Shining star: Man who helped Van Morrison clean windows now US preacher
A FORMER member of the Van Morrison group The Monarchs — who is celebrating half a century of Christian ministry in the US — has revealed how he helped the blues legend clean windows in Belfast so he could make it to a gig.
Leslie Holmes, who was born in the city in 1945, played with The Monarchs here in the Sixties before becoming Moderator of the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church in America.
He is now one of the bestknown preachers and academics in the country.
He emigrated to America in 1967 with his wife Barbara and young son Gary, and became a minister through the influence of his uncle Sam Heslip, a pastor on the Mississippi Gulf Coast.
For over 40 years, Rev Dr Holmes was a minister to congregations in Mississippi, Georgia, Florida, California, Pennsylvania and South Carolina. Prior to becoming Moderator he was the Provost and Professor of Preaching at Erskine Theological Seminary in South Carolina. He is now in his mid-70s, and in the 50th year of his ministry.
“I played with The Monarchs for two years when the showband scene was at its peak,” he said.
“I enjoyed my time with Van who was a very talented musician and a lot of fun.
“In addition to the band, Van had a window-cleaning business in east Belfast, and one day I helped him to clean windows so that we could make our gig that night. So I have a special sense of identity with his song about cleaning windows.
“We travelled much of the country and the memorable places included the Orpheus
Ballroom, the old Co-op in York Street, the Flamingo in Ballymena, Moira Town Hall, the Floral Hall, and many others. After I left The Monarchs I did some fill-ins with the Witness Showband.”
Dr Holmes later met Van when in the US. “I met him when I was a pastor in the San Francisco Bay area, and he did a show there. I still enjoy identifying with his songs about growing up in Belfast. He is very popular in the USA, and his music is often in the background when I go shopping.”
Dr Holmes still plays the trumpet. “I first learned to play the cornet in the First Old Boys Band in Belfast. I still have a trumpet, cornet, flugelhorn and French horn.
“I play for my own entertainment, and I sometimes play in churches where I am preaching.”
Dr Holmes says that his students from each generation pass on the news that he once played trumpet with Van Morrison.
He added: “I guess that Van in his own way has made me famous too, if only with my students.”