In 1898, Lauder formed his own touring group with the violinist MacKenzie Murdoch ('the World's Greatest Fiddler') and looked forward to a successful tour (mainly on the West Coast of Scotland). According to Lauder's autobiography (Roamin' in the gloamin'):
The first week of the tour (which began on the August Bank Holiday) took in Kilmarnock, Irvine, Kilwinning, Saltcoats, Troon, and Ayr, but failed to meet Lauder's high expectations:Murdoch and I both agreed that it was a "clinker" and that it would pull the people into the local halls until the police would "summons" us for overcrowding.
Lauder also wrote of posting hundreds of the 'Lauder-Murdoch Concert Party bill' around the towns covered in the first week of the tour. I wonder if there are any copies of this advert still around in Kilmarnock, Irvine, Kilwinning, Saltcoats, Troon, and Ayr. (Those interested in Harry Lauder can find copies of his autobiography on-line, e.g., at this Web site.)The tour was a ghastly failure. Night after night we played to a mere handful of people that is, if the free passes be excepted, for there was always a good representation of dead-heads. At the end of the first week Murdoch and I were in the blues.