', 'Bright and Early' and, of course, 'Music While You Work', to which they contributed 214 programmes. As a piano soloist George was often featured in 'Piano Playtime'. Even the BBC had to admit that George was an excellent musician and an ingenious arranger — on one occasion I can recall him being described as a 'master craftsman of many years' standing'.

He re-formed his Six Swingers briefly in 1950, but it did not achieve its former success. He also suggested to the BBC that he should be allowed to form a 23 piece theatre orchestra, using his accordion band as a nucleus, but the idea fell on stony ground, as did his suggestion that he should adopt an Italian alias! (Perhaps he had in mind the success of Primo Scala?)

For many years, popular music at the BBC was handled by the Variety Department (dance music) and the Light Music Department (light orchestras and groups). Despite his long association with dance music, George had always been sympathetic to light music and in 1946 had applied, albeit unsuccessfully, for the position of Head of Light Music at the BBC.

Although contracted to the Light Entertainment Department, successor to the Variety Department, George had often included items of light music in his programmes, so in 1957 he applied for an audition with the Light Music Department for a slightly smaller combination which would specialise in this repertoire. The new seven-piece ensemble — George Scott-Wood and his Music — gave its first broadcast in early 1958, the instrumentation being three accordions, piano, guitar, bass and percussion. For a while he continued broadcasting on 'Music While You Work' with the nine-piece accordion band, no doubt hoping to reap the benefits of being contracted to two departments. As stated elsewhere in these profiles, this was not deemed a satisfactory situation by the departments concerned or, indeed by the BBC. So by 1959 all of George's broadcasts, including MWYW, were given by the seven piece group, George Scott-Wood and his Music, now led from the piano, which also played regularly in 'Morning Music' and other programmes.

George was a prolific composer. In 1938, he recorded his 'Dainty Debutante', a brilliant piano feature, with his salon orchestra. The Accordion Band recorded his 'Flying Scotsman' and 'Corn on the Cob' in 1950. Other Scott-Wood 'specials' included 'London Caprice', 'Ici on parle Francais', 'Deb-on-air', 'Serenade to Evening', 'Song without Words', 'A Landler for Sandler', 'Holiday for Accordions', 'Cuba Boogie', 'Penny Farthing Polka', 'The Laughing Seine', 'Conchita's Song', 'Happy Fingers', 'El Cochero', 'Rumbaba', 'Amontillado' and 'Champagne Galop' from his suite 'Carnival of Bacchus', 'Sirocco', 'Clip-Joint', 'Fab', and his famous signature tune, 'Shy Serenade'.

Nowadays, some of George Scott-Wood's vintage recordings are appearing on compact disc, including several volumes of the International Novelty Orchestra (house band of Regal Zonophone) for which he was reliably believed to have been the Musical Director (albeit anonymously).

George Scott-Wood and his Music could always be relied upon to provide a bright, tuneful programme — immaculately played. It included such virtuoso personnel as Gerald Crossman and Henry Krein. They played in MWYW right up to the end in 1967 and were then dropped from broadcasting until making a brief come-back in 1970 and 1971 on the Sam Costa Show.

George Scott-Wood, who was married with two children, died on 28th October 1978 at the age of 75.

Listen to 'Music While You Work' played by George Scott-Wood and his Music
as broadcast on The BBC Home Serviceat 10.31am on 13th June 1964.

Listen to 'Music While You Work' played by George Scott-Wood and his Music
as broadcast on The BBC Light Programme at 10.31am on 6th September 1965.

MUSIC WHILE YOU WORK
played by George Scott-Wood and his Music
on 6th September 1965

Listen to George Scott-Wood and his Music
as broadcast on The BBC Light Programme at 3.32pm on 28th April 1962.

Listen to 'Music While You Work' played by George Scott-Wood and his Music
as broadcast on The BBC Light Programme at 10.31am on 8th November 1965.

MUSIC WHILE YOU WORK
played by George Scott-Wood and his Music
on 8th November 1965

Listen to 'Music While You Work' played by George Scott-Wood and his Music
as broadcast on The BBC Light Programme at 10.31am on 31st December 1962.

MUSIC WHILE YOU WORK
played by George Scott-Wood and his Music
on 31st December 1962

Listen to 'Music While You Work' played by George Scott-Wood and his Music
as broadcast on The BBC Home Service at 10.31am on 30th November 1963.

MUSIC WHILE YOU WORK
played by George Scott-Wood and his Music
on 30th November 1963

Listen to 'Music While You Work' played by George Scott-Wood and his Music
as broadcast on The BBC Light Programme at 10.31am on 31st. August 1964.

MUSIC WHILE YOU WORK
played by George Scott-Wood and his Music
on 31st August 1964

Listen to 'Music While You Work' played by George Scott-Wood and his Music
as broadcast on The BBC Light Programme at 3.31pm on 19th. May 1966.

MUSIC WHILE YOU WORK
played by George Scott-Wood and his Music
on 19th May 1966

Listen to 'Music While You Work' played by George Scott-Wood and his Music
as broadcast on The BBC Light Programme at 10.31am on 18th. March 1963.

MUSIC WHILE YOU WORK
played by George Scott-Wood and his Music
on 18th March 1963

Listen to 'Music While You Work' played by George Scott-Wood and his Music
as broadcast at 10.31am on 10th. August 1960.

MUSIC WHILE YOU WORK
played by George Scott-Wood and his Music
on 10th. August 1960

Listen to 'Music While You Work' played by George Scott-Wood and his Accordion Band
as broadcast at 10.31am on 27th. April 1955.

MUSIC WHILE YOU WORK
played by George Scott-Wood and his Accordion Band
on 27th. April 1955

MUSIC WHILE YOU WORK
played by George Scott-Wood and his Accordion Band
at 3.45 p.m. on 27th April 1959

MUSIC WHILE YOU WORK
played by George Scott-Wood and his Music
on The BBC Light Programme at 3.45pm. on Tuesday 3rd. November 1959