He had a huge repertoire of traditional songs, and was recorded by the likes of James Madison Carpenter, Alan Lomax and Hamish Henderson.
He was part of the last generation to sing traditional songs in bothies, along with Davie Stewart, Jimmy MacBeath and Willie Scott, though he never met them, as far as we know.
John was dismissive of the modern fashion to perform Highland dancing in soft shoes, or "Patent slippers" as he called them.
He was refused entry to a fraternity called "The Horseman's Word", intended for farmservants who looked after horses.
Using songs, stories and authentic sound effects such as bagpipes and revving cars, they dramatised farm work.
These included many of the famous Child Ballads, such as Binnorie,[2] Clyde's Water,[3] Robin Hood and Little John,[4] Johnnie O Braidislie,[5] The Beggar Man,[6] Glenlogie,[7] The Laird O Drum,[8] Lang Johnnie More,[9] The Mother's Malison,[10] The Farmer's Son,[11] Keech in Creel,[12] Bonnie Baby Livingston,[13] Fair Rosie Ann,[14] Four Marys[15] The Bonnie Hoose O Airlie,[16] and The Knight and the Shepherd's Daughter.
[17] Steeleye Span covered his version of The Knight and the Shepherd's Daughter as "The Royal Forester" on their 1972 album Below the Salt.
Bob Dylan covered Strachan's version of "Peggy O" as "Pretty Peggy-O" on his first album in 1962.
On the album, Strachan sings "Lang Johnnie More", 43 verses long, lasting almost 13 minutes, to the tune of "Caul Kail in Aberdeen".