2021 has picked up right where 2020 left off...
Gerry Marsden, the vocalist, guitar player, primary songwriter, and leader of the 1960s' British Invasion group Gerry and the Pacemakers passed away on January 3, 2021 at age 78.
The Pacemakers were from Liverpool and were buddies with the Beatles. (The 2 bands combined for one show in their pre-fame days.)
Other things they had in common with the Beatles (besides their hometown) were Brian Epstein as their manager, and George Martin as their record producer.
Some of their most well-known songs are "Don't Let the Sun Catch You Crying" and "Ferry Cross the Mersey", both written by Gerry. They also got in on the "let's make a movie" craze, as did the Beatles (obviously), the Dave Clark Five, Herman's Hermits, and others.
His band was one of my favorite British Invasion bands back in the day, right after the Beatles and the Dave Clark Five. They were in my "2nd-tier", along with the Hollies and Herman's Hermits. (The Rolling Stones and the Who were of lesser interest to me.)
A few years ago I bought this DVD, and had just re-watched it about 2 weeks before his death.
Marsden in 2017. He resided in Liverpool his entire life.
