Coordinates: 54°57′47″N 1°43′07″W / 54.963°N 1.7187°W / 54.963; -1.7187

Blaydon
Scotswood Railway Bridge
Blaydon  Blaydon shown within Tyne and Wear
Population	14,648 (2001)
OS grid reference	NZ2460
Metropolitan borough	Gateshead
Metropolitan county	Tyne and Wear
Region	North East
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	BLAYDON-ON-TYNE
Postcode district	NE21
Dialling code	0191
Police	Northumbria
Fire	Tyne and Wear
Ambulance	North East
EU Parliament	North East England
UK Parliament	Blaydon
List of places: UK • England • Tyne and Wear

Blaydon-on-Tyne (usually shortened to Blaydon) is a town in the North East of England in the Metropolitan Borough of Gateshead. The former urban district, however, extends much further, its fourteen and a half square miles constituting the largest administrative district, after Newcastle, on Tyneside. Included within this area, which extends inland from the Tyne along the River Derwent for ten miles (16 km), are the mining communities of Chopwell and High Spen as well as the villages of Rowlands Gill, Blackhall Mill, Barlow and Stella and the larger and more urban towns of Blaydon and Winlaton. It has a population of 14,648.^[1]

History[link]

The town of Blaydon is essentially an industrial area and is not more than two centuries old. Indeed in the 1760s there was little here but a few farms and cottages. In the latter part of the same century a smelting works was set up from which sprang the industrial growth of the area.^{[citation needed]}

Though the town itself has a relatively short history there has been activity in the area for many centuries.

Early History[link]

The earliest recorded evidence of human activity at Blaydon is a Neolithic polished stone axe found in the early 20th century. Finds and structures from later prehistoric periods include a bronze spearhead and log-boat, both recovered from the River Tyne in the 19th century. A number of Bronze Age cists^{[citation needed]} are recorded from Summerhill and several others from Bewes Hill.^[2]

Little is recorded of medieval Blaydon, which appears to have been based upon the modern farm sites of High and Low Shibdon. The Blaydon Burn Belts Corn Mill, part of a row of 5 or 6 water corn mills stretching from Brockwell Wood to the River Tyne is known to have been present by the early 17th century, suggesting a healthy population at that time. It is likely that, as well as farming, many industrial activities such as mining and quarrying had begun in the medieval and post-medieval periods, well before the industrial period of the 18th to 20th centuries when Blaydon became an important industrial centre.^[2]

Battle of Stella Ford[link]

Also known as the Battle of Newburn or Newburn Ford, this relatively unknown battle has recently been elevated in importance by English Heritage. On 28 August 1640, 20,000 Scots defeated 5,500 English soldiers who were defending the ford over the Tyne four miles (6 km) west of Newcastle.^[3] The Scots had been provoked by Charles I, who had imposed bishops and a foreign prayer book on their church. The Scots army, led by Alexander Leslie, fought its way to Newcastle and occupied the city for almost a year before Charles I paid it £200,000 to depart. The battle brought to an end the so called 'Eleven Years of Tyranny' by forcing Charles to recall Parliament.^[4]

The 18th Century and the Industrial Revolution[link]

The stimulus for industry at Blaydon and Blaydon burn, as elsewhere in the region, was the growth in coal mining and the coal trade, particularly from the early 18th century, when the Hazard and Speculation pits were established at Low Shibdon linked to the Tyne by wagonways. The 18th century Blaydon Main Colliery was reopened in the mid-19th century and worked until 1921. Other pits and associated features included Blaydon Burn Colliery, Freehold pit and the Blaydonburn wagonway. Industries supported by the coal trade included chemical works, bottle works, sanitary pipe works, lampblack works, an ironworks, a smithy and brickworks - Cowen’s Upper and Lower Brickworks were established in 1730 and were associated with a variety of features including a clay drift mine and coal/clay drops. The Lower works remains in operation. Blaydon Burn Coke Ovens, also of 19th century origin, were replaced in the 1930s by Priestman Ottovale Coke and Tar Works which was the first in the world to produce petrol from coal^{[citation needed]} known as Blaydon Benzole.^[2]

In addition to the workers’ housing developments associated with industrialisation, a number of grand residences were constructed for industrialists in the area, such as Blaydon Burn House, home of Joseph Cowen, owner of the brickworks. Ironically, the remains of Old Dockendale Hall, an earlier grand residence (or perhaps a superior farmhouse) of 17th century or earlier construction, was destroyed when the coke and tar works was built at Blaydon burn.^[2]

Blaydon School Press[link]

In the 1930s, pupils at the now demolished Blaydon Intermediate School, under the leadership of English teacher Mr Elliott and art teacher Mr Boyce, gradually developed a technique for producing hardback books. Their productions were highly respected and favourably compared to other successful private printing presses of the time. In one volume produced by the school in 1935, entitled "Songs of Enchantment", the pupils were successful in convincing the famous poet Walter de la Mare to write a foreword in which he praised their enterprise and efforts.^[5]

Stella South Power Station[link]

The post war era of the late 40s and 50s saw a rapid rise in demand for electricity and, in the North East, the extension of existing and construction of a number of new power stations was seen as a key part of the solution. For the Blaydon area, this meant the arrival of a new power station at Stella Haugh, known as the South Stella Power Station, which helped to meet the energy demands of the North East until its closure in 1991.

Governance[link]

The House of Commons constituency seat of Blaydon is held by MP David Anderson, elected in the general election of May 2005 after the retirement of John McWilliam.

The area has traditionally been a Labour stronghold and has been held by the Labour Party since 1935. The Labour candidate David Anderson received 51.5% of the vote in 2005, with the Liberal Democrat candidate, Peter Maughan, second at 37.9%.

Blaydon ward elects three councillors to Gateshead Council. As of the May 2007 election, they are Malcolm Brain, Kathryn Ferdinand and Steve Ronchetti (all Labour).

Geography[link]

Modern Blaydon stands close to the Tyne with the A695, a key road from Gateshead to Hexham, passing through the town centre. Between this main road and the river is the railway and, beyond it, in a bend of the Tyne is the industrial district of Blaydon Haughs. The main part of the town lies south of the railway.

Despite being a largely urban and industrial town, there are various rural aspects to Blaydon and the surrounding area. The area has many acres of open countryside mostly at 500 feet (150 m) or more above sea level and numerous farms and similar holdings. Between High Spen and Chopwell are large Forestry Commission woods and these and other forested areas extend down the hillside to the Derwent river which lies on the east and forms the urban district boundary.^[6]

The area is also home to Shibdon Pond at the former site of Blaydon Main Colliery. Shibdon Pond is a nature reserve situated at the Eastern end of the town. Many species of waterfowl live on the pond and surrounding marshland, and a hide is available for ornithologists. English Nature has designated Shibdon Pond as one of Tyne and Wear's Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs). The subject of a regeneration campaign, Shibdon Dene (sometimes inaccurately called 'Blaydon Dene') is another recreational area consisting of a pathway between a great number of fine trees.

