Tom Anderson (fiddler)

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Tom Anderson (1910-1991) was a renowned Shetland fiddler and teacher.

Dr. Tom Anderson was known to many in Shetland as the saviour of Shetland's musical heritage long before he died.

Born in 1910 on a croft ("Moorfield") at Eshaness in the north of Mainland, Anderson learned to play the fiddle from his grandfather. Although he made his living as an insurance agent, his paramount work was in the conservation of traditional Shetland fiddle style of playing - playing and passing the style on to younger generations.

His career as a musical mentor really took off when he retired in the early 1970s and began teaching traditional fiddle playing in local schools. Today, hundreds of pupils all over Shetland have studied fiddle in school as a direct result of his efforts.

Anderson's passion for his life’s work earned him international renown, an MBE in 1977, and an honorary doctorate in 1981 from Stirling University.