Scranky-scrawny, cranky, scraggy, mean, lean-shanked.
In 2006, David Blyth joined Deveron Projects as town Artist. During this time he produced a vinyl record, a product of his research into the bothy ballad The Scranky Black Farmer.
As music progresses from locally-inflected traditions to popular forms of composition and distribution, a relationship between the two can be found in the guise of a 'cover' song. This is how David first came across the obscure bothy ballad, Scranky Black Farmer, courtesy of 1970s folk outfit, Clive's Own Band. This represents an unusual link between the past and present – how has a tradition of song particular to the North-east proliferated so widely? And why this obscure song, rather than say, the more well-known Bogie's Bonnie Belle? The history of the song called to David immediately, in particular the identity of the Scranky Black Farmer.
