Legendary Scots accordionist Phil Cunningham reveals he wishes he’d gone for a “sexier instrument”

LEGENDARY Scots accordionist Phil Cunningham has revealed that he sometimes wishes he’d gone for a “sexier instrument”.

The musician – renowned for his partnership with fiddler pal Aly Bain – joked that the accordion covered too much of his body for him to “ever have become a sex symbol“.

The 62-year-old was born and raised in Edinburgh, and got his first accordion for Christmas when he was just three-years-old.

Cunningham left school at the age of 16 and joined older brother Johnny in the group Silly Wizard, but would carve a successful solo career for himself which saw him receive an MBE in 2002 for his services to Scottish music.

However after 46 years in the business, Cunningham now says he sometimes wishes he’d gone down a different route instrumentally.

Speaking in this month’s Scottish Field magazine, Cunningham said: “I got an accordion for my Christmas when I was three.

“According to my mother I could play Oh Sussana! by that afternoon. I sometimes wish I’d got an electric guitar or something sexy.

“The accordion covers too much of my body for me to ever have become a sex symbol.

“But nowadays I feel better when I get to sit down and put it on. Then I can relax and let the belly out.”

Cunningham also revealed his musical heroes as Jimmy Shand and Willie Nelson, as well as his love for legendary naturalist and broadcaster Sir David Attenborough.

He said: “Sir David Attenborough is my hero. He has done so much for our understanding of the world we live in.

“Willie Nelson is another, and so is Jimmy Shand. I can’t remember this but apparently Jimmy was where I got this love of the accordion.

“I was only quiet when my pram was parked next to my granny’s old radiogram listening to his records.”

He also revealed: “I’d like Macaulay Culkin to play me in the movie of my life.

“I love a practical joke and I love telling jokes. So, someone with the same sense of mischief that he had in Home Alone would be perfect.”

Cunningham – who held a yearly spot at the New Year’s Hogmanay Live broadcast on BBC Scotland alongside Aly Bain for 30 years – also told of the hilarious time he was mistaken for presenter Chris Tarrant.

He joked: “I once signed an autograph outside the Queen’s Hall in Edinburgh.

“As the man walked away he said to his wife, ‘Who the f**k is Phil Cunningham? I thought that was Chris Tarrant!'”