Kenneth McKellar (singer)

This article is about the Scottish entertainer. For the United States politician, see Kenneth McKellar.

Kenneth McKellar (born June 23 1927, Paisley, Renfrewshire, Scotland) is a Scottish singer (tenor).

He originally studied Forestry at Aberdeen University, after graduation working for the Scottish Forestry Commission. He later trained at the Royal College of Music as an opera singer. He did not enjoy his time with the Carl Rosa Opera Company and left them to pursue a career singing traditional Scottish songs and other works. His albums of the songs of Robert Burns (now digitised) are considered by musicologists to be definitive interpretations.

In 1964 he toured New Zealand. On many occasions in the 60s and 70s he appeared on the BBC TV Hogmanay celebration programme, alongside Jimmy Shand and Andy Stewart (musician). In 1966 BBC Television selected Kenneth to represent the UK in the Eurovision Song Contest in Luxembourg. He sang five titles from which viewers selected A Man Without Love as the Eurovision entry. Unfortunately it was not to everyone's taste and was placed ninth.

On December 31st 1973, the first Scottish commercial radio station Radio Clyde began broadcasting to Glasgow. The first record they played was The Song of the Clyde sung by Kenneth McKellar.

McKellar made the majority of his recordings on the Decca Records label. He also recorded several classical works, including Handel's Messiah alongside Joan Sutherland in a performance conducted by Sir Adrian Boult.

Trivia

• The Song of the Clyde as performed by McKellar features in the opening titles of the 1963 film Billy Liar.
• There is a long running thread (over six years old) in the Notes & Queries section of the Guardian Unlimited talkboards, with variations on the phrase 'How Tall Is Kenneth McKellar?'. Currently it is called 'How Tall Is Kenneth McKellar? The Loftiness Confirmation Quest Goes On...' and is named after a Billy Connolly comedy routine.