My background - Music and Media
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But that didn’t earn me a living. The family ambition was to get a job as a clerk because it was good secure employment. Even better to get a clerk’s job in a bank, which I did. But I was always writing…making up stories inspired by popular TV sit-coms and then something remotely resembling journalism and that’s where I went with my life eventually being recruited by a top current affairs executive to join Granada Television’s local news team. Thus began a 30 year career in TV.
But the music continued.
The details are to be found elsewhere on this site, but, in summary I started playing in pubs and folk clubs. The pubs were more fun as I could often get the whole pub singing along, just me and my guitar…no mics, no amps, but with a lot of help from the folk nursing their pints and singing along.
The folk clubs were less spontaneous and I only really started getting gigs when I joined up with two of the Scottish folk revival’s luminaries, Gordon McCulloch and Bobby Campbell. In addition to British folk clubs, we were booked extensively across Germany and made four tours between 1972 and ’74. I also made one solo trip to perform at festivals in the summer of ’73 climaxing with a solo performance at an Open Air Concert at midnight in Berlin’s Alexander Platz before 25,000 people. I was too young to be nervous…
Following that I had to get a proper job which is how I ended up in telly. Even so, I managed to sing and play occasionally: on a kids’ programme: Song Book with the joyous Kathy Jones, who was moonlighting from her front line role in Coronation Street. I even have footage which I will post before too long.
I also duetted with Lonnie Donegan in the summer of ‘76…sadly the tape has been wiped. Which I like to think was due to saving money by re-using the tapes than as a comment on the performance.
There are many names to drop, which I will get round to as the stories unfold.
Latterly, I have taken to playing more jazz/swing but still love playing more folk/soft-rock orientated repertoire with my long-time collaborators in Rambling Valentines.
A Lancashire lad born in Wigan, I learned to walk and talk in Liverpool, had Primary School years in Blackpool, began Secondary School in Manchester and ended up in my early teens in 'That' London.
At six, I was given a birthday present of a mouth organ and loved it, but it stopped working and was never replaced.
Then, when I was 14, I bought a ukulele off a kid at school.
Loved it and could transfer the chords I had learned to the guitar I bought I year later. Haven’t stopped since.
Past work...
20?? - 2022
Musician
text here eg bands
Briefly describe your degree and any other highlights about your studies you want to share. Be sure to include relevant skills you gained, accomplishments you achieved or milestones you reached during your education.
19?? - 19??
Presenter
Granada TV
Briefly describe your degree and any other highlights about your studies you want to share. Be sure to include relevant skills you gained, accomplishments you achieved or milestones you reached during your education.
19?? - 19??
Journalist
text here eg TV Times
Briefly describe your degree and any other highlights about your studies you want to share. Be sure to include relevant skills you gained, accomplishments you achieved or milestones you reached during your education.
19?? - 19??
Editor
Newspaper name
Briefly describe your degree and any other highlights about your studies you want to share. Be sure to include relevant skills you gained, accomplishments you achieved or milestones you reached during your education.