The Canadian descedants of Niel Gow have lent their backing to a bid to have a Perthshire oak named European Tree of the Year.
The family, who live in Calgary, Alberta, recently lost their father William, who was known by his middle name Niel, and also made his living as a musician.
The daughter of William Niel Gow, Maureen Zelmer, said she was encouraging everyone she knew to vote for Niel Gow’s Oak.
Maureen found out about the bid after being sent a cutting from The Courier by a Scottish cousin.
She said: “My father passed away on January 20 but he made his living for about 50 years as a musician. He was fondly called ‘the God of musicians’ in Calgary, Alberta, for many years he was a trumpet and bugle player in the Canadian armed forces.”
She added: “We’ve all put a link on our Facebook pages and emails are being sent to everyone. If Niel Gow’s Oak wins, we’ll be over the moon happy.
“Visiting the oak and Scotland are on my bucket list and it would be amazing for my family to gather around that tree.”
The family are from the same line as Niel Gow the fiddler, and have all inherited his musical talents.
In addition to their father’s bugling skills, Maureen trained in piano at the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto, while sister Roxanne plays piano and brother Todd plays numerous instruments, trumpet being his focus.
Maureen said: “Dad immersed all three of us children in music. For 13 years, my father stood over my shoulder for an hour every day while I practised piano plus I had weekly lessons.
“Dad travelled the world with the military bands as peacekeepers.
“He would pull out a 303 rifle and put the mouthpiece from his trumpet into the gun barrel, play Post Horn Gallop and then tell the audiences that if everyone used guns as musical instruments instead, the world would be at peace.”