When Gerry played
GERRY Marsden, founder of Gerry and the Pacemakers, has been remembered from his early days performing in a small club off Lord Street in Southport and for his many popular performances at Southport Theatre.
The Merseybeat pop star, famous for his anthemic number one 1963 hit You’ll Never Walk Alone, sadly died of a heart infection on January 3, aged 78.
You’ll Never Walk Alone became the anthem of Liverpool Football Club. Originally from Rodgers and Hammerstein’s 1945 musical Carousel it became a comforting tune for many people in troubled times. During the first national lockdown, the NHS fundraiser Captain Sir Tom Moore, Michael Ball and the NHS Voices of Care choir scored a No 1 hit with the song.
Gerry and the Pacemakers also wowed audiences with performances across Southport with other venues including the Marine Club, The Odeon and The Palace Hotel.
Southport Dukes Ward councillor and music enthusiast Sir Ron Watson said: “I was sorry to learn of the passing of Gerry Marsden who was a truly iconic figure in the Merseybeat era.
“I saw Gerry perform dozens of times at Cavern lunchtime sessions where he alternated with the Beatles but in 1961-2 he also appeared on quite a regular basis at a small upstairs club off Lord Street in Southport whose name now escapes me.
“One of the most significant shows when Brian Epstein tried to expand the scope of his artists was headlined by Joe Brown on July 26, 1962 and Joe was supported by The Beatles and Gerry and the Pacemakers.
“His first EMI single How Do You Do It went to No 1 and there was an irony in the fact that EMI had wanted The Beatles to record it but they did not like the song as you can hear from a very lacklustre demo recording they made at the time.
“Throughout the whole of his career I saw Gerry perform many times at Southport Theatre as part of ‘60s package shows.
“I last saw him a couple of years ago at his final tour when he was presented with a lifesize oil painting portrait,’’ Sir Ron remembered.
“For most people, however, Gerry will always be associated with his version of You’ll Never Walk Alone which became the anthem for Liverpool Football Club of which he was an energetic and lifetime supporter and the club awarded him lifetime membership in recognition of his support.
“To hear 40,000 plus people all singing his version of the song in a lusty manner was a sight and sound to behold and the song was also used on numerous occasions to try and bring communities together.”
Other local people also remember Gerry Marsden with affection.
Writing in the Stand Up For Southport Facebook group, Stuart Isenberg said: “I used to chat to Gerry and members of the band when they appeared at the Marine Club, which is probably the venue off Lord Street which is being recalled.”
Roslyn Byrne said: “I saw him at Southport Theatre, it was a brilliant evening!”
Chas King said: “Saw him with the Beatles and the Fourmost at The Odeon!”
Caroline Parkes said: “They were on at Allison’s in Litherland in the 1970s. Saw them lots of times, great nights out.”
Ann Stirrup said: “Yes we also sat with them at the Marine club, they were a really nice group.”
Kath Thomas said: “Went to see him several times at the theatre and he seemed to get more and more entertaining each time. He was a legend and leaves behind an inheritance of music that has the heart of Liverpool in it. RIP Gerry.”
Sheila Hancock said: “Ferry Across the Mersey is a classic – I was brought up in Liverpool and was a young teenager in early 1960s watching him in the Cavern – great singer! RIP Gerry.”
Linda Roberts said: “My fiance was at Liverpool Tech and used to have his lunch at The Cavern. He used to say The Beatles were good but Gerry and the Pacemakers were better... RIP You’ll Never Walk Alone.”
Nigel Lewis said: “I saw him at the Palace Hotel in Birkdale.”
Mary McNally said: “It is the Marine Club I think saw him and the Pacemakers at the Floral Hall.”
For a brief and heady moment in the early 1960s, The Beatles’ main rivals for dominance of the pop charts were not the Rolling Stones, but Gerry and the Pacemakers.
Like the Beatles, Gerry Marsden and his group came from Liverpool and like their Merseybeat compatriots, they were managed by Brian Epstein and their records were produced by George Martin.
When the Pacemakers’ first three singles went to number one in 1963, they outstripped The Beatles to become the first act in chart history to score such a triple. The Beatles did not score a UK No 1 until their third single, From Me to You.
After hitting the top with How Do You Do It? and I Like It, Gerry and the Pacemakers’ third No 1 conferred civic immortality in their home city when the song was adopted as the anthem of Liverpool FC.
Sung in suitably melodramatic fashion by Marsden, the group’s version of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s You’ll Never Walk Alone is to this day played over the PA system before every Liverpool home match and has