Demography[link]

This section is empty. You can help by adding to it.

Economy[link]

Once the powerhouse of the Industrial Revolution in Gateshead, Blaydon's traditional industry was coal mining. However, since the decline of mining in the 1950s and 1960s, the economy has diversified. As well as a small number of commuting professionals, residents of Blaydon are often involved in engineering and manufacturing with many businesses operating from premises in Blaydon Haughs (or 'The Spike'), on the banks of the River Tyne.

Blaydon was for a time the head office of Associated Cooperative Creameries (later renamed ACC then ACC Milk). ACC Milk was sold to Dairy Farmers of Britain in 2004.On June 3rd 2009, Dairy Farmers of Britain went into receivership and the dairy in Chainbridge Road closed shortly afterwards with the loss of 300 jobs.In 2010 the dairy was acquired by Medina Dairies and reopened.

Blaydon has a shopping centre, known locally as the precinct. A brutalist 1970s creation, it contains the town's major shops including newsagents, Greggs, Savers, a Co-operative Group store and, at the nearby car park, a McDonalds. There are also several food and grocery outlets.

Recently, the area has undergone a significant programme of housing regeneration with new developments in progress at High View on the Winlaton-Blaydon border, by the riverside on the site of the former Stella South power station and at Axwell Gardens, near to the existing Axwell Park estate.

Landmarks[link]

Stella Hall[link]

Stella Hall was a large building, essentially Elizabethan in character, but with an 18th century south front. Older sections showed mullioned windows and other Elizabethan architectural features whilst the 18th century windows and south front were the work of the architect James Paine, designer of Axwell Hall on the other side of the district. The Hall, Drawing Room and library were of Paine's design but the former Roman Catholic Chapel was older.

Stella Hall has had a long history that goes back as far as 1143 when there was a nunnery on this site. The present house was built by the Tempest family, Newcastle merchants. They occupied Stella Hall for 150 years and then in 1700 it passed into the ownership (by marriage) of Lord Widdrington, a noted Jacobite. Widdrington, on October 6. 1715, invited his friends and tenants to breakfast at the hall and, after toasting the Stuarts, they all set off to join the Earl of Derwentwater and his rebels. The uprising failed and Widdrington was sentenced to death though he was later reprieved and his estate and house restored to him.

In later years Garibaldi and Kossuth^{[disambiguation needed ]} were among the famous people who were entertained at Stella Hall. A statue of Garibaldi was discovered some years ago in the garden of a house on the estate and the head can now be found in the entrance lobby of Blaydon library. In more modern times the hall became the home of Joseph Cowen, M.P. and owner of the Newcastle Daily Chronicle who died in 1899. The last member of this family, Jane Cowen, died in 1948 and the house was demolished in 1953.^[6]

Axwell Hall[link]

On the west of the town and a mile inland from the Tyne is Axwell Park, once the home of the Clavering family. Axwell Hall (also Axwell House) is a Grade II* listed mansion, built for Sir Thomas Clavering by the noted architect James Paine and completed in 1761. The last (10th) baronet died in 1893 and Axwell Hall later found use as a prisoner of war camp during the second world war and later as an approved school. Much of the park has been developed for residential purposes and the hall itself has, for much of the last two decades, stood empty and allowed to decline. However, the hall was acquired in 2006 by property developers for restoration and conversion to residential apartments which are scheduled for completion by 2010.

Transport[link]

Road

Blaydon is linked to Newcastle and the A1 to the east by the A695 which used to pass through the centre of the town. The A695 road now bypasses the town centre to the north through the industrial estate. The A695 links Blaydon with Hexham about 20 miles (32 km) to the west.

Railway

Historically Blaydon was a major railway hub for both passenger and freight services, as it occupied an important geographical position in relation to Newcastle-upon-Tyne and which could be reached across the Scotswood Railway Bridge. Blaydon served as the Eastern terminus of the Newcastle and Carlisle Railway (N&CR) when the first section (to Hexham) was opened in March 1835. The current line that runs through Blaydon is the Tyne Valley Line of the National Rail network. Northern Rail operate train services to and from Blaydon railway station, but such services are very limited.

Bus

Bus services are extensive and Blaydon Bus Station is a compulsory stop for all routes operating through the town. From Blaydon it is possible to get to the major destinations of Newcastle, Hexham, MetroCentre and the Team Valley Trading Estate, as well as to the local towns of Ryton, Crawcrook, Chopwell, and Dunston. There is currently work taking place to modernise the bus station at Blaydon costing around £95000 granted by Nexus, the local transport authority for the county, including new stands and lighting systems in addition to real time information systems. The work is scheduled to be completed by June 2009.

In recent years it has been suggested that Blaydon's location and existing transport infrastructure make it a suitable place for a Park and Ride centre, serving Newcastle and helping reduce congestion in the city. Extending the Tyne and Wear Metro along the Tyne Valley Line would also gain local support, but as of October 2007 there have been no plans to do so.

List of Bus Services[link]

The following are the bus services currently using Blaydon Bus Station, correct to 25 March 2012. ^[7]. ^[8].

Key

• - Route serves a Bus/Coach station.
• - Route serves a Tyne & Wear Metro station.
• - Route serves a Railway station.

