The Humblebums

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The Humblebums were a Scottish folk band, based in Glasgow. Its members included Billy Connolly, who later became a renowned stand-up comic and actor, guitarist Tam Harvey and singer/songwriter Gerry Rafferty. The band was active from the mid-1960s until the early 1970s.

Connolly co-founded the band with Harvey in the mid-1960s and played in the pubs and clubs around the city, most notably the Old Scotia Bar. Connolly sang, played banjo and guitar and entertained the audience with his humorous introductions to the songs. Harvey was an accomplished Bluegrass guitarist.

Rafferty joined later and for a short time they performed as a trio. However, the nature of the act had changed and Harvey departed shortly afterwards. The remaining duo broke up in the early 1970 after recording two albums of material: "The New Humblebums" and "Open Up the Door", the former graced by a cover by John 'Patrick' Byrne, marking the beginning of a long working relationship between the pair. Connolly embarked on a solo career while Rafferty recorded a low impact solo album (Can I Have My Money Back?) then formed Stealers Wheel with Joe Egan before eventually emerging as a major recording act with Baker Street. A number of songs performed by Connolly on his early comedy albums originated with the Humblebums, and actual Humblebums recordings also frequently turn up on Connolly compilations. A number of Humbebums recordings were reissued following Connolly's rise to international stardom. The Rafferty tracks from this period have been released in a variety of formats, some with just Humblebum material, others adding some or all of Can I Have My Money Back?

[edit] Discography

First Collection of Merry Melodies (Transatlantic TRA 186, February 1969)

Billy Connolly (vocals, guitar, banjo), Tommy Harvey (guitar, mandolin) with Ronnie Rae (bass)

The New Humblebums (Transatlantic TRA 201, September 1969)

Billy Connolly, Gerry Rafferty

Open Up the Door (Transatlantic TRA 218, June 1970)

Billy Connolly, Gerry Rafferty

The Best of the Humblebums (Pulse PDS CD 542 - 1996) 2CD set
Please Sing a Song for Us (Castle CMDDD 1211 - 2005) 2CD set with previously unreleased material