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Daily Record
Daily Record
National
Shirley Bartynek

Pupil receives prize which celebrates the life of former Lanarkshire musician

A prize to celebrate the life of Uddingston musician Harry Barry has been awarded at his former school, after a two-year absence due to Covid.

Uddingston Grammar pupil Shannen Wallace received the Harry Barry Prize for Music last week.

The singer and guitarist was presented with a trophy and has the opportunity to record in a professional recording studio.

Shannen, 17, told Lanarkshire Live: “I’m delighted to have won and I’m looking forward to the challenge of recording in the studio.

“It’s great to get credit for the work I am doing. And to think I was second guessing myself as I put together my composition throughout the year.

“This makes the prize all the more special.”

The sixth-year pupil, who lives in Bellshill, writes in a pop punk style, setting animations to music.

She has just completed higher music, is now studying advanced higher and is planning a career in sound engineering.

Shannen said: “My older sister Natalie also sings. I might get her involved in the recording session too.”

The Harry Barry Prize for Music was launched by his family in 2015 as a tribute to the Uddingston composer, performer and producer, who wrote hundreds of jingles and songs in a career spanning 50 years.

(Freelance)

The singer songwriter, dubbed Scotland's jingle king, is responsible for some of the country's most well-known ads.

His most notable includes Forrest Furnishing (Get it at Forrest) – which is still on air after more than 40 years.

Most recently Harry’s football anthem “European Song” which celebrated Aberdeen FC’s victory in the European Cup Winners’ Cup final in 1983, featured in the acclaimed Sir Alex Ferguson documentary film Never Give In.

Shannen will record at Riverside Music Complex in Busby, Glasgow.

Riverside's Duncan Cameron said: “We are delighted to be supporting the award.

“Harry recorded here regularly – it was a home from home for him - and he was a great pal. We’re keen to keep his memory alive.”

Harry, who died suddenly in 2013, has a huge back catalogue as a writer and producer.

He played the drums and sang on Ally’s Tartan Army with the 1978 Scotland World Cup squad and wrote most of the songs on the official album.

He also produced work for Tiger Tim Stevens and the Krankies and wrote traditional Scots songs Scotland Again and Lochinver.

Locally he was best known for The Big Elastic Band which produced two albums and countless singles. The debut recording, When Big Roy Sang on Annie McGregor's Juke Box, was inspired by an Uddingston cafe owner.

The school's official prizegiving ceremony will take place in September and will be a much smaller than usual event.

But it will be recorded and posted online. The school say the exact date will be confirmed early in the new term.

For more information on Harry see www.harrybarrymusic.com

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