I’ve been asked to write a few words for the website now that the excitement of the tour is over.
When my mum took me to see The Searchers in 1964 I wonder what Frank and John would have said if I’d suggested that when they reach their 80s they would be playing two hour shows to rapturous receptions all over the country.
At the suggestion of Wendy Burton, I started the website in 1997, and later with the Facebook page, run by Carolyn and Chris it has taken us through to the present day.
We’ll all have different memories of Searchers shows. Mine was watching the guys set up in Sherfield English village hall, Hampshire at the corner of a badminton court. “they’ll just do a quick set here” I thought, as the venue was so low key. Not a bit of it. If anything they tried even harder to get the crowd going, and of course, succeeded.
I remember that night whenever I’m feeling de-motivated regarding my radio work. Inspiration.
So here we are, and I hope you’ll accept that on behalf of Searchers fans everywhere, past and present, I say a huge thank you for nearly 70 years of fun, to John, Frank, Spencer, Ritchie, Mike, Chris, Tony, Billy, John (Blunt), Eddie and last but certainly not least, Scott.
Other people have contributed a huge amount over the decades too. Wendy Burton (above on stage with us at a Nuneaton convention) and the much missed and never forgotten Tim Viney, who for decades ran the Searchers Appreciation Society, and more recently Carolyn Wright and Chris Peebles who have done a sterling job on the Facebook page..
Frank says “never say never”. We should always believe what a Rock God tells us…..
Gary Jackson