Tam Paton

Thomas Dougal Paton, known as Tam, (born in Prestonpans, Scotland, 10 August 1937), is the former manager and primary spokesman of the 1970s Scottish boy band, the Bay City Rollers. The son of a potato merchant, Paton drove a truck to initially aid the group financially. He went on to guide the band through their peak during the 1970s, nurturing the band's image to be that of the "boys next door". He was responsible for starting a myth that the band members preferred drinking milk to alcoholic beverages, in order to cultivate this clean, innocent image.

In 1979, Paton was fired as manager, and went on to develop a multi-million pound real estate business based in Edinburgh, Scotland.

In 1982, Paton, was convicted of gross indecency with teenage boys, serving one year of a three year prison sentence.citation |date=26 January 2007 |title=Welcome to Tam Paton's weird world |first=Sandra |last=Dick |periodical=The Scotsman |url=http://news.scotsman.com/topics.cfm?tid=1019&id=137122007 |accessdate=2007-11-27 ]

In recent years, he has suffered poor health, including two heart attacks, and a stroke. He was arrested on child sex charges in January 2003, but was later cleared of all allegations.citation |date=10 March, 2003 |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/2837665.stm |title=Rollers boss sex inquiry dropped |periodical=BBC |accessdate=2007-11-27] In April 2004, Paton was convicted of supplying cannabis and fined £200,000.citation |date=30 April, 2004 |title=Ex-Rollers boss fined £200,000 |periodical=BBC |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/3674213.stm |accessdate=2007-11-27 ]

References

* Stambler, Irwin. "Encyclopedia of Pop, Rock & Soul". 1974. St. Martin's Press, Inc. New York, N.Y. ISBN:312-25025-8.