Fraser started playing the cornet in 1974 at primary school in Paisley, Scotland, and within a couple of months joined the local Barrhead Burgh Band on 3^rd, 3^rd cornet. He didn’t make a single mistake for the first few weeks, as there weren’t any spare cornets, so just sat and listened in as the band rehearsed the ‘Thunderer’, ‘Punchinello’ and ‘Four Little Maids’.

His highlight of playing with Barrhead was undoubtedly playing repiano in the mid seventies when the band qualified for the National Finals on ‘Rococo Variations’. Unfortunately he was sat in the wrong hall listening to the Championship section wondering what time he’d get to play.

Shortly after this, madness set in and he moved onto soprano. In 1981 he moved into the Championship section, joining the Kirkintilloch band playing with them for the next 5 years. After realising he wasn’t daft enough to play soprano (some say he had ‘treatment’) he moved back onto Bb cornet, which was followed by a successful spell with Kirkie, winning the Scottish Championships twice and the Scottish quartet title.

This meant the chance to play at the Nationals & the European Championships as well as the BBC Best of Brass TV competition (is he really that old?).

In 1986 a change in job meant a move south of the border to the Nottingham area where he joined the Thoresby Colliery band. After a couple of years he moved to the William Davis Construction Group, qualifying for the Nationals again in 1988.

In 1989 another change in job meant a move to Yorkshire (God’s County) where he joined his wife at the Hammonds Sauce Works Band. The highlight of playing with Hammonds was possibly the day he was left behind at Southwaite services with no money (but a lovely view!), on the way back from a concert in Glasgow! (We would never do that!) He had to hitch a lift back home which took about 8 lifts and 5-6 hours. Still, he got back in time for the next rehearsal!

After the demise of Hammonds and the start of shift working he decided to retire from playing (seems to be a theme on the front row!). However, in 1994 an old friend asked if he’d help the Rowntrees Band in one concert, as a favour. He made it clear that there was no way he wanted to join the band or get heavily involved in the commitment of banding.

True to his word, Fraser signed shortly after. In 2005, having been Chairman, Contest Secretary, Concert Secretary, etc etc etc, he left Rowntrees (by now called Shepherd Building Group) to join Carlton Main Frickley for the Scottish Open, and has been a valued member of the cornet section ever since.