Jimmy formed his Scottish Dance Band in 1945, after signing a contract with EMI in 1943, and by 1949 each of their 78s were selling in excess of 50,000 copies.

Jimmy had the Hohner company build a "button" model accordion to his specification, which would produce a sound better suited to Scottish Dance Music than anything else avaiable. This was the famous "Shand Morino". He also played the melodeon, mouth organ and fiddle.


In 1953 Jimmy Shand and his Band were in the charts playing "The Bluebell Polka", the one and only Scottish Dance Band to achieve chart success. During the 60's, they were also regular favourites on the BBC Scotland TV series "The White Heather Club".

At the same time the band were pounding up and down the roads of Britain - no motorways in those days! - playing gigs the length and breadth of the country in all seasons and all weathers.