Route	To	Via	Operator	Days of Operation (if not 7 days)
10	Hexham Bus Station	Crawcrook, Stocksfield & Corbridge	Go North East	Limited Stop, "TEN10".
	Newcastle Eldon Square	MetroCentre
Note - Evening/Sun service serves all stops.
10A	Rockwood Hill Estate	Ryton, Crawcrook & Folly	Go North East	Limited Stop, "TEN10".
	Newcastle Eldon Square	MetroCentre
Note - Evening/Sun service serves all stops.
11	Newcastle Eldon Square	Central Station	Go North East	"Toon Link".
	Prudhoe Interchange	Ryton, Crawcrook & Prudhoe
Note - Mon-Sat evening and Sunday service operates via MetroCentre Interchange .
32	Newcastle Eldon Square	Newcastle Business Park	Go North East	"The Blaydon Racers".
	Winlaton Bus Station	Blaydon Bank
49	Gateshead Interchange	Dunston, MetroCentre & Blaydon	Go North East	"The Blaydon Racers".
	Winlaton Bus Station	Blaydon Bank
49A	Gateshead Interchange	Swalwell, MetroCentre & Parkhead Estate	Go North East	"The Blaydon Racers", Mon-Sat daytime.
	Winlaton Bus Station	Parkhead Estate
49B	Gateshead Interchange	Swalwell, MetroCentre & Dunston	Go North East	"The Blaydon Racers", Daytime.
	Winlaton Bus Station	Bleach Green & Parkhead Estate
49C	Gateshead Interchange	Swalwell, MetroCentre & Dunston	Go North East	"The Blaydon Racers", Evenings.
	Winlaton Bus Station	Bleach Green & Parkhead Estate
69	Wardley	Team Valley, Beacon Lough & Felling Square	Go North East	"Pulse".
	Winlaton Bus Station
69A	Wardley	MetroCentre , Beacon Lough & Felling Square	Go North East	"Pulse", Daytime.
	Blackhall Mill Mill Race	Crawcrook, High Spen & Chopwell
69B	Queen Elizabeth Hospital	Swalwell, Lobley Hill & Saltwell Park	Nexus	1 journey, Sun morning.
90	Team Valley South End	Swalwell, MetroCentre & Dunston	Go North East	Mon-Fri daytime.
	Winlaton Bus Station
Note - Service operates AM to Team Valley, PM to Winlaton.
R3	Rowlands Gill	Hole In The Wall, Winlaton & Winlaton Mill	TGM Group - Classic
	Clara Vale	Crookhill, Ryton & Crawcrook
R4	Rowlands Gill	Hole In The Wall, Winlaton & Winlaton Mill	TGM Group - Classic
	Clara Vale	Crookhill, Ryton & Crawcrook
TB12	Winlaton Mill	Hole In The Wall Estate	Anthony Kane Taxis	Taxibus, Mon-Sat daytime.
TB15	Garden House Estate	Ryton, Low Greenside & Crawcrook	Anthony Kane Taxis	Taxibus, Mon-Sat daytime.

Education[link]

Blaydon is part of the Gateshead Local Education Authority. It is home to a number of primary schools (both faith and secular schools) including Blaydon West primary and St Joseph's, a Roman Catholic primary school. It also has St Thomas More RC, a high achieving Roman Catholic secondary school which serves the Roman Catholic population of the western part of Gateshead borough.

Religious sites[link]

Blaydon has two main churches, St Cuthbert's (Church of England), opened in 1845, and St Joseph's (Roman Catholic), opened in 1905 on the site of an earlier church.They are situated opposite each other, on either side of Shibdon Road in the town centre. Both are impressive structures, and the interiors reflect the style of architecture used in their construction. There is also a Roman Catholic church in Stella (St Mary and Thomas Aquinas, opened 1835). The parish church of Winlaton opened in 1828, the Congregational church there in 1829, and the Wesleyan Chapel in 1868.^[9]

Sports[link]

The Blaydon area is the origin of the well-known traditional song "Blaydon Races", written by local musician and showman George 'Geordie' Ridley in 1862. The town's athletic club - the Blaydon Harriers - organise a road running race (called the Blaydon Race) every year on June 9. The route of the race follows the route outlined by Ridley in his song. The traditional starting point lies outside Balmbra's pub in Newcastle's Bigg Market, and the race follows a course along Scotswood Road before crossing the River Tyne and ultimately finishing in Blaydon town centre. Local councillors, societies and notaries have in recent years organised an annual Blaydon Festival with music, sport and arts events that coincides with the week of race day.

The town's proximity to Newcastle-upon-Tyne, as well as links such as Geordie Ridley's Blaydon Races, has meant that almost all locals support Newcastle United, but there are a small minority of Sunderland AFC supporters in addition. The town does not have a football club of its own, but junior teams have had notable successes in competitions in recent years.

As well as the Blaydon races, The Blaydon Harriers organise regular race meetings on the Shibdon Pond fields (and other venues) throughout the year. These are usually well-attended both by participants and spectators. The Harriers' colours are orange and black.

The Rugby club Blaydon RFC play in the English National League 1 (a very high level considering the size of the town). The Crow Trees rugby ground is situated in the eastern end of the town, towards Swalwell. Blaydon RFC play in red shirts and white shorts. The former England international Mick Skinner played for Blaydon.

Notable people[link]

• Alun Armstrong, former professional footballer with Ipswich Town F.C. and Middlesbrough FC
• Peter Armstrong, the poet and psychotherapist, was born in Blaydon.
• Sir Thomas Clavering, 7th Baronet, owner of Axwell Hall
• Joseph Cowen, 19th century politician and journalist
• Bert Tulloch, former professional footballer with Blackpool
• Gavin Webster, stand-up comedian
• William Widdrington, 4th Baron Widdrington, owner of Stella Hall

Culture[link]

Although many pubs were demolished during the refurbishment of the town in the 1970s, a number of pubs still exist in and around the precinct. There are also several clubs: the Staffs (formerly the Railway Staff Club), the Social Club, and the Blaydon House Sports and Social Club (formerly the Conservative Club). The latter occupies the house of the nineteenth-century Doctor Morrison, and is reputedly the oldest building in Blaydon. Live jazz and rock music is regularly performed there.

See also[link]

This section is empty. You can help by adding to it.

References[link]

External links[link]

• Dave Anderson MP Official Website
• Gateshead Council website
• Census 2001 Summary of the Blaydon Local Authority ward. Provided by Gateshead Council
• Blaydon RFC Official Website
• Video and pictures of Blaydon

Buddy Holly
Buddy Holly in 1957
Background information
Birth name	Charles Hardin Holley
Born	(1936-09-07)September 7, 1936 Lubbock, Texas, U.S.
Died	February 3, 1959(1959-02-03) (aged 22) Grant Township, Cerro Gordo County, Iowa, U.S.
Genres	Rock and roll, rockabilly
Occupations	Singer-songwriter, musician
Instruments	Vocals, guitar, piano, violin
Years active	1955–1959
Labels	Decca, Brunswick, Coral
Associated acts	The Crickets, The Picks
Notable instruments
Fender Stratocaster

Charles Hardin Holley (September 7, 1936 – February 3, 1959), known professionally as Buddy Holly, was an American singer-songwriter and a pioneer of rock and roll. Although his success lasted only a year and a half before his death in an airplane crash, Holly is described by critic Bruce Eder as "the single most influential creative force in early rock and roll."^[1] His works and innovations inspired and influenced contemporary and later musicians, notably The Beatles, Elvis Costello, The Rolling Stones, Don McLean, Bob Dylan, and Eric Clapton, and exerted a profound influence on popular music.^[2] Holly was among the first group of inductees to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1986.^[3] In 2004, Rolling Stone ranked Holly #13 among "The Fifty Greatest Artists of All Time".^[4]

Biography[link]

Early life[link]

Charles Hardin Holley was born on September 7, 1936, in Lubbock, Texas, to Lawrence Odell and Ella Pauline (Drake) Holley. In Philip Norman's biography it is stated that his mother's family claimed to be descended from the English navigator Francis Drake.

