Bob "Mr. Mac" McQuillen (June 27, 1923 – February 4, 2014) was a teacher, musician, and prolific composer of contra dance tunes. He was a recipient of a 2002 National Heritage Fellowship awarded by the National Endowment for the Arts, which is the United States government's highest honor in the folk and traditional arts.
Early life McQuillen was born near Boston, but his family moved to southwestern New Hampshire when he was young. Although his father and grandfather were musicians, and Bob took piano lessons as a child, he didn't grow attached to music until after his time as a Marine during World War II. He started going to contra dances in and around Peterborough, New Hampshire, several times a week, and eventually joined the Ralph Page Orchestra. At a contra dance in 1946, he met Priscilla Scribner, whom he married a year later. They had three children, Dan, Rebecca, and William.
After returning from the Korean War, McQuillen settled down and became an industrial arts teacher at Peterborough High School and ConVal High School, where the students referred to him as "Mr. Mac". At some point, he was a police officer and a school bus driver.
Contra dance years McQuillen was involved in the contra dance community for over 60 years. Over his lifetime, he wrote more than 1,300 dance tunes, most of which he named after people or events in his life. This tradition began with his first tune, "Scotty O'Neil", named after one of his students who had died.
McQuillen was the subject of a 2001 documentary film titled Paid to Eat Ice Cream: Bob McQuillen and New England Contra Dancing. Perhaps his most famous tune is the waltz "Amelia".
Death McQuillen suffered a stroke on February 2, 2014. He was taken to Catholic Medical Center in Manchester, New Hampshire, where he died on February 4.
Discography Year Group Title Label Format?Ralph Page’s New Hampshire Orchestra?The Folk Dancer Record Service78 rpm record1972Canterbury Country Dance OrchestraCanterbury Country Dance OrchestraF&W RecordsLP record1972Canterbury Country Dance OrchestraThe Canterbury Country Orchestra Meets the F & W String BandF&W RecordsLP record1974Dudley Laufman and Canterbury Country Dance OrchestraMistwoldF&W RecordsLP record1974Canterbury Country Dance OrchestraContra Dances: The Canterbury OrchestraCDSS Records45 rpm record1974Dudley Laufman and Canterbury Country Dance OrchestraSwinging On A GateFront Hall RecordsLP record, CD1976Douglas Ecker, Joyce Desmarais, Lorraine Lee Hammond, Rick Lee, Bob McQuillenMore Path Rent (hammered dulcimer tunes)Esker WorksLP record1979Guest appearance with Debby McClatchyLady LuckGreen Linnet RecordsLP record1980Applejack with Bob McQuillenContra Dance Music New England StyleGreen Linnet RecordsLP record1981Guest appearance with John McCutcheonBarefoot Boy with Boots OnFront Hall Records, Rounder RecordsLP record and cassette on Front Hall, CD on Rounder1988, 1991, 2003New England TraditionFarewell to the HollowGreat Meadow Musiccassette, CD1991Guest appearance with Sarah BauhanChasing the New MoonWhistler’s MusicCD1993Guest appearance with Sarah BauhanThe Untamed GrassesAlcazar Recordscassette, CD1996Old New EnglandOld New EnglandOld New EnglandCD1997Bob McQuillen, Laurie Andres, Cathie WhitesidesHand It Down: Contra Dance Tunes by Bob McQuillenAvocetCD1999Compilation including Old New EnglandChoose Your Partners! Contra Dance & Square Dance Music of New HampshireSmithsonian FolkwaysCD2000Rodney Miller and Bob McQuillenPure QuillGreat Meadow MusicCD2002Old New EnglandONE: TWOOld New EnglandCD2005Old New EnglandONE: IIIOld New EnglandCD2007Guest appearance with Sarah BauhanLathrop's WaltzWhistler’s MusicCD2008The Rhythm RollersGrand Right and LeftAvocetCD2010Old New EnglandONE: IVOld New EnglandCD
See also Benjamin Marshall House, McQuillen's Dublin home
References
External links He keeps contra dance moving YouTube: 2004 Interview with Bob McQuillen (by the NH State Council on the Arts) YouTube: Interview at the Ralph Page Legacy Dance Weekend 2011 YouTube: Bob's 90th Birthday Party 2023 Centenary Project to play all Bob McQuillen's published tunes