I was born in 47

Sad News

I am sad to report that Gerry Cotterill, who played Bass Guitar in the Karl Denver Trio, died on Friday 24.11.06 after a long illness.

Gerry Cotterill obituary

Gerry Cottrell, the bassist who played on 1960s hit records by the Karl Denver Trio - including Wimoweh - has died, aged 72.

For many years, Gerry and his wife Barbara have lived on Barton Road in Stretford, though he spent much of the past two years in Trafford General Hospital.

A much-respected musician, Gerry began his career in the 1950s playing double bass with drummer Hector Geddall and Alan Haven, later to become an internationally-acclaimed jazz organist.

Then Gerry teamed up with Karl Denver - a Scottish singer whose voice could range from dark baritone to falsetto - and who performed in a wide range of styles covering pop, country, jazz and blues.

They were joined by Mancunian guitarist Kevin Neill and signed to the Decca record company by leading producer Jack Good. This partnership resulted in a dozen chart appearances with hits including Wimoweh which stayed in the hit parade for 17 weeks, reaching number four.

Other chart successes included Marcheta, Mexicali Rose, Still, Never Goodbye and Love Me With All Your Heart.

The sixties for Gerry were a whirlwind of radio and TV shows, films, pop concerts, recording sessions, and national and international tours.

He knew many pop stars of the day including the Beatles , whose first radio performance was on the Trio's Side By Side With ...BBC series.

However, by the 1970s musical tastes had changed and popularity of the Trio waned, though they continued to record, and to perform - mainly in cabaret.

Gerry left the Karl Denver Trio after more than 20 years about 1979. He continued to play with various artists around Manchester, including singer Pete Elliott, until recently.

Former guitarist colleague Kevin Neill said: "Gerry was a tremendous musician and a great jazz bass player, either double bass or bass guitar. That was acknowledged by everyone in the business. He will be sadly missed. " Gerry's.funeral took place at Southern Cemetery on Friday December 1

by Bernard Silk

Isn't the internet wonderful! I received the following message from somebody who is a complete stranger to me but who was clearly very close to Gerry. If anybody is able to help Laura with memories of Gerry when he was younger please let me know and I will pass on her e-mail address. She would dearly love to hear of ANY memories people have of her Granddad.

Username: Laura Negus

Date: 24.04.2007

Comments:

Hi there,

I have just found this site and I think it is wonderful. I know little about Salford or the music as I am only 20 but it is fascinating to read. I am very interested in finding out more about what it was like back then. My name is Laura and I am Gerry Cottrell's grandaughter so it is lovely to hear all the comments about him and hear what a great musician he was. I had to laugh at the comment he was the quiet one of the group because that is exactly how he was. A very laid back and caring person. I miss him everyday. So if anyone can tell me more about what he was like as a young man I would be grateful. Also thank you to everyone who came to the funeral, you helped it to be a happy day with your memories.

Salford

I was born in 47, Broughton Road, Salford in 1948, at which time Salford was still in Lancashire; now it is in the County of Greater Manchester. I had seven brothers and four sisters and my early memories are of a very musical household. My mam and dad both played piano, my dad also played mouth organ - in fact I don't think I have ever heard anybody play mouth organ the way my dad did. He seemed to be able to play a tune and accompaniment at the same time. Everybody in the family played at least one instrument, to varying degrees, and many of us played two or more. All of my sisters and some of my brothers learned to read music but I have had to rely on a "good ear".

I started to play one finger symphonies on the piano at a very early age and then when I was thirteen, I visited Gerard, my brother who lived in Sale, and he gave me his guitar because I managed to get a tune out of it on my visit. This was the start of a love affair that is as strong as ever.

As with many teenagers at that time, I joined a "beat group", called "The Ugly Ducklings". We didn't have much success at all but we loved it. I went solo after a few years (pubs & clubs) then became part of a duo with my brother Joe, we were known as "Me & Our Kid".

"Me & Our Kid" appearing at a recent charity "do".

This lasted about fifteen years before Joe found other things to do and I was solo again. Then in 1988, Tony Downes (late of "The Two Beggarmen"), invited me to join him as his partner, Martin Lynott, had had to give up.