Holly was always called "Buddy" by his family because he was so nice to everyone. Buddy was the youngest of three siblings, and brothers Larry and Travis taught him to play a variety of instruments, including the guitar, four-string banjo and lap steel guitar. At the age of five, his young voice and exuberance won him a talent contest singing a then-popular song, "Have You Ever Gone Sailing (Down the River of Memories)."^[5] In 1949, still retaining his soprano, he recorded a bluesy solo rendering of Hank Snow's "My Two Timin' Woman" on a wire recorder borrowed by a friend who worked in a music shop.^[6]

In 1952, he met Bob Montgomery at Hutchinson Junior High School. They shared an interest in music, and teamed up as "Buddy and Bob". Initially influenced by bluegrass, they sang harmony duets at local clubs and high school talent shows. The duo performed on a local radio station KDAV Sunday broadcast that made them a top local act. Hutchinson Junior High School now has a mural honoring Holly, and Lubbock High School, where he sang in the school choir, also honors the late musician.^[7]

The Crickets[link]

Holly saw Elvis Presley sing in Lubbock in 1955, and began to incorporate a rockabilly style, similar to the Sun Records sound, which had a strong rhythm acoustic and slap bass.^[5] On October 15, 1955, Holly, along with Bob Montgomery and Larry Welborn, opened the bill for Presley^[6] in Lubbock, catching the eye of a Nashville talent scout.^[8] Holly's transition to rock continued when he opened for Bill Haley & His Comets at a local show organized by Eddie Crandall, the manager for Marty Robbins.^[6]

Following this performance, Decca Records signed him to a contract in February 1956, misspelling his name as "Holly".^[6] He thereafter adopted the misspelled name for his professional career. Holly formed his own band, later to be called The Crickets, consisting of Holly (lead guitar and vocals), Niki Sullivan (guitar), Joe B. Mauldin (bass), and Jerry Allison (drums). They went to Nashville for three recording sessions with producer Owen Bradley.^[9] However, Holly chafed under a restrictive atmosphere that allowed him little input.^[9] Among the tracks he recorded was an early version of "That'll Be The Day", which took its title from a line that John Wayne's character says repeatedly in the 1956 film The Searchers.^[10] (This initial version of the song played more slowly and about half an octave higher than the later hit version.) Decca released two singles, "Blue Days, Black Nights" and "Modern Don Juan", that failed to make an impression. On January 22, 1957, Decca informed Holly his contract would not be renewed,^[6] insisting, however, that he could not record the same songs for anyone else for five years.^[11]

Norman Petty Recording Studios in Clovis, New Mexico

Holly then hired Norman Petty as manager, and the band began recording at Petty's studios in Clovis, New Mexico. Petty contacted music publishers and labels, and Brunswick Records, a subsidiary of Decca, signed the Crickets on March 19, 1957.^[12] Holly signed as a solo artist with another Decca subsidiary, Coral Records. This put him in the unusual position of having two recording contracts at the same time.^[13]

On May 27, 1957, "That'll Be The Day" was released as a single, credited to the Crickets to try to bypass Decca's claimed legal rights. When the song became a hit, Decca decided not to press its claim. "That'll Be the Day" topped the Billboard US "Best Sellers in Stores" chart on September 23, and was on the UK Singles Chart for three weeks in November. The Crickets performed "That'll Be the Day" and "Peggy Sue" on The Ed Sullivan Show on December 1.^[6] They also sang "Peggy Sue" on The Arthur Murray Party on December 29 and were given a polite introduction by Kathryn Murray.^[14] The kinescopes of these programs are the only record of their 1957 television appearances.

Holly helped win over an all-black audience to rock and roll/rockabilly when the Crickets were booked at New York's Apollo Theater for August 16–22, 1957.^[6] Unlike the immediate acceptance shown in the 1978 movie The Buddy Holly Story, it actually took several performances for the audience to warm up to him. In August 1957, the Crickets were the only white performers on a national tour including black neighborhood theaters.^[8]

As Holly was signed both as a solo artist and a member of the Crickets, two debut albums were released: The "Chirping" Crickets on November 27, 1957 and Buddy Holly on February 20, 1958.^[15] His singles "Peggy Sue" and "Oh Boy!", with backing vocals later dubbed on by The Picks,^[16] reached the top ten of United States and United Kingdom charts. Buddy Holly and the Crickets toured Australia in January 1958 and the UK in March.^[17] Their third and final album, That'll Be the Day, was put together from early recordings and was released in April.

In the liner notes to Buddy Holly: The Definitive Collection, Billy Altman notes that "Peggy Sue" was originally written as "Cindy Lou" (after Holly's niece), but Holly changed it prior to recording as a tip of the hat to Crickets drummer Jerry Allison's girlfriend, Peggy Sue Gerron. Allison wanted the song to be named after Gerron to make up for a recent fight. The two later married.

Holly wrote "True Love Ways" about his relationship with his wife, Maria Elena. It was recorded in her presence on October 21, 1958, at Decca's Pythian Temple, with Dick Jacob, Coral-Brunswick's new head of Artists and Repertoire, serving as both producer and conductor of the 18-piece orchestra, which included members of the New York Symphony Orchestra, NBC Television's house orchestra and Abraham "Boomie" Richman, formerly of Benny Goodman's band.^[18]

Holly in New York[link]

In June 1958, he met Maria Elena Santiago, a receptionist for Murray Deutch, an executive for New York publisher Peer-Southern Music.^[18] Holly managed to have Santiago invited to a luncheon at Howard Johnson's, thanks to Deutch's secretary, Jo Harper. He asked her to have dinner with him that night at P. J. Clarke's. Holly proposed marriage to her on their very first date. "While we were having dinner, he got up and came back with his hands behind his back. He brought out a red rose and said, 'This is for you. Would you marry me?' Within the beautiful red rose, there was a ring. I melted." Holly went to her guardian's house the next morning and Maria came running at him and jumped into his arms, which was a sign to him that it was a "yes".

