James Scott Skinner

1843 - 1927

Fiddler and prolific composer of fiddle music, born in Banchory, Aberdeenshire. Skinner composed more than 600 tunes for the fiddle and despite losing 3 fingers on his right hand in an accident with a gun, he became a virtuoso fiddler, playing throughout the country and in North America. He was was known as the Strathspey King and was Scotland's first international recording star.

Often short of money, Skinner travelled around the east of Scotland in search of work. Between c.1906-9 he lived in Monikie (Angus).

He is buried at Allenvale Cemetery, Aberdeen.

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