Post by 1finemrg on Jan 3, 2021 13:23:10 GMT -5
Gerry Mardsen, frontman for Gerry & the Pacemakers, passed away January 3 from a heart infection at the age of 78.
Following in the Beatles footsteps, Gerry & the Pacemakers were the second band that signed with Brian Epstein to be their manager. In the US, they rode the first wave of the British Invasion charting 7 Top 40 hits between 1964 and 1966. Three of those hits reached the Top 10: "Don't Let The Sun Catch You Crying (#4), "How Do You Do It" (#9), and "Ferry Cross The Mersey" (#6).
In the UK, they would top the surveys in 1963 with their first three charting singles, "How Do You Do It", "I Like It' and "You'll Never Walk Alone". They just missed a fourth consecutive chart-topper when "I'm The One" peaked at #2.
Mardsen has raised millions of pounds for various charities and disaster relief funds through the years. In 1985, he returned to the top of the UK charts with a re-recording of "You'll Never Walk Alone" as a member of the group The Crowd. He formed this group, which included other musicians, singers and radio disc jockeys to raise money for the Bradford Football Club Stadium tragedy where 56 people lost their lives. The song recently has been linked to supporting front-line workers in the UK during the Covid-19 epidemic.
Four years later, he joined forces with Paul McCartney and Holly Johnson (Frankie Goes To Hollywood) to re-record "Ferry Cross The Mersey". The proceeds went to aid the 96 Liverpool FC fans who lost their lives.
He had undergone several heart surgeries through the years but continued to perform until retiring in late 2018.
In recognition of his contributions, Gerard Mardsen MBE received the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire in 2003. His charity work and his contribution to the culture of Liverpool led to him being awarded the Freedom Of The City Of Liverpool in 2009.
Obituary/Tributes
Following in the Beatles footsteps, Gerry & the Pacemakers were the second band that signed with Brian Epstein to be their manager. In the US, they rode the first wave of the British Invasion charting 7 Top 40 hits between 1964 and 1966. Three of those hits reached the Top 10: "Don't Let The Sun Catch You Crying (#4), "How Do You Do It" (#9), and "Ferry Cross The Mersey" (#6).
In the UK, they would top the surveys in 1963 with their first three charting singles, "How Do You Do It", "I Like It' and "You'll Never Walk Alone". They just missed a fourth consecutive chart-topper when "I'm The One" peaked at #2.
Mardsen has raised millions of pounds for various charities and disaster relief funds through the years. In 1985, he returned to the top of the UK charts with a re-recording of "You'll Never Walk Alone" as a member of the group The Crowd. He formed this group, which included other musicians, singers and radio disc jockeys to raise money for the Bradford Football Club Stadium tragedy where 56 people lost their lives. The song recently has been linked to supporting front-line workers in the UK during the Covid-19 epidemic.
Four years later, he joined forces with Paul McCartney and Holly Johnson (Frankie Goes To Hollywood) to re-record "Ferry Cross The Mersey". The proceeds went to aid the 96 Liverpool FC fans who lost their lives.
He had undergone several heart surgeries through the years but continued to perform until retiring in late 2018.
In recognition of his contributions, Gerard Mardsen MBE received the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire in 2003. His charity work and his contribution to the culture of Liverpool led to him being awarded the Freedom Of The City Of Liverpool in 2009.
Obituary/Tributes