Joseph Higgins McKay, a well known and popular musician from Dundee, has died aged 79.
Born in Whorterbank, Lochee on August 14 1940 to very young parents, Joe McKay was the oldest child of a working class family, including four sisters – Frances, Sarah (Mo), Sandra and Jacqueline.
The McKays moved to the Dryburgh estate in 1951. Joe left school at 15 and joined the merchant navy, travelling the world and places he had only read about courtesy of Lochee Library, at which his father had enrolled him at an early age.
Joe began singing aged five at school concerts, and later bought a guitar in the Netherlands while on his navy travels. He spent hours on board practising.
Joe’s Navy voyages were cut short when his parents died six months apart. Then 20, he left the service for home to keep his family of five together.
In 1961, he met his wife, Ann Coleman. Both shared a love of music and although rock and roll was popular in Britain, Joe was instinctively drawn to American folk and country. Learning five-string banjo and the Bluegrass style became another passion.
He also excelled at singing Irish and Scottish folk music. There were not many genres Joe’s distinct vocal style could not inhabit, from jazz to the Jimmy Webb songbook.
By the 1970s, Joe was at the forefront of the local entertainment scene. Live music in pubs and hotels was booming and Joe, now in a combo with Dundee bass player Mike Dolan, performed across Scotland.
Later, he performed with long-time friend Jim McKenzie, singer, bass player and stalwart of the Dundee music community. Joe joined bands with many of the greats of Dundee’s roster of music talent at the time, including Yvonne Robb, John Huband and Dougie Martin.
A storied spell as landlord of Dundee’s Bush Bar ensued before he and Ann bought a rundown establishment in the West End and renovated it with the help of the tradesmen who frequented the pub.
He enjoyed playing music with and mentoring Dundee’s young, upcoming musicians, such as Deacon Blue’s Gregor Philp. He also made regular guest appearances in his singing daughter Caragh’s, bands, including Howdee, with Simple Minds’ Ged Grimes.
Dundee’s music fraternity paid proud homage to Joe and his remaining family on hearing of his death, just a week shy of his 80th birthday, with hundreds of responses from his home city and across the globe, from Denmark and Italy, to Spain, the USA, Canada and Ireland.
Joe is survived by his wife Ann McKay, four sisters, four daughters, eight grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
