| Alec |
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| #1 |
I wonder if any others reading this were also there with me at a very memorable, free concert given by the Chris Barber band in Battersea Park during the Festival of Britain, 1951? The Festival fascinated me and I had taken photos of the Skylon being constructed during the previous year. When the Festival was opened I took many photos of the Guinness Clock (in murky Dufaycolour, I might add!), the fountains, Festival Hall, the Shot Tower, the tree walk etc., and of the performances (also free) by various trapeze artists. But it is that concert which really sticks in my mind, and it was great to see Chris Barber, Ken Colyer, Monty Sunshine, Lonnie Donnegan etc in the flesh for the first time! Then followed Monty Sunshine's great hit with "Stranger on the Shore", and Lonnie forsook his banjo to learn three chords on the guitar and start the skiffle craze in the coffee bars - I used to frequent "Heaven and Hell" (Hell being downstairs, obviously). Can anyone recommend a currently available CD which covers that precise period? |
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| Peter Austin |
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| #2 |
Is Monty getting any royalties for Stranger on the Shore?! |
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