They married in Lubbock on August 15, 1958, less than two months later.^[18] "I'd never had a boyfriend in my life. I'd never been on a date before. But when I saw Buddy, it was like magic. We had something special: love at first sight. It was like we were made for each other. He came into my life when I needed him, and I came into his." she told the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal on what would have been their 50th wedding anniversary.^[19] The newlyweds honeymooned in Acapulco.^[18] Maria Elena traveled on tours, doing everything from the laundry to equipment setup to ensuring the group got paid. However, many fans became aware of his marriage only after his death.^[18]

The ambitious Holly became increasingly interested in the New York music/recording/publishing scene, while his band mates wanted to go back home to Lubbock.^{[citation needed]} As a result, the group split up in late 1958. The Hollys settled in Apartment 4H of the Brevoort Apartments located at 11 Fifth Avenue in Greenwich Village. Here he recorded the series of acoustic songs, including "Crying, Waiting, Hoping" and "What to Do," known as the "Apartment Tapes," which were released after his death.^[20]

The Hollys frequented many of New York's music venues, including The Village Gate, Blue Note, Village Vanguard, and Johnny Johnson's.^{[citation needed]} Maria Elena reported Buddy was keen to learn finger-style flamenco guitar, and would often visit her aunt's home to play the piano there.^{[citation needed]} He wanted to develop collaborations between soul singers and rock 'n' roll, hoping to make an album with Ray Charles and gospel legend Mahalia Jackson. He also had ambitions to work in film, like Elvis Presley and Eddie Cochran, and registered for acting classes with Lee Strasburg's Actors' Studio, where the likes of Marlon Brando and James Dean had trained.^[18]

According to Billy Altman's liner notes to the Geffen/Universal compilation, Buddy Holly: The Definitive Collection, in addition to "True Love Ways", during the October 1958 sessions at Decca's Pythian Temple, Holly also recorded two other songs, "It Doesn't Matter Anymore" and "Raining In My Heart." The songs were firsts for Holly, not only in the use of orchestral backing players, but also the tracks were his first stereo recordings. They were also to be his last formal recording studio sessions.

Although Holly had already begun to become disillusioned with Norman Petty before meeting Maria Elena, it was through her and her aunt Provi, the head of Latin American music at Peer-Southern, that he began to fully realize what was going on with his manager, who was paying the band's royalties into his own company's account.^[18] Holly was having trouble getting his royalties from Petty, so he hired the noted lawyer Harold Orenstein at the recommendation of his friends the Everly Brothers, who had engaged Orenstein following disputes with their own manager, Wesley Rose. Yet, with the money still being withheld by Petty and with rent due, Buddy was forced to go back on the road.^[18]

Death[link]

Signpost near the Clear Lake crash site

Holly was offered a spot in the Winter Dance Party, a three-week tour across the Midwest opening on January 23, 1959, by the GAC agency,^{[citation needed]} with other notable performers such as Dion and the Belmonts, Ritchie Valens, and J. P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson. He assembled a backing band consisting of Tommy Allsup (guitar), Waylon Jennings (bass) and Carl Bunch (drums), and billed as The Crickets.^{[citation needed]}

Following a performance at the Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake, Iowa, on February 2, 1959, Holly chartered a small airplane to take him to the next stop on the tour. Holly, Valens, Richardson and the pilot were killed en route to Moorhead, Minnesota, when their plane crashed soon after taking off from nearby Mason City in the early morning hours of February 3.^[21] Bandmate Waylon Jennings had given up his seat on the plane, causing Holly to jokingly tell Jennings, "I hope your ol' bus freezes up!" Jennings shot back facetiously, "Well, I hope your ol' plane crashes!" It was a statement that would haunt Jennings for decades.^[22]

Holly's funeral was held on February 7, 1959, at the Tabernacle Baptist Church in Lubbock.^[23] The service was officiated by Ben D. Johnson, who had presided at the Hollys' wedding just months earlier. The pallbearers were Jerry Allison, Joe B. Mauldin, Niki Sullivan, Bob Montgomery, Sonny Curtis and Phil Everly.^[24] Waylon Jennings was unable to attend due to his commitment to the still-touring Winter Dance Party. Holly's body was interred in the City of Lubbock Cemetery in the eastern part of the city. His headstone carries the correct spelling of his surname (Holley) and a carving of his Fender Stratocaster guitar.

Holly's pregnant wife, a widow after barely six months of marriage, miscarried soon after, ending that part of the Holly family tree. The miscarriage was reportedly due to “psychological trauma”.^[25] Because of this incident, authorities found it necessary, in the months following, to implement a policy against announcing victims’ names until after families had first been informed.^[25] María Elena Holly did not attend the funeral, and has never visited the gravesite. She later told the Avalanche-Journal:

In a way, I blame myself. I was not feeling well when he left. I was two weeks pregnant, and I wanted Buddy to stay with me, but he had scheduled that tour. It was the only time I wasn't with him. And I blame myself because I know that, if only I had gone along, Buddy never would have gotten into that airplane.^[19]

The first song to commemorate the musicians was “Three Stars” by Eddie Cochran. This song was recorded just one day after the disaster occurred.^[25] Twelve years later, in 1971, Don McLean released his single, "American Pie”, to commemorate Buddy Holly’s death and further accentuate the loss of the United States’ innocence.^[25] Don McLean’s song began the reference to the tragedy as "The Day the Music Died".

Influence[link]

Holly set the template for the standard rock and roll band: two guitars, bass, and drums, He was one of the first in the genre to write, produce, and perform his own songs.

Holly managed to bridge the racial divide that marked music in America. Along with Elvis and others, Holly made rock and roll, with its roots in rockabilly country music and blues-inspired rhythm and blues music, more popular among a broad white audience.^{[citation needed]} From listening to their recordings, one had difficulty determining if the Crickets, the name of Buddy's band, were white or black singers. Holly indeed sometimes played with black musicians Little Richard and Chuck Berry. The Crickets were only the second white rock group to tour Great Britain. Holly's essential eyeglasses encouraged other musicians, such as John Lennon, also to wear their glasses during performances.^{[citation needed]}

In his biography of rock legend Elton John, Philip Norman recounted that by his early teens, John (then known as Reg Dwight) was wearing glasses "not because he needed them, but in homage to Buddy Holly." After wearing glasses for a while, his eyes became adjusted to the lenses, and at that point he became nearsighted and really did need glasses, which would years later establish John as one of the most famous "four-eyes" in rock and roll, though Holly is widely considered to be the first.^{[citation needed]}

