Gerry Marsden (Gerry and the Pacemakers) has scheduled a new memoir tour filled with music, images, and stories from his career performing alongside The Beatles and other bands in the 1960s. Gerry and the Pacemakers, like The Beatles, were managed by Brian Epstein and recorded by George Martin at EMI. They released three number one singles in a row, a streak that wasn't broken until the 1980s, and Marsden's chipper vocals and bouncy rhythm guitar epitomized the sound of The British Invasion. Marsden's band became an international sensation with original hits like Ferry Cross the Mersey and Don't Let the Sun Catch You Crying, and with inventive interpretations of standards like My Babe, Summertime, You'll Never Walk Alone, and Jumbalaya. The original group disbanded in 1966, the same year The Beatles stopped touring. Gerry Marsden went on to do cabaret and stage work, before reforming the Pacemakers in the 1970s. He re-recorded Ferry Cross the Mersey with Paul McCartney in 1989 for a charity event. Marsden's memoir tour has 37 dates scheduled in the UK between now and the end of 2014. In addition, The Pacemakers kick off a "60s Gold Tour" tomorrow. They will join The Searchers, PJ Proby, and others on stage almost nightly between Sept 25th and Nov 29th. All tour info is available on the official Gerry and the Pacemakers website here. Gerry Marsden was born today in 1942. Happy Birthday, Gerry! Many Happy Returns from Jason at Spy Vibe. Original mono LP below (not in my collection, sadly), followed by his official 2013 video tribute to Liverpool for You'll Never Walk Alone. If the video doesn't play here, you can click to watch it on YouTube. Enjoy!
