Silly Wizard

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Silly Wizard
Members of Silly Wizard perform at Celtic Connections with Phil Cunningham and Friends, February 2007
Background information
Origin	Edinburgh, Scotland
Genres	Celtic, traditional
Years active	1970–1988
Labels	Transatlantic, Highway, Shanachie, Green Linnet
Past members	Andy M. Stewart (deceased) Johnny Cunningham (deceased) Phil Cunningham Martin Hadden Bob Thomas Gordon Jones Bill Watkins Chris Pritchard (folk singer) Madelaine Taylor Neil Adam Freeland Barbour Alastair Donaldson (deceased) Dougie MacLean
Website	Silly Wizard's "Official" History Pages

Silly Wizard was a Scottish folk band that began forming in Edinburgh in 1970. The founder members were two like-minded university students—Gordon Jones (guitar, bodhran, vocals, bouzouki, mandola), and Bob Thomas (guitar, mandolin, mandola, banjo, concertina). In January 1972, Jones and Thomas formed a trio with their flatmate Bill Watkins (guitar, vocals, fiddle) and performed (occasionally unpaid) under various band names in Edinburgh folk clubs. In the spring of 1972, Watkins returned to Birmingham and, in June 1972, Chris Pritchard (vocals) came in as his replacement. In July 1972, this newly formed trio were offered their first paid booking at the Burns Monument Hotel, Brig O' Doon, Scotland, and needed a band name in a hurry. The name "Silly Wizard" was chosen and the continuing stream of bookings ensured that the name became permanent. In September 1972, the trio recruited Johnny Cunningham (1957–2003) (fiddle, viola, mandola, vocals)^[1] and Silly Wizard started to take off.