Contrary to popular belief, teenagers John Lennon and Paul McCartney did not attend a Holly concert, although they watched his television appearance on Sunday Night at the London Palladium;^{[citation needed]} Tony Bramwell, a school friend of McCartney and George Harrison, did. Bramwell met Holly, and freely shared his records with all three.^{[citation needed]} Ian Whitcomb said "Buddy Holly and the Crickets had the most influence on the Beatles."^[26] Lennon and McCartney later cited Holly as a primary influence.^[27] (Their bug-themed band's name, The Beatles, was chosen partly in homage to Holly's Crickets.)^[26] The Beatles did a cover version of "Words of Love" that was a close reproduction of Holly's version, released on late 1964's Beatles for Sale (in the U.S., in June 1965 on Beatles VI). During the January 1969 sessions for the Let It Be album, the Beatles played a slow impromptu version of "Mailman, Bring Me No More Blues" — although not written by Holly, it was popularized by him — with Lennon mimicking Holly's vocal style;^{[citation needed]} the recording was eventually released in the mid-1990s on Anthology 3. In addition, John Lennon recorded a cover version of "Peggy Sue" on his 1975 album Rock 'n' Roll. McCartney owns the publishing rights to Holly's song catalogue.^[28]

A 17-year-old Bob Dylan attended the January 31, 1959, show, two nights before Holly's death. Dylan referred to this in his 1998 Grammy acceptance speech for his Time out of Mind being named Album of the Year:

"And I just want to say that when I was sixteen or seventeen years old, I went to see Buddy Holly play at Duluth National Guard Armory and I was three feet away from him...and he LOOKED at me. And I just have some sort of feeling that he was — I don't know how or why — but I know he was with us all the time we were making this record in some kind of way."^[29]

Keith Richards attended one of Holly's performances, where he heard "Not Fade Away" for the first time.^{[citation needed]} The Rolling Stones had an early hit covering the song.

The launch of Bobby Vee's successful musical career resulted from Holly's death, when he was selected to replace Holly on the tour that continued after the plane crash. Holly's profound influence on Vee's singing style can be heard in such songs as "Rubber Ball" and "Run to Him."

Holly influenced many other singers during and after a career that lasted barely two years. Keith Richards once said Holly had "an influence on everybody."^[30] In an August 24, 1978, Rolling Stone interview, Bruce Springsteen told Dave Marsh, "I play Buddy Holly every night before I go on; that keeps me honest."

The Grateful Dead performed "Not Fade Away" 530 times over the course of their career, making it their seventh most-performed song.^{[citation needed]} The song also appears on eight of their official live recording releases.

Various rock and roll histories have asserted the singing group The Hollies were named in homage to Buddy Holly.^{[citation needed]} According to the band's website, although the group admired Holly (and years later produced an album covering some of his songs), their name was inspired primarily by the sprigs of holly in evidence around Christmas of 1962.^[31]

Don McLean's popular 1971 ballad "American Pie" is inspired by Holly and the day of the plane crash.^[32] The American Pie album is dedicated to Holly.

On September 7, 1994 (Holly's 58th birthday), Weezer released their single, "Buddy Holly".

Discography[link]

Buddy Holly released only three albums in his lifetime. Nonetheless, he recorded so prolifically that Coral Records was able to release brand-new albums and singles for 10 years after his death, although the technical quality was very mixed, some being studio quality and others home recordings.

Buddy Holly continued to be promoted and sold as an "active" artist, and his records had a loyal following, especially in Europe. The demand for unissued Holly material was so great that Norman Petty resorted to overdubbing whatever he could find: alternate takes of studio recordings, originally rejected masters, "Crying, Waiting, Hoping" and the other five 1959 tracks (adding new surf-guitar arrangements), and even Holly's amateur demos from 1954 (where the low-fidelity vocals are often muffled behind the new orchestrations). The last new Buddy Holly album was Giant (featuring the single "Love Is Strange"), issued in 1969. Between the 1959–60 Jack Hansen overdubs, the 1960s Norman Petty overdubs, various alternate takes, and Holly's undubbed originals, collectors can often choose from multiple versions of the same song. There are also many different versions of Holly's "Greatest Hits" as well as covers/compilation albums of Buddy's songs performed by various artists. One such album has been announced recently at an event at P.J. Clarke's in New York.^[33] Listen to Me: Buddy Holly is being produced by Peter Asher and includes contributions from Stevie Nicks, The Fray, Cobra Starship, Jeff Lynne, Train's Pat Monahan, Patrick Stump, Jackson Browne, Chris Isaak, Natalie Merchant, Imelda May, Ringo Starr, Lyle Lovett, Zooey Deschanel, Brian Wilson and more.^[34]

Film and musical depictions[link]

Holly's life story inspired a Hollywood biographical film, The Buddy Holly Story. Star Gary Busey received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actor for his portrayal of Holly. The movie was widely criticized by the rock community and Holly's friends and family for its inaccuracies. This led Paul McCartney to produce and host his own documentary about Holly in 1985, titled The Real Buddy Holly Story. This video includes interviews with Keith Richards, Phil and Don Everly, Sonny Curtis, Jerry Allison, Holly's family, and McCartney himself, among others.

In 1987, Marshall Crenshaw portrayed Buddy Holly in the movie La Bamba. He is featured performing at the Surf Ballroom and boarding the doomed airplane with Ritchie Valens and The Big Bopper. Crenshaw's version of "Crying, Waiting, Hoping" is featured on the La Bamba original motion picture soundtrack.

Buddy – The Buddy Holly Story, the Jukebox Musical depicting his life, is credited as being the first of its kind, spawning a breed of jukebox shows, including the likes of Mamma Mia! and We Will Rock You. Buddy – as it is abbreviated on occasion – is still running in the UK after 22 years, with a UK tour that went out in February 2011.

Holly was depicted in the Quantum Leap episode entitled "How the Tess Was Won" although his identity isn't revealed until the very end of the episode. According to this episode, Dr. Sam Beckett (Scott Bakula) influences Buddy Holly to change the lyrics from "piggy, suey" to "Peggy Sue", thus setting up Holly's future hit song.

There are also a number of acts both in the US (Johnny Rogers, John Mueller) and UK (Marc Robinson, Spencer J etc.) who specialize in bringing Holly's songs to life.

In 2010, Guy Kent portrayed a modern-day interpretation of Holly in the independent film The Day the Music Died.^[35][36] The film has yet to be theatrically released.

