Campbeltown has hosted a “once-in-lifetime” concert, featuring world-class musicians and talented Kintyre artists, in celebration of the life of Hedley Gordon Wright.
Mr Wright, who died on August 5 aged 92, was well-known as the chairman of the board of J&A Mitchell and Co Ltd, owner of Campbeltown’s Springbank and Glengyle Distilleries, as well as independent bottler William Cadenhead Ltd and Cadenhead Retail Ltd.
What some may not have known about, however, was Mr Wright’s passion for music and long-standing support of its development through young people in Campbeltown.
It was standing room only when about 200 people packed into Campbeltown Town Hall last Saturday to toast the man who personified the spirit of Campbeltown.
Such was Mr Wright’s support of music on a national level that a quartet from the Scottish Chamber Orchestra (SCO) and a quintet from the Royal Scottish National Orchestra (RSNO) travelled to perform during the event.
There were also performances from many local bands and artists, including Ross Conner; Frank Rochford; Campbeltown Brass, who later also accompanied Stephanie Mitchell; Charlie Colville, accompanied on the piano by his mum, Emily Johnstone; and Erin McLellan, accompanied on the piano by Marie Hart, the wife of RSNO quintet member Christopher Hart, who kindly stepped in at short notice when Erin’s original accompanist fell ill.
Mrs Kennedy and Miss McLellan also performed as part of a local quartet, joining Tanya McDonald and Rona Campbell, all four musicians having been supported by Mr Wright via his trust funds.
The evening’s MC was Sean Ivers, a long-standing friend and colleague of Mr Wright, who travelled from London for the occasion.
He introduced several speakers throughout the evening, the first of whom was Mr Wright’s niece, Georgina Wright, who spoke about his life outside of J&A Mitchell and shared her personal memories of her uncle.
She was followed by Neil Clapperton, who worked with Mr Wright for many years and ran the day-to-day operations of the company for him. He spoke warmly about Mr Wright’s passion for and dedication to Campbeltown, as well as the kindness he was known to show to his staff.
Mr Clapperton also spoke of Mr Wright’s belief that the company was successful due to the efforts of the staff over the years and how he, therefore, saw it as his duty to run the business to create as many jobs as possible, confirming his own commitment to that ethos as he assumes the joint position of chairman and managing director.
Gavin Reid, chief executive officer of the SCO, and Alistair Mackie, chief executive officer of the RSNO, both spoke fondly of Mr Wright and expressed their gratitude for his support of their organisations over the years.
These sentiments were echoed by Katrina Barr on behalf of Campbeltown Brass, Mrs Kennedy, Miss McDonald, Mr Rochford and David McClenaghan, a member of the RSNO whose orchestra “chair” was sponsored by Mr Wright for many years.
Ranald Watson, J&A Mitchell’s sales director, made the closing speech, thanking all the musicians for their incredible performances, as well as the company’s tourism and events manager Mairi Paterson and her team for turning Mr Clapperton and Ms Wright’s vision into such a wonderful event, Donald Brown and his team for the much-appreciated haggis, neeps and tatties, the bar staff, South Kintyre Development Trust’s team for hosting, and everyone else who contributed to the success of the event.
He also spoke about J&A Mitchell’s ongoing commitment to the community in Campbeltown and pledged, on behalf of the company, to continue that support in a number of ways as that would be the most fitting way to honour Mr Wright’s legacy.
The evening concluded with a joint performance by Campbeltown Brass and the RSNO quintet, before a ceilidh gave everyone the chance to get up and let their hair down on the dance floor to the sound of Alex, Archie and Arran McAllister.
Speaking on behalf of J&A Mitchell, Mr Watson told the Courier this week: “We are absolutely thrilled that the event was such a success.
“Bringing together world-class musical talent from both inside and outside of Kintyre was a hugely appropriate way to honour Mr Wright and the support he showed to the arts both locally and nationally.
“The audience was treated to a once-in-a-lifetime concert and it was touching to see such a large turnout of people.
“The evening really brought home how much Mr Wright’s and J&A Mitchell’s support has led to opportunities and careers in music for our talented young musicians, who otherwise might not have reached the same heights.
“An event of this magnitude would not have been possible without the work of Mairi Paterson and her team, alongside a huge number of helpers from our company, and I know both Neil and Georgina are keen to express their personal gratitude to them all.
“We also appreciate the commitment of the members of the RSNO and SCO who came to Campbeltown for the event, particularly as their organisations had other events on at the weekend, and everyone else who made their way to the town to take part.”