Rock n Roll evening in support of Macmillan Nurses

Date published: 29 August 2010

When Bill Drain, owner of local music shop – The Music Box in Hyde, attended a surprise party for his 50th birthday, he had no idea that two of his friends who he had not seen for over 20 years would come up with the idea of a reunion performance from the very first band he played with.

Bill, a sax player, started his career in 1980 with Rockin Ricky and the rebounds and toured all over Britain with them before going on to play with other bands backing such singers as Terry Dene, Tommy Bruce, Screaming Lord Sutch, Wee Willie Harris, Heinz, Jess Conrad and many more as they toured with their rock n roll show.

The night is being held as a tribute to the late Barry Lomas, head of Lomas entertainments who lost his life to cancer just two years ago. His daughter Julie, a dance instructor, will be doing a special line dancing section on the night between the band’s spots.

the main aim of the evening is to support the Macmillan nurses charity, this is a charity very close to bill’s heart having lost some very close friends to cancer this past year, and having seen how much comfort and support the nurses give to the sufferer and their family.

One of those friends was Roy Mitchell, well known cartoonist ‘Mitch’, who was also lead singer of the great rock n roll band the Cadillacs. And so for bill this is also a tribute to Roy.

Rockin Ricky and his band the velvet collars held the Guinness book of records for endurance as they played non stop music for 144 hours in 1976, and when that band ended he took to the road again with the rebounds, touring all over Britain in the 1980’s.

It promises to be a great night, good raffle prizes, with a potato pie supper and gateaux.

Rock n Roll evening in support of Macmillan Nurses held at Dukinfield Town Hall 7.30pm Friday 3 September 2010.

Tickets are £8.50 each and are available from the music box, 174 Market Street, Hyde, SK14 1EX, tel 0161 366 5037 all donations will be gratefully received too.