Lubbock[link]

The Buddy Holly Center, a small museum located in Lubbock

Holly was based in Lubbock as his career took off between 1956 and 1958. In 1980, Grant Speed sculpted a statue of Holly playing his Fender guitar. This statue is the centerpiece of Lubbock's Walk of Fame, which honors notable people who contributed to Lubbock's musical history. Other memorials to Buddy Holly include a street named in his honor and The Buddy Holly Center, which contains a museum of Holly memorabilia as well as a Fine Arts Gallery. The Center is located on Crickets Ave, one street over from Buddy Holly Ave, in what used to be the Fort Worth and Denver South Plains Railway Depot.^[37]

In 2010, Grant Speed's statue was taken down for refurbishment, and construction began on a new Walk of Fame. On May 9, 2011, the City of Lubbock held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for The Buddy and Maria Elena Holly Plaza, the new home of the statue and the Walk of Fame.^[38] The plaza is across the street from the museum.

Due to copyright restrictions, personal and professional photography of memorabilia is not allowed inside of the Holly exhibit. Visitors are, however, welcome to take pictures of objects outside the museum. These include the giant recreation of Buddy's glasses at the entrance and the Grant Speed statue across the street. His actual eyeglass frames recovered from the crash site are on display inside the museum.

Hollywood Walk of Fame[link]

On September 7, 2011 (what would have been Holly's 75th birthday), he received his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame posthumously. His widow, Maria Elena Santiago, attended, as did Phil Everly, Peter Asher, Priscilla Presley and actor Gary Busey, who played Holly in The Buddy Holly Story.^[39]

References[link]

Further reading[link]

External links[link]

	Book: Buddy Holly
Wikipedia books are collections of articles that can be downloaded or ordered in print.

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Buddy Holly

• Buddy Holly news archives at the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal
• Buddy Holly And The Crickets.com
• Buddy Holly Lives.info
• Buddy Holly at the Internet Movie Database
• Buddy Holly discography at MusicBrainz
• Listen to Me: Buddy Holly - Songmasters
• peermusic presents Maria Elena: My Life with Buddy
• Buddy Holly - sessions and cover songs
• Telegraph article on the last songs written by Buddy Holly
• 'The Day the Music Died' at The Death of Rock: The Archive
• Buddy Holly is Alive and Well On Ganymede
• The Texas Experience - John Connally Presents Buddy Holly, from the Texas Archive of the Moving Image

This biographical article needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately, especially if potentially libelous or harmful. (August 2010)

James Bradford "Jimmy" Nail (born 16 March 1954) is an English singer-songwriter, actor, musician, film producer, film score composer and television writer.

He has starred in numerous roles on television since 1983. He is 6 foot 3 inches tall and a Newcastle United F.C. supporter. He is most famous for his role as Leonard "Oz" Osborne in the hit television show Auf Wiedersehen, Pet, his title role in Spender, and his 1992 number one single "Ain't No Doubt".

Biography[link]

Personal life[link]

This biographical section of an article needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately, especially if potentially libelous or harmful. (January 2012)

Nail was born James Bradford in Benton, Newcastle upon Tyne, the son of Laura (née Johnson) and James Bradford. He had two sisters: Shelagh (who died in June 1967) and Val McLane, who starred with him in the second series of Auf Wiedersehen Pet playing Dennis Patterson's sister Norma.

Career[link]

Nail rose to fame playing Leonard Jeffrey 'Oz' Osborne in Auf Wiedersehen, Pet in 1983, despite having no acting experience whatsoever (he had appeared as an extra in the film Get Carter). Nail has also starred in a number of films and had a long musical career, having been a singer before he was picked out at an audition to play Oz.

In 1985, he made a cameo appearance in the mini-series Master of the Game, based on Sidney Sheldon's novel, as the scheming errand boy Schmidt. In 1989, he appeared as head gamekeeper Rabbetts in the film adaptation of the Roald Dahl book Danny, the Champion of the World.^[1]

After the first two series of Auf Wiedersehen, Pet, Nail found himself typecast before creating the detective series Spender, which he co-wrote with Ian La Frenais. The show ran for three series from 1990 to 1993 and also produced a tele-film and a novel. This was followed in 1994 by Crocodile Shoes, which he also created and starred as musician Jed Shepherd. After working with Madonna and Antonio Banderas in Alan Parker's Evita (1996), he co-starred in Clement & La Frenais' Sony movie 'Still Crazy' (1998). A song from the movie, The Flame Still Burns, sung by Nail, was nominated for a Golden Globe. In 1999 he began work on reviving the Auf Wiedersehen, Pet series, this time for the BBC. It was filmed in 2001 and aired in 2002, garnering audience figures of over 12 million. Another series saw the brickies holed up in Cuba, and the final two-hour instalment, set in Thailand, aired over Christmas 2004 attracting over 7 million viewers.

He has released a number of albums of his own compositions, the first being Take It Or Leave It in 1986, 1991's Growing Up in Public (featuring among others Gary Moore, David Gilmour and George Harrison) and the last being Tadpoles In A Jar in 1999. His Crocodile Shoes album of 1994 sold over a million copies. Mark Knopfler plays guitar on some tracks, a compliment that was repaid with an important plot reference to Oz's being a fan of Dire Straits in the third (revived) series of Auf Wiedersehen, Pet (2002).

In 2001 Nail released an album of cover songs, Ten Great Songs and an OK Voice. The album contained different versions of songs such as "Walking on the Moon" (The Police), "Something" (George Harrison) and "Overjoyed" (Stevie Wonder).

His work has resulted in five Bafta nominations (three in total for A.W.P., one for Spender, one for Crocodile Shoes), a Golden Globe nomination (Best Original Song - "Still Crazy"), an Ivor Novello nomination (for "Ain't No Doubt") and numerous other awards and nominations.

In 2004, Nail successfully sued the News of the World for defamation (Nail v News Group Newspapers Limited, 20 December 2004) and subsequently received damages of £30,000.

In 2005, his autobiography, A Northern Soul, was published in the UK by Penguin Books.

In 2008 Nail created and starred as Phil Parker in Parents of the Band, a 6 x 30 mins series on BBC1, broadcast between November 2008 and January 2009. The series revolves around a group of teenagers who form a band just for their own enjoyment, and their parents, who fully expect them to be nothing less than the next Led Zeppelin. Ratings were disappointing, around the three million mark, and there are presently no plans for a second series.

Nail is currently^[when?] said to be developing projects with the BBC.

Nail was actively involved in the Sammy Johnson Memorial Fund, established to help young talent in North East England. To aid this, he participated in the Sunday for Sammy benefit concerts, until workload forced him to resign from the board.

