Biography

In 1971 he was booked to appear in the Cote du Nord Hotel's Blarney From Killarney cabaret show in full Highland dress to become, as one review put it, "Jersey's answer to Andy Stewart", singing all the expected Scottish 'hits' then doing the same with some of Ireland's songs.

Gillies sung the theme to the Thames Television sitcom, Love Thy Neighbour (1972-1976), in a song composed by Mack Gordon and Harry Revel. The series, which was broadcast on the ITV network from April 1972, was a ratings hit despite being attacked by critics, then and since, for its politically incorrect handling of the issue of racism. In later decades it was repeated on satellite television stations in the UK, although each episode began with a warning about its content. Gillies accepted a repeat fee deal at the time and was still receiving money from successor company Freemantle Media as late as 2020.

Gillies entered and won the Glasgow area heats of Lou Preager's £1,000 Find the Singer contest, which were held at the Majestic Ballroom on Saturday 10th, 17th, and 24th March 1962. As a result he was flown down to London to take part in one of the weekly televised contests, produced by ATV and shown across the ITV network on Monday 9 April 1962. The song he chose to perform was Softly As I Leave You. The panel of studio judges voted his the best performance that night and he went through to the semi-finals and then onto the final.

Gillies moved to Jersey in 1964. His wife's sister had married the owner of a coach company and so Gillies initially took a job driving coach tours for the tourists, which he continued until 1966. He used to sing to the passengers and became known as 'the singing coach driver'.

He ran a theatre school in Jersey, entertaining and teaching children theatre skills.