Russell Cooper died at home on 11 September 2002 with his wife Betty beside him. His passing followed a courageous fight against a brain tumour which finally ended some months after his 40th birthday. The sense of loss that so many people feel is compensated only by the lasting memories of a wonderful guy.

Born at home on 27 June 1962, in Dryden Street, Edinburgh, Russell was the third son of Jim and Maureen Cooper. Russell met Betty when they were studying at Aberdeen University and they married in 1983. Their best man played the banjo, and took them to some concerts Dave Logan ran in Penicuik some 10-15 years ago. A number of top drawer American artists such as Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver made a lasting impression and Russell admired their 3 and 4 part harmonies, thrilling solos and witty banter in between songs.

The inspiration to actually participate in the music scene came a little later from people Russell met at the folk festivals of Gatehouse of Fleet in Galloway and Girvan in Ayrshire, and at Scotland’s annual bluegrass festival at Guildtown, Perthshire. At Guildtown in 1992, Russell and Betty met Dave Nicolson from Cleveland, who made them take their instruments out and get involved in playing in sessions. Russell had got the bug for the festival scene.

Following the 1996 Guildtown festival, John Sheldon decided to step down from organising the event. There didn’t appear to be any takers for the job and the festival looked as if it might be finished. Thinking what a big miss that would be, Russell decided to run the 1997 event. It was initially a daunting task but help came, not just from old friends, but from stalwart supporters of the festival, like the Runaway String Band and Arthur Robinson. Russell was especially impressed by the wee army of non-players who came out of the woodwork to clean up the hall and keep the loos supplied with toilet rolls!

As Russell went on to run the Guildtown Festival for four years, it became clear that promoting bluegrass events would provide the perfect outlet for Russell’s talents in working with people, organising and innovation. About this time, the BBMA asked Russell to take on the role of Area Representative for Scotland.

In the Winter of 1999, Bryn Williams persuaded Russell to put on a concert featuring banjo player Tony Ellis. In true House of Plank tradition, it became a whole day event, including workshop, sessions and concert. Support from the Glasgow bluegrass contingent ensured that it was a huge success, and encouraged Russell to stage a number of American bluegrass acts in Edinburgh and Glasgow, including Pete Rowan, Bill Keith, and the Schankman Twins. There were also workshops organised and memorable picking weekends in Glenshee and Ballintuim.

In 1995, Russell and Betty started a monthly session at the Oxford Bar in Edinburgh. The initial idea was to have a means of getting the local bluegrassers together a few times over the Winter when the festival scene was quiet. With a couple of venue changes along the way the session has now been running for almost seven years. Over this time a great number of people have found a welcoming door into bluegrass and the encouragement to participate.

The sessions were ideal for newcomers to bluegrass but people had to know that there was a session in the first place. Russell realised that there could be a lot of people interested in bluegrass music but with little knowledge that there was any kind of scene near them. He therefore decided to create a website devoted to bluegrass music in Scotland. The site would contain information on bands, events, sessions and festivals as well as a photo gallery.

As a little practice exercise, he put the catalogue of Mike’s Country Music Room online, which attracted the interest of cyberfans around the world. Russell was rightly proud of his web pages and the site became well recognised by the internet search engines. Russell enjoyed the many Write tos he received from visitors to the website and many artists from abroad made contact with regards to visiting and possibly playing in Scotland.

Many musicians were made welcome guests of the Coopers during tours or holidays in the UK. Russell loved getting a ‘name’ along for a local session. I remember getting a call at short notice asking if I might like to come through to Edinburgh for a jam with Jack Hatfield. A little dazed I proceeded to put away my Jack Hatfield tuition book and cassette, packed the banjo up and drove through to Edinburgh for a live lesson.

Russell enjoyed meeting the diversity of characters in the music scene and he always had time for people. Nobody sat at the edge of Russell’s session for long feeling out of things. The important things to him were that the music was inclusive, that newcomers felt welcome and that ultimately everybody enjoyed themselves. His encouragement was a great help to me when I first appeared at sessions with no confidence (though I don’t suppose encouraging another banjo player on to the scene will go down as one of Russell’s finer moments).

In 1997, Russell and Betty formed a band with their friends Ray, Mairi & Ken. Russell appropriately named the band Home Made Jam after one of their favourite songs. Home Made Jam were just as content hosting a good picking session as actually performing on stage. Russell played mandolin in the band and he was a good player, something for which he never really gave himself credit. Russell never looked out of place jamming in prestigious company.

Much as Russell enjoyed playing in a session, at some point during an evening he would normally detach himself and spend some time at the bar chatting to people, listening to the music and simply watching others enjoy themselves. Russell got a real sense of satisfaction from seeing people having fun at events that he had organised.

Russell’s philosophy that the music should never be taken too seriously but simply enjoyed through informal sessions, gatherings and festivals, has turned many people on to the music over the years. The contribution Russell made to the bluegrass scene in Scotland will undoubtedly be missed. Two weeks ago, following a moving funeral mass, a group of friends celebrated Russell’s life with a fitting bluegrass session in a country pub outside of Edinburgh. Had it not been for Russell, it is perhaps unlikely that many of that group would even know each other, let alone be playing together regularly. Russell’s example is there for others to follow and I know he would love to feel that he had inspired people with his achievements in music.

On a personal note, I feel privileged to have been Russell’s friend over the past four years. I will particularly remember Russell for his kindness and thoughtfulness to others, for his sense of humour and his enthusiasm for life. His desire to make every minute count, even when he was ill, is an inspiration to us all.

It is a remarkable tribute to the stature of the man that at no time did Russell express any bitterness or resentment over the illness that he knew would end his life so prematurely. Throughout his illness he had the strength of character to find contentment from looking back at the life he had enjoyed, the many things he had achieved and above all the love he shared with Betty. On Russell’s gravestone will appear his words ‘No Regrets’, a fitting tribute to a truly exceptional man.

Cameron Oliphant, Aberdeen

3rd Dec 2002