Filmography[link]

Television Shows in which he has appeared include:

• Minder - (1984)... as Nathan Loveridge in the episode "The Car Lot Baggers"
• Auf Wiedersehen Pet - (1983–2004)... as Leonard Jeffrey "Oz" Ozborne
• Spyship - (1983) ... as Metcalfe
• Blott on the Landscape (1985)... as Edwards
• Master Of The Game (1985)... as Schmidt
• Raoul Wallenberg (1986)... as Vilmos Langfelder
• Nicking Kids (1986)...as Criminal 1
• Lenny Henry Tonite (1986) as Guest Star
• Shoot For The Sun (1986)... as Geordie
• Spender (1991–93)... as Freddie Spender
• Crocodile Shoes (1994, 1996)... as Jed Shepperd
• Parents of the Band (2008) ... as Phil Parker

Films in which he has appeared include:

• Get Carter (1971)... (uncredited extra)
• Morons from Outer Space (1985)... as Desmond
• Howling II: Stirba - Werewolf Bitch (1985)...as "Punk"
• Dream Demon (1987)... as Paul
• Just Ask for Diamond (1988)... as Boyle
• Crusoe (1989)... as Tarik
• Danny, the Champion of the World (1990)... as Rabbets
• Evita (1996)... as Agustín Magaldi
• Still Crazy (1998)... as Les Wickes
• The 10th Kingdom (2000)... as Clayface the Goblin

Own projects[link]

• Spender (1991–93)... Actor, writer, producer, creator.
• Crocodile Shoes (1994)... Actor, writer, executive producer, creator.
• Crocodile Shoes II (1996)... Actor, writer, executive producer, title music composer, creator
• Parents of the Band (2008–9)... Actor, creator, executive producer, title music composer.

Discography[link]

• Main article: Jimmy Nail discography

References[link]

• Larkin, Colin. The Encyclopedia of Popular Music, 3rd edition, Macmillan, 1998.

External links[link]

• Jimmy Nail at the Internet Movie Database
• Jimmy Nail In New Zealand

Kevin Whately (born 6 February 1951) is an English actor.

Whately is known for his starring role as Neville Hope in the British television comedy Auf Wiedersehen, Pet, his role as Dr Jack Kerruish in the drama series Peak Practice, and as Robert "Robbie" Lewis in the crime dramas Inspector Morse and Lewis.

Early life[link]

Whately is from Humshaugh, near Hexham, Northumberland.^[2] His mother, Mary (née Pickering-^[3]), was a teacher and his father, Richard, was a Commander in the Royal Navy.^[4] His maternal grandmother, Doris Phillips,^[4] was a professional concert singer and his great-great-grandfather, Richard Whately, was Anglican Archbishop of Dublin.^[5] The BBC documentary Who Do You Think You Are?, broadcast on 2 March 2009, also revealed that Whately is a descendant, on his paternal side, of Thomas Whately of Nonsuch Park, a leading London merchant, English politician and writer who became a director of the Bank of England, and of Major Robert Thompson, a pioneer tobacco plantation owner in Virginia who was a staunch supporter of the Parliamentarian cause at the time of the English Commonwealth.^[4]

Whately was educated at Barnard Castle School,^[6] and studied drama at the Central School of Speech and Drama in 1975,^[7] and was the patron for the school's Full House Theatre Company for 2011.^[8] His brother, Frank, is a drama lecturer at a London university.^[4] Before going professional, Whately was an amateur actor at the People's Theatre, Newcastle upon Tyne during the 1970s.

Career[link]

Before turning to professional acting Whately began his working life as a folk singer, and still plays guitar, performing for charity concerts:^[4] Along with other Auf Wiedersehen, Pet stars, he makes an appearance at the biennial benefit concert Sunday for Sammy in Newcastle. Before becoming an actor, he started training as an accountant.

His acting career includes several stage plays, among them an adaptation of Twelve Angry Men and film appearances in The Return of the Soldier, The English Patient, Paranoid and Purely Belter.

Whately's television appearances include episodes of Shoestring, Angels, Juliet Bravo, Strangers, Coronation Street, Shackleton, Auf Wiedersehen, Pet, Inspector Morse, Alas Smith and Jones, Look and Read, You Must Be The Husband, B&B, Peak Practice, Skallagrigg, The Broker's Man, Murder in Mind, 2003 Comic Relief Auf Wiedersehen, Pet, Lewis, New Tricks, Who Gets the Dog?, The Children and Silent Cry (film). Whately provided one of the voices for the English language version of the 1999 claymation Children's television series Hilltop Hospital. He has also appeared in an advert for Water Aid doing a voice over.

In both one episode of Miss Marple ("A Murder Is Announced" - 1985) and in an episode of The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, (starring Jeremy Brett), Whately played a police Detective Sergeant, as he was to later do in Inspector Morse.

Perhaps his most memorable television appearances were as Detective Sergeant Lewis, the down-to-earth complement to the snobbishly intellectual Inspector Morse. He reprised the role in the spin-off series Lewis, in which Lewis returns to Oxford as full Inspector. With his new partner, the Cambridge-educated Detective Sergeant James Hathaway (Laurence Fox), Inspector Lewis solves murder mysteries while trying to rebuild his life after his wife's sudden death in a hit-and-run accident, and to gain recognition from his sceptical new boss.

Richard Marson's book celebrating fifty years of Blue Peter comments that Whately auditioned as a presenter for the show in 1980 but lost out to Peter Duncan.

Personal life[link]

Whately lives close to Milton Keynes, with his wife actress Madelaine Newton, who starred in 1970s BBC drama When the Boat Comes In. (Ironically, she also played Inspector Morse's love interest in the 1990 episode "Masonic Mysteries," in which she becomes a murder victim.) The couple, who have been together since 1980,^[9] have two children: Catherine "Kitty" Whately, born in 1983, who appeared as Kevin's on-screen daughter in the series Auf Wiedersehen, Pet for the first two seasons, now an operatic mezzo soprano and winner of the Kathleen Ferrier Award 2011; and Kieran, born in 1984.^[10]

Whately enjoys rock music and plays guitar; he has cited Pink Floyd and Dire Straits as bands he has particularly enjoyed,^[4] although he claims he listens to classical music more now.^[9] He is a fan of Newcastle United F.C.^[11][9] and Burnley F.C.^[9] on the football field, but says that he likes rugby better,^[11] and as a cricketer admitted to Inspector Morse writer Colin Dexter that he would like to have played cricket professionally for England. Dexter devised the storyline for the Inspector Morse episode "Deceived by Flight" (1989; season 3, episode 3) in which Sergeant Lewis had to go undercover in a cricket team to investigate drug smuggling.^[4]

Notes[link]

External links[link]

• Kevin Whately at the Internet Movie Database