Biography:John Riddell of Ayr

JOHN RIDDELL (1718-1795) of Ayrshire, was a music teacher and is believed to have been blind from infancy. He is credited with composing the air of "Jenny's Bawbee" and several well-known dance tunes, and issued two volumes of dance music, Collection of Scots Reels or Country Dances and Minuets (Edinburgh, 1766), and a second edition, Collection of Scots Reels, Minuets, &c., for the Violin (Glasgow, 1782, published by James Aird). Riddell was associated with another Ayrshire fiddler-composer, John McGill (b. 1705), who composed the tune associated with the song "Come Under My Plaidie."