British Country Music
Hall Of Fame

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It was back in 1970 that Stubby did his first paid gig, singing at a local working men¹s club for the Glasgow Rangers football supporters club. The song he sang was Nobody¹s Child and he received the then princely sum of £2.50. At the time he had a day job working for the local council getting paid £2 a week. Now he has always preferred brawn to brains but even he knew there might be something in this singing lark. After his debut performance he got together with some old school friends and his first band was born, playing popular songs of the day and even then a little Country music could be heard. The band played all over Cumbria and the north east.

Cumbria is a small county but it had a hard core of musicians and, maybe even more importantly, they had a club that they all use to go back to after the gigs because it was was open for 24 hours. So one wet night in the mid 70s whilst talking in this said club a fellow muso mentioned he was forming a new band to work in Germany for six months. Stubby said 'count me in¹ not realising the first gig was in two days. Needless to say five people in a clapped out Bedford van frantically began trying to learn four new sets. They should have known that the night was doomed. It was awful and after their first gig, they were informed that their services were no longer required. Not being put off they decided to try and find their own work over there rather than come home. They stayed four months until the German police found them living in a service station and sent them home.

Back in Carlisle, Stubby had his first real big success when he joined up with Mal Mason in a five piece soul band called Captain Flint. After many adventures Mal thought it best if he left. Imagine then, his surprise, when two years later, while working at a local night club, Mal made him a very interesting offer of working in a duo with him playing drums and bass on a thing called a sequencer, which worked off his keyboards. The duo was a fantastic success and it was around about this time that Mal told Stubby of his love of Country music and brought along lots of tapes for him to listen to in the van. Stubby was hooked. Things seemed to be going great when Mal once again thought it best if he left.

During the next few years he played in many bands, even one with Brian Collins of Honest Truth fame, then he got that telephone call from none other than Mal, again asking if he fancied joining Lemon Grass and going on the Country music circuit full time. His stint with Lemon Grass lasted five years and brought many awards to the band. After leaving Lemon Grass, he worked in a Country band in the middle east for six months and then joined Colin Ford as the duo Second Chance. This partnership was only to last six years due to health problems at that time with Colin, who decided to take some time off and get himself fit again.

Out of work again he received a call from Kevin Blake asking him to join the Corn Dogs. Once again he was to be part of another successful band, this time for 18 months, until the band split up. So back to square one but a chance conversation at a festival with Stu Payne (Circuit Judge¹s wonderful keyboard player and guitarist) and low and behold came the birth of Sidewinder which was to last three years.

As from 2009 he will be working solo. He still loves Country music with a passion and will try and please the whole market place from dance to concert. If you have seen Stubby going out solo, I am sure you will agree, he is well worth booking or better still, listening to.

As he so often signs off 'giss a job¹. T: 01362 692278.