Bands

[memories]

Does anyone remember Eddie McGarry's Band? I think they used to play Accrington and also Tony's Dance Studio in Blackburn.

[cashman]

Eddie Mcgarry used to play accy con club on sats if memory serves me well.

[Alan Gilmartin]

Yer right there Mr C . My first girlfriends dad played the trumpet in the band up the Con. It must have been a New Years eve and there was one big line of people dancing some kind of Conga to Watermelon man, know the song but not the singer ?? , bet you can help mate.

[beechy]

mongo santa maria

[Wynonie Harris]

Original version by Herbie Hancock, who also wrote it...but it was Senor Santamaria's version that hit the charts.

[jaysay]

Eddie played at the Con when I started in the early 60s, can always remember the emcee keep coming on the mike a shouting Jiving around the sides please

[beechy]

was the MC called Bernard ?

[keith]

eddie mcgarrys drummer for many years was olaf whittaker lived on lime road accrington a very smart and snappy dresser and then of course the lady vocalist lily towers the band itself broadcast many times on the radio and most of the band full time musicians

[MargaretR]

I used to see his band there in the 50s - was advertised as 'Eddy McGarry and his Broadcasting Band'

[Alan Gilmartin]

Thanks lads , can always rely on you. Now bernard rings a bell,

[jaysay]

Originally Posted by beechy

was the MC called Bernard ?

Spot on beechy, on Monday nights they had star nights under the premise of "Bernard Presents" that's when bands like The Lionel Morton Four(Four Pennies) Hermans Hermits, Wayne Fontana and the Mindbenders made regular appearances. He was also Steward of the Con later, and was also the steward of Stanley's supporters club at Peel Park, at the time when the Jazz Club was going

[Alan Gilmartin]

What was his last name jaysay, if its the same bloke I remember him as a very smart chap slick black hair and knew a little bit about everything in life, always seemed to have the right answer to any question. I remember him always wearing a tux, but there again it was a long time ago. Probably all stewards wore them, in those days. How many snooker tables did they have down stairs.

[jaysay]

Originally Posted by Alan Gilmartin

What was his last name jaysay, if its the same bloke I remember him as a very smart chap slick black hair and knew a little bit about everything in life, always seemed to have the right answer to any question. I remember him always wearing a tux, but there again it was a long time ago. Probably all stewards wore them, in those days. How many snooker tables did they have down stairs.

Hi Alan, Bernard was steward in the late eighties, in the sixties I used to go in the middle bar, the barman was called Syd and he wore a waistcoat, and there was another one, I think he was called Walter but I'm not sure. There were two snooker tables in the downstairs members bar, and two in the middle bar, I think. In fact Alan in the early seventies I actually worked on the refurbishment for Lancashire Bar Fitters, when they replaced all the bars on the Ground and first floors

[134waterst]

bernard heap...great bloke....lived next to top block, water st

[Alan Gilmartin]

Is he still kicking.