Policeman and actor;

Born February 9, 1931: Died October 9, 2011.

JIMMY MacDonald, who has died aged 80, was a policeman, both in real life and on TV, an actor who once poured a pint for Bing Crosby ,a pioneering folk singer and a popular pub landlord.

Not many people get to sing at their own funeral. But his voice boomed out as family and friends arrived at the crematorium.

It was a poignant start to a service commemorating a man who led life to the full. He had some incredible experiences as policeman, folk singer, actor, publican, DJ, as well as husband and father.

It was a track from his days in legendary folk band Gaberlunzie that played as people filed into Ayr Crematorium. He spent his final years in Prestwick but grew up in the traditional room and kitchen in Glasgow’s Partick.

He did his national service in the Royal Army Service Corps, looking after military transport, and found himself in the midst of the Suez Crisis in Egypt.

He came home to join the City of Glasgow Police, and was on uniform beat in Maryhill, close to his Partick roots. He later transferred to the CID, and was involved in the Bible John murders inquiry. This involved going to the Locarno dance hall in plain clothes and friends of his wife Ruby mistakenly thought he was out “on the razzle”.

He was an original member of Gaberlunzie, along with fellow police officers Robin Watson and Gordon Menzies, who are still going strong as a duo. And he was part of a vibrant Scottish folk scene of the 1960s and 70s which included The Corries, Billy Connolly and Barbara Dickson.

He decided to move his young family down the coast to Ayr, and with business partner John Martin he bought the Duff Arms in the High Street and the seafront Blue Grotto, which became the Sands Hotel.He later had the Isle of Skye, a popular bar with reporters, in Ayr’s Kyle Street; the Annbank Arms, known in the village as Tap o’ the Brae; and also the King’s Arms in Dailly.

His face became nationally prominent in a Tennent’s Lager TV advert, when he pulled a pint for Bing Crosby, andhe went on to feature as Sgt Murray in Scottish Television’s popular Take The High Road soap.

But he also kept up his interest in folk music, with a radio show on West Sound radio. And his guitar was kept tuned, with appearances in Breath of Scotland shows at home and abroad.

He also did charity shows at Hollybush House and Erskine Hospial, and was a keen supporter of the Not Forgotten Association, for wounded ex-servicemen.

Jimmy is survived by wife Ruby, originally from Baillieston, son Cameron, daughter Joanne, four grandchildren and two great grandchildren.