THE Diary was sad to hear of the death of Glasgow folk guitarist Tam Harvey, a founding member of The Humblebums, along with Billy Connolly (Gerry Rafferty joined later). Though never finding the same level of success as his friends, Tam played an integral part in Scotland’s music scene.

His daughter Georgiana Mannion tells us: “I grew up in a house where every folk musician worth their salt would come and stay. John Martyn, Hamish Imlach, The Fureys…”

None of these dignitaries impressed her quite so much as the time another supergroup of legendary status popped round.

Georgiana admits being particularly dazzled during a visit by Alba’s very own crack troupe of kiddie entertainers… The Singing Kettle.

The Brown blues

A CURIOUS reader overheard two women in an Ayr shop talking about the Omicron outbreak and the need to restrict socialising.

Said one to the other: “If they want us to stay in the hoose at night, they need tae stop pittin’ Mrs Brown’s Boys on the telly.”

Girls’ night out

TWO buxom figures with garish make-up slathered across their faces were spotted just off Sauchiehall Street on Friday evening.

Nothing unusual there, you may conclude. Sauchiehall Street at night is a noted location for ambitious young debutantes to claim their place in the upper echelons of society by getting pure stocious in the nearby watering holes.

But this was a different scenario. For the two figures were neither young nor female (Nor were they particularly ravishing).

It was burly wrestler, Grado, and diminutive River City star, Stephen Purdon, forced to flee their ugly sister performances in Cinderella at the Pavilion due to a fire alarm.

“Belter of a Friday night,” groans Stephen.

Sticky situation

PHILOSOPHICAL reader Bert Lawrenson points out: “We brush our teeth with hair on a stick and brush our hair with teeth on a stick.”

Musical mix-up

A DIARY mention of West Side Story reminds Douglas McLeod, from Newlands, Glasgow, of a conversation with some pals. The chat on these occasions is often knowledgably focused on football and indy music, but the gang’s weak grasp of current musical theatre was displayed when one chap mentioned he and his wife had visited London and went to see Hamilton.

There was a moment of collective puzzlement until one chap responded: "What? The Accies?"

Out of line

FIFE comedian Richard Pulsford says: “I had a dispute with my neighbour about whose underpants were on the communal washing line. So I went to the smalls claims court.”