Gerry Marsden, lead singer of UK Merseybeat band Gerry and the Pacemakers, has died in the UK at the age of 78.
Gerry Marsden was born in Liverpool, England in 1942. His band Gerry and the Pacemakers were evolved at the same time in the same clubs as The Beatles. There were lots of Beatles parallels. They were the second group signed by Brian Epstein after he started managing The Beatles. They were signed to EMI. They recorded at Abbey Road and they were produced by George Martin.
The first Gerry and the Pacemakers song was ‘How Do You Do It?’ (no 1 UK, no 3 Australia, 1963). Martin considered it to be the first single for The Beatles before giving it to Gerry and the Pacemakers. The Beatles version would eventually surface in 1995 on Anthology.
Gerry and the Pacemakers quickly became the second biggest act in the England. The second song ‘I Like It’ (no 1 UK, no 3 Australia) was again a hit.
They had a string of hits including ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ (no 1 UK, no 1 Australia), ‘Don’t Let The Sun Catch You Crying’ (no 6 UK, no 21 Australia, no 5 USA) and ‘Ferry Cross The Mersey’ (no 8 UK, no 2 Australia, no 4 USA).
The first number one song for Gerry and the Pacemakers in the USA was the Bobby Darin song ‘I’ll Be There’.
Gerry announced his retirement in 2018 after collapsing on stage in Wales a year earlier.
From Liverpool Football Club:
“It is with such great sadness that we hear of Gerry Marsden’s passing. Gerry’s words will live on forever with us. You’ll Never Walk Alone”
It is with such great sadness that we hear of Gerry Marsden’s passing.
Gerry’s words will live on forever with us. You’ll Never Walk Alone ❤️ pic.twitter.com/5W4yspmLRV
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) January 3, 2021
Devastated to hear of the passing of Gerry Marsden earlier today.
The word legend is often overused but Gerry was not only a legend, but also a very good friend of The Cavern. pic.twitter.com/74HQZP4gio
— The Cavern Club (@cavernliverpool) January 3, 2021
We are sad to hear about the passing of Liverpool musician Gerry Marsden.
Like The Beatles, Gerry and the Pacemakers were a major force on the Merseybeat scene, a musical genre that developed in Liverpool during the late 50s.
Rest in peace Gerry. You'll never walk alone. ❤️ pic.twitter.com/vAicleVhu3
— The Beatles Story (@beatlesstory) January 3, 2021
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