David Cunningham, Senior

David Cunningham was born in Fife and showed early signs of musicality playing his father's melodeon at the age of six. Lessons followed and he first broadcast on BBC radio when he was thirteen.

Later he was to join The Olympians, then resident band at Summer School in St Andrews, and with this band he took part in the first ever full recording of a Society Book - the classic Book 27 - during the recording of which Miss Milligan danced in the studio as each track was recorded.

The turning point in David's life, though, followed the death of his accordion teacher. Unable to find another teacher, his father bought him a tape recorder to use in practice. David has been involved in the “recording” business ever since, whether in original recordings, re-engineering earlier recordings or restoring vintage 78rpm records to digital format.

After retiring officially from playing in 1977, David has been enticed back onto the stage a few times, most recently in 2006 playing at a country dance alongside his son and grandson!

David's main contribution to the Society, however, has not been as a provider of a service - important though that has been - but rather as an informed friend and adviser of successive Convenors and Music Directors, always prepared to go 'that extra mile' for the Society.