| Birth: | Jun. 23, 1927
Paisley, Scotland | | Death: | Apr. 9, 2010
Placer County
California, USA | 
Singer. A lyric tenor, he followed a brief time on the operatic stage with a long career as perhaps the foremost interpreter of Scottish songs. Raised by a middle class family in Paisley, he acquired an early love of classical music via phonograph records. At the University of Aberdeen, he sang in the choir and participated in theatrical and oratorio productions. After earning his degree, he worked two years for the Forestry Commission, then studied voice at the Royal Academy of Music; an audition with the Carl Rosa Opera Company landed him, to his surprise, a job as a principal tenor. During this time McKellar made some recordings for Decca, including a disc of Handel arias, and "The Messiah" (with Joan Sutherland) that is still one of the sought-after renditions of Handel's masterpiece. Giving up opera after 1954, he concentrated on popular and standard Scottish works. (There was to be one return to his old medium when, in 1965, Benjamin Britten talked him into performing "The Beggar's Opera" at Adelburgh and in Paris). A regular on Scottish radio and television, he became well known to English viewers with "The White Heather Club", a Scots-themed variety show that aired on the BBC from 1958 to 1968. McKellar retired in the late 1990s leaving a legacy of around 35 albums made mostly for Decca, some of which remained available on CD at his death. He died a few days after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. (bio by: Bob Hufford)
Search Amazon for Kenneth McKellar | | | Burial:
Unknown |
Maintained by: Find A Grave
Originally Created by: Bob Hufford
Record added: Apr 12, 2010
Find A Grave Memorial# 50982451 |
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