Nothing ‘comperes’ to much-loved Tony
WE CHAT WITH TONY YEAMAN
THIS week we talk to my good friend Tony Yeaman as the long-serving compere at The Tranby Social club, in Anlaby, finally hangs up his microphone. He steps down this Saturday following a lifetime of service to clubland. It was 55 years ago when a 20 year-old Tony suffered a serious back injury playing rugby. Spending over seven months recovering in hospital as the injury was so severe he couldn’t go back to his job in the building industry he decided to take the chance to train at the Portland training collage in Mansfield.
While training in bookkeeping and maths, some of the students at the college decided to put on a cabaret show and Tony decided to join in, put his name down to sing something.
Tony said: “I sang the song Almost There by Andy Williams and Tonight from the musical West Side Story. It seemed to go quite well and after my performance one of my tutors suggested to me that I might consider singing for a living.
“I did enjoy singing and after I returned home I took up a position as a book-keeper, but would often get up at The Endyke pub on Free and Easy night that were ran by the late Carrie Morley.
“She was the resident compere there and it was Carrie who said I should audition for the local Variety Artiste Association.
“I was invited to the Ambassador Club to audition and decided to sing the hit Release Me by Englebert Humperdinck.
“Luckily, I passed my audition and was given my first paid booking, at the now demolished Eureka Club in Hawthorne Avenue.
“I didn’t have any transport in those days and vividly recall catching the bus there and back with my sheet music in one bag and my stage clothes in another.
“It was in the days when all of the venues employed a backing band of some description and, thankfully, it went really well.
“Bookings soon started to come in and I was also offered a residency at the Brickmaker’s Arms in Walton Street, every
Saturday and Monday night with the much-loved and respected musician Lilias Wood.
“Lilias also arranged all of my sheet music, as she did for many of the acts in the area and she gave me the confidence to move forward in my singing career.”
On Sunday nights Tony would work on the local clubland circuit until he was asked by manger Brian Worrell to go resident at the Ocean club in Hornsea.
He enjoyed nine months there before being approached by a Nottingham agent Shelia Tozer in the 1970s, who took him on as a managed act.
Tony said: “With so much work coming in, I decided to give my day job up and turn professional.
“I travelled all over the country doing seven-day runs in Scotland, Wales and the North East working for the Mecca chain and Bailey’s Nightclubs, as well as some of the top theatres across the country.
“Sadly, the country went into recession and a three-day working week had a massive impact on the entertainment circuit.
“I was living in Bridlington at the time and to supplement my income I got a job at a builders merchants, as well as taking a residency at the South Shore Inn.
“I eventually moved back to Hull and went to work for Malcolm Bogg at the Springfield club on Anlaby Common, working with musicians Barry Todd and Pete Palmer.
“While working there Maurice Solway recommended me for the job at the Willows Social club on Holderness Road, as he was leaving and I had a memorable time for more than seven years.”
Tony took a break from singing, but missed it so much that when the chance to compere at the Regency club in Beverley working with musicians Terry Bell and Dave Housman he jumped at the chance.
He worked there until a new owner took over and decided that he no longer wanted a resident band, so from there he moved to The Walton Club in Walton Street, working once again with Dave Housman and keyboard player Dave Deighton.
Tony said: “I eventually moved to the Tranby club, where I have been since 1999 and it was the first club that I have ever worked as a self-contained singer.
“The first guest artist I introduced onto the Tranby stage was the Mail’s own clubspot columnist Dave Norman, who not only has become a good friend but he helped me by providing backing tracks in those early days.
“I can honestly say I have loved every minute of working at the Tranby and have made so many friends over the years.
“It will be sad to leave, but I feel the time is right for me to retire and my last Saturday is this week when I will be working with the fantastic Michael Appleton’s Michael Bublé Experience.”
■■Entry is £5 including a buffet. For more information call 01482 654459.
Among the other gigs of note are Alan Patrick tomorrow night The Ritz Country Music Club, Liam Alexander is on at the Highland Laddie on Friday night and International comedian Joey Howard is appearing at The Willows club, on Saturday night. Next Tuesday night The William Gemmell CMC features the sounds of country music artist Henry Birkett.