MEMORIES
"Good Times Become Good Memories - Bad Times Become Good Lessons!"
I have some fond memories during my time at BBC Radio Cleveland. I don't have photographs of all the people I worked with during my time at the BBC but I would like to pay tribute to certain colleagues who were a great inspiration to me during my 23 years there - in particular Allan Shaw and Jim Brady who gave me the break in the first place, to engineer Ken Boar for his professionalism and guidance, former news editor Peter Dodson who had faith in me during my time presenting news and current affairs and producers Ken Ryalls and Les Cole for putting up with me for five years!
Actor Peter Adamson, who played the part of Len Fairclough in "Coronation Street," on a visit to the BBC studios.
Photograph by Ernie Brown
What a silly hat! This
was in a Stockton Spa Club and was part of a BBC Christmas video in
December 1983.
It is also nice to know, since this site was established, one or two
colleagues from the very early years of Radio Teesside and Radio
Cleveland have been in contact with me to say how much they enjoyed
these pages and that they brought back a few memories for them. In
particular Colin O'Keeffe, who is now living in the New Forest
surrounded by ducks, geese and horses and has taken to wearing green
wellies these days. Keith Harrison, who presented the Breakfast Show for
many years, sent email to say hello. Mark Waddington tells me I haven't
changed since the 1970's. Ishfaq Ahmed, who is still working
with the BBC, in a role that probably suits him better than any he has
had previously, and
George Lambelle who is running his own successful
DVD production company called
Obsidian Media. Then there was also old golden voice, Eric
Sumner, who was enjoying early retirement in his German home overlooking
the Alps. He sadly passed away on September 10, 2006.
I wonder whether young Ishfaq Ahmed, a very respectable BBC employee these days, remembers this photograph from 1984?
Some memories of "Country Time"
How can I ever forget Don Graham who called into the studio almost every Sunday and shared his cigarettes with me when I was trying to quit! To his friend Ken who continuously supplied me with coffee! To a lady called Linda who always asked for "Let Me Love You Once Before You Go" by Barbara Fairchild. Where are they now? Good friends and charming people Denny and Flo Jackson who used to let me keep my caravan at their pub the Brewers Arms, at Sinderby. Then there was Charles and Sylvia Johnson and all those lovely people at the Go Country Club, in Barnard Castle. Each time I look at certain decanters I have it reminds me of the happy times I had with you good people. Then there was 'Smiler' in the Lake District who introduced me to Highway 101, Molly MacKie from York who requested Tanya Tucker all the time, and how could I ever forget interviewing George Jones in a cupboard at Wembley in 1986 with the door open two inches or so shedding just enough light on the tape recorder! Another time I was fortunate to interview the 'possum' was when, during a tour of the UK, Tammy Wynette took ill and Jones flew out to play several dates for her. Public Relations consultant Tony Byworth informed me about his visit and arranged for me to conduct a telephone interview with him.
Another fond memory I have is when a
Nashville singer/songwriter was playing a show at my local club in
Middlesbrough in the mid 1980's. Before the concert I suggested he came
back to my house to record an interview for my show. It was a cold and
snowy October or November and I recall him saying it was the 'warmest he
had been since coming to England' as my central heating blasted out. The
man in question enjoyed a sandwich and coffee in my home and then went
on to tell me about a song he had written for a certain person but
that person had returned the song saying: "It was just a little too
short and needed another verse." So my visitor told me he wrote that
extra verse, picked up my guitar and sang it for me: "God Bless the boys
from Memphis, Blue Suede Shoes and Elvis
" That songwriter was the late
Max D. Barnes and the song was "Who's Gonna Fill Their Shoes" which was a
number one song for the great George Jones!
Meeting Ronnie Milsap when he was support act to Glen Campbell in
Newcastle will always stick in my mind, too. I was suffering real bad
with a cold at the time and explained to him that I could not conduct an
interview. I did, however, ask if he'd enjoyed his trip to the North
East of England. He told me that he was staying in a small seaside town
called Seaburn and was not particularly happy with the treatment he'd
received from the hotel management. When I asked why he told me they had
charged him $30 extra for a room with a sea view! Think about it!
Then there was George Hamilton 1V. One memorable time I met up with him was in Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina when he was kind enough to introduce me on stage at an open-air concert. I brought George a box of his own records 'hot off the presses' from the Moody Brothers' studio in Charlotte. Oh, happy times!
This was taken on route to London to see Waylon Jennings in concert in October,1983. My apologies for not remembering the names of all the people on this photograph but Jennifer Robson and Ron Sutton are extreme right. I wasn't too popular after the concert because I was responsible for delaying our coach party getting back to the hotel for the night! I decided to try to get backstage to meet Waylon and succeeded. I also said hello to John Denver who was backstage.
Former Hartlepool country music agent Johnny Larkin (centre) sent the photograph to me which dates back to the mid 1960's when Billy Crallan (right) and I provided some instrumental backing for him at the Ponderosa Country Music Club, which was held at the Palace Hotel, in Mainsforth Terrace, Hartlepool.
This brings back some good and happy times. This was taken at a Stockton nightclub celebrating Eric White's 40th birthday. Eric is on the left with cigarette in hand. On the extreme right, in the red shirt, is Leon Moat of the Moat Brothers Country Band. Leon used to stand in for me on "Country Time" when I took the occasional holiday.
Johnny Spencer at the Brewer's Arms, Sinderby, near Thirsk in North Yorkshire. The Brewer's Arms, with hosts Denny and Flo Jackson, used to have country music nights every Friday.
Backstage at Middlesbrough Town Hall with my good friend Roger Humphries. I believe that Roger is one of the finest country music talents in Britain. Note: I am wearing my "I Rode the Bull at Gilley's" tee shirt!
Joe Sun often toured the UK - he is pictured here at the Nashville Honky Tonk in Terrassa, near Barcelona in Spain
Photograph by Gary Smurthwaite
The photograph above was taken in December 2001 at the Newcastle Opera House with a man I have admired for many years John Prine. I flew all the way from Spain just to see him in concert. It was worth every peseta. John was on stage for 140 minutes and spoke to all the people who stayed back to meet him. He chatted freely, posed for photographs and signed autographs. He even said he had read about my pending visit on his web site!
The John Prine autograph
In September 1982 I visited the Presidential Campaign Headquarters of the former US President, Jimmy Carter, in Plains, Georgia. The President wasn't at home when I called but I did receive a reply!
Over the years I received thousands of letters at "Country Time" but this one above, from President Carter, has surely got to be my personal favourite and probably one of my most treasured possessions. I have it framed and hanging on the wall in my office.
Another prized possession is this gift from recording star and ace picker, Jerry Reed. The belt buckle a limited edition was made when the movie "Gator" and the album "Both Barrels" were released. The album features the title track from the movie in which Jerry starred alongside Burt Reynolds.
Photographed in Dublin with Irish country star, Gloria. She was celebrating being awarded a gold disc by Release Records for sales of her song "One Day At A Time."
Two photographs that were taken at the Victoria Ground, the home of Hartlepool United Football Club. In my youth I was a ball boy there and remember seeing Manchester United play in an FA Cup third round tie which took place on January 5, 1957. Despite being 3-0 down at one point, Pools fought back to draw level at 3-3 before eventually losing 4-3.
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