JAMES Dewar who began his musical career in Glasgow dance halls in the backing band for Lulu and went on to international success as a singer and musician in the US has died in Dykebar Hospital, Paisley after a long illness.

Strangely, Jimmy's career was not to begin with his vocal talents, but as guitar player with Lulu and the Luvvers in the early 1960s. From that point, Jimmy's career was to flourish beyond all his expectations.

Maggie Bell took him on board with Stone the Crows and the shy man's voice was soon exposed on classics like The Touch of your Loving Hand. Another young singer had exploded on to the music scene, but the best was yet to come.

Living in London with his wife, Martha, and their young family, he was approached by Frankie Miller with whom he had been in the short-lived Jude.

The two Glasgow buddies were having a small refreshment when, out of the blue, Frankie told Jimmy that ''there might be a job going'' with a guitar player called Robin Trower, who music industry insiders were raving about. ''What kind of job?'' asked Jimmy. Frankie laughed and said, ''Oh, I don't know. Maybe playing bass, maybe singing.'' Jimmy applied and got both jobs.

Soon after, The Robin Trower Band experienced considerable success in the US. Their first five albums set gold and platinum sales records and their influence is detectable on work by Stereophonics.

Amongst James Dewar's biggest fans were Frankie Miller, Billy Connolly, Donny Hathaway, and Rod Stewart, not forgetting Maggie Bell and Lulu herself.

James Dewar musician, singer; born 1942, died May 16, 2002.