 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
 |
 |
 |
I was born in Lancaster, The County Lancashire. As a young child I was a keen footballer and played for Skerton School, City and County teams, I also excelled in Athletics, Swimming and pulling the girls. A comment on my school report was “if he put as much effort in to his school work as he did into his football boots, he’d be a genius” I did at that time from about 8 years old started to write a few little songs that seemed to come naturally to me.
When I was 14 or 15 I brought a Spanish guitar from a friend for £10, I had some lessons from a local guitarist George Gardener, He told his brother who I met in Lancaster that I would never play the guitar because I didn’t practice, from that point on for the next few weeks I practised solidly and went back to see George for another lesson, he couldn’t believe how far I improved in that short time. From that moment on I was hooked and practiced every day I can ever since. |
My father was the chief bus inspector on Lancaster Corporation buses; my mother was a Nurse but retired to look after my elder brother Mike, my younger sister Marilyn and myself.
During my early teens I played football for England National Association of Youth Clubs against Germany, and represented my County on several occasions, I was working for Standfast dyes and printers driving a lorry all over the North of England, I use to have an old guitar stuck down the back of the passenger seat and I liked to quickly finish my work so I could pull into a lay bye and practice.
I started a group called The Leaders and we played around the Lancaster and Morecambe area for about 3 years until I got the opportunity to work with The Fourmost, I was with them for about 9 month until Mike Milward returned. This gave me the springboard to work with some of the greats of music world including: Tom Jones, P.J.Proby, The Fourmost, Shirley Bassey, Dusty Springfield, Johnny Harris, Screaming Lord Sutch, Kathy Kirby, and also the opportunity to play for Prince Charles the Prince of Wales for his investiture, and appear with Tom Jones on The Royal Variety Performance.
I was asked to play a session at the Abbey studios for The American writer and producer Phil Spector, This was for the Beatles last album “Across the Universe” I played on the title track and The Long and Winding Road, this was done in the Phil Spector method of recording Multi Track, He used a large Orchestra and I played the guitar in the Rhythm section together with Martin Kershaw.
After finishing with P.J.Proby I got married to my long term sweetheart Jenny Jones, we had 2 daughters Mari’Louise and Karen Lee, We have gone through some hard times together but also had many good times as well, Jen has stood by me throughout my career and still helps and supports me to this day.
In my 30’s I wanted to get really fit and so took up Judo, I excelled at this and became the Essex open champion, I had to give up after this as it was to much strain on my hands.
I have always drawn and painted all my life, but started to work professionally from the age of about 40, I then started to sell too many galleries in the South as well as commissions. I also had a great interest in history and in 1972 brought my first metal detector, I found this to be a very relaxing pastime and spent countless hours and days looking for ancient coins and artefacts, This culminated in me finding a massive hoard of Celtic gold and silver coins in 1977, for this I was rewarded with £100,000 tax free. I readily spent this on a house and a new car; the rest went on general living. I have found many other hoards and coins etc since.
Chuck Berry
I was touring Sweden with P J Proby co-starring with Chuck Berry. On the first night I was asked to back Chuck Berry - we started and I was giving it some stick. Both Chuck Berry and I was plugged into the same large Fender amp, after a couple of songs he came over and pulled my plug out looking a bit miffed because I was giving it too much!! (I had been a Chuck Berry fan right from the start). Maybe he was right by doing what he did because my style of playing was a little bit too enthusiastic.
Elton John
Shirley Bassey
I did all the lead and rhythm guitar playing on Shirley Bassey's "Something" album. All except for the title track "Something" which was "Head Hands and Feet". We recorded the album in Milan, Italy and the M.D. was Johnny Harris.