FolkWorld presents: Danny story by David Bonaccorsi:

Just a wee rememberance of Danny

I first met Danny kyle back in 1964 when he was playing at the paddle boat situated in the Glenburn hotel in Rothesay, Isle of Bute. I was guitar mad back then as I still am today but I wasn't aware of how our paths would cross later on. Danny and I just clicked and that year when he'd come to Rothesay he would stay at our house where of course we would sit up half the night playing and telling jokes. He would try and talk me into going up to Glasgow to play at the star club but I was painfully shy back then.

Danny in Bute, photo by The MollisOur paths didn't cross again until about '81 or '82 when I was hired to play at a labour party evening at the victoria hotel in Rothesay. I was told there would be another musician there and lo and behold it was my old pal danny in top form. We had a great night and reminisced till the wee small hours.

Now it's 1990 and I've been asked to get a committee together with the goal of putting together a festival for the Island. At our first meeting I propose bringing an old friend on board. This is approved by all and The Isle of Bute International Folk Festival was born. Danny's contribution coupled with the hard work of the commitee was the recipe for success and brouht to the Island a sense of pride. He never stopped coming up with ideas like The World ceilidh Band Championship, the Geezabrek club and many others.

In 1994 he came up with the Bute Heritage show and promptly commissioned me to write the songs for it. I didn't think this was my bag but I got on with it since time was short and never looked back. The show was a great success and I felt I had justified Danny's faith in me in writing songs in a format that I had never used before.That was the measure of the man,he would see in you what you hadn't yet discovered.

The last time I saw Danny was at the Fiddlers Green Festival in Rosstrevor. Danny, myself and Sky walking stick man alone were doing a wee show for the old folks and Danny was in great form. We said our goodbyes and promised to keep in touch. Little did I know that was the last time I would ever see him.

Whatever your experience with Danny Kyle one thing is for sure. A festival with him was a helluva lot better than a festival without him.The man was funny, irreverent, deeply sensitive, sometimes very hard to get along with, a real human being, and a pleasure to be around. I miss him and i'm proud to say he was my friend, D.C.Bonaccorsi


Photo Credit: The Mollis

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© The Mollis - Editors of FolkWorld; Published 5/2005

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