Music has taken me to some interesting jobs. I have played piano for a ladies' keep fit class (before aerobics and CD). I have played the organ at several weddings including one in Vancouver, where I also played guitar and sang. I played mandolin, a couple of times, for the Oldham Tinkers early heroes of mine, when their usual instrumentalist was unavailable. An interesting event for me was when I gave a Sitar recital in Ramsbottom several years ago. I was passing a newsagents in Bolton when I noticed a sitar up for sale. I bought it and "messed about" with it for a while. I was working with an Indian lady at the time and she heard about my sitar. Some months later she asked me if I would give a recital for a gathering her father had arranged as their usual sitarist was unavailable - quite a thrill for me!

Another thrill for me was at Fred Fielder's barbecue one year. There were all sorts of people there, incidentally, you should hear Maxine Barrie singing Rock and Roll with guitar backing, she's superb and she loves it. The high spot for me was when Kevin Neill (Karl Denver's lead guitarist) and Gerry Cottrell (Karl Denver's bass guitarist) played immaculately whilst I did my impression of Karl Denver - I loved it.

I have such clear memories of watching them both on stage behind Karl Denver in the pantomime at The Palace, Christmas 1962. I haven't got a clue what the pantomime was, all I remember is watching the Karl Denver Trio. I was on the front row of the circle and, amongst other songs they sang, I remember "The green grass grew all around all around". Kevin refuses to sing it now when I ask him, he says they only learned it for the kids at the pantomime!

I went to New York with Joe, my brother. We had a superb time and we met Les Paul , the first guitarist I ever heard of when my brother, Tom, played a 78 of his. The tune was Nola and I reminded Les Paul of the single when we met - he seemed to have forgotten all about it. We met Les Paul at The Iridium Club where he still performs every Monday Night; he's 89 years old. He is the guy who invented the solid body electric guitar. He made a prototype, called The Log which I saw in a guitar museum in Nashville, and he went to Gibson guitars with it. At first they showed no interest and a guy called Leo Fender invited Les Paul to join forces with him as he was planning to make an electric guitar. After Leo Fender produced a guitar, a Fender Broadcaster, Gibson very quickly hunted out Les Paul and agreed to produce the first "Gibson Les Paul".

Two Martins (Joe & Pete) and two Les Pauls (the Instrument and the Legend).

We also visited Philadelphia where we went for a trip round the Martin Guitar Factory. This was the main purpose (excuse) for our trip to the USA I came home with a Martin 00-15 all mahogany guitar - it's a beauty. The chairman of the company, CF Martin IV came down to chat to us.

Pete Martin outside the Martin Guitar Factory, Nazareth, P.A.

A few years later, me and my son Rob

lean on the same sign.

Pete, Chris (owner of the company), and

Rob Martin.

When we visited the factory this time, we asked if Chris Martin was available to sign my Martin Backpacker Guitar. He came down, signed the guitar and spent a fair bit of time chatting to us, a really friendly guy.

Some people have asked me what instrument I use with Hanky Park. I use a Martin D35 which is coming up to 24 years old now. I have played hundreds of guitars in my time but I have never played another guitar that I would swap for my D35. I also play a Gibson Mandolin A series which is quite an old instrument and appears to have been made around 1912. Tony plays a Martin D18 - about 29 years old.

I met another of my early heroes because of "The Flowers of Manchester" (see the "Flowers" page on this site). The week after my momentous night on the pitch at Old Trafford, I was at the home game and the guest making the cash dash draw at half time was Graham Nash, once of The Hollies and Crosby, Stills and Nash (& Young). Graham also grew up in Salford (born in Blackpool when his mother was evacuated there during the war). After meeting him at Old Trafford, thanks to the friendly crew there who had escorted me on to the pitch at half time, I met him a couple of nights later when he was signing copies of his new book on photography. Being a big fan of harmony (Everly Brothers, Beatles, Me & Our Kid) The Hollies were also very much amongst my favourites - especially as two of them came from Salford. Rob, my son, took this photo of Graham Nash and me at the book signing.