Another top Brit Country singer goes

Micky Byrne · From: United Kingdom (deceased)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqotluI1XD8
I was sad to hear last night that one of our top Brit singers of past years passed away from Lung cancer. He had a band originally called Jamie, Jon and Gerry (Hogan)...then changed to "Country Fever" with the original lead guitarist the great Albert Lee.

Jon R.I.P.

Micky Byrne U.K.

Ken Byng · From: Southampton, England

That is very sad news Micky. I think that most players from our generation have backed Jon at some point. He was a great entertainer and a smashing guy with it. I always found him very easy to back, and he was always a tradition country singer of standards, Haggard, Owens, Jones, Gibson etc.

His son (also a singer) rang me a few years ago with a view to setting up a band.

I would imagine that Gerry Hogan will have a few words to say about Jon, as they were very good friends in the early days, and obviously both had Albert Lee in their bands.
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Micky Byrne · From: United Kingdom (deceased)

Ken...I first met Jon on a radio show I was playing on. It was "Country meets folk" I was part of a folk act with wife Julie and another guy, and Jamie, Jon and Gerry we were also on. That was the first time I'd met Jon and Gerry Hogan. This was 1966.Gordon Huntley was there with his steel to play the programe into the half time break. I remember asking Gordon what "That thing" was Smile

We went to the Peacock Pub later after the show for a pint or two. Gerry had his Fender 400 on that show.... Yes as you said most of us had backed Jon over the years. Sad loss. When I heard the news last night from Bass player Rod Clark who was in John's last line up, he said Jon just didn't want to carry on. The cancer was taking it's toll. Sad news.

Micky Byrne U.K.

www.micky-byrne.co.uk

Roger Rettig · From: Naples, FL

Such sad news!!!

Here's my Jon Derek story...

After several years working with a handful of UK pop-singers (Eden Kane, Marty Wilde, Billy Fury, etc) I was approached to join a country-music band in about 1965. My first reaction was one of horror! 'I don't even like country music!', said I, so he said:

'Come with me to the Red Lion, Brentford this Sunday lunch-time and I promise you'll have a good time...'

Well, I did!

The great Jon Derek was fronting the band, and that was also the day I first met my now long-standing friend, Gerry Hogan. He was switching between his old Telecaster and his Fender 400 (steel was, of course, a complete mystery to me at this point) and the guys invited me up on stage to play with them! They flattered me by knowing who I was, but it was with great trepidation that I handled my first-ever Telecaster - Gerry's lovely old rosewood-necked beauty.

I stayed up for the rest of the gig and found that I loved all the material - I can still recall a huge part of Jon's enormous repertoire and his perfect and distinctive vocal style - and I fell in love with the music, the Telecaster, and the whole genre on that day.

I saw Jon and the band many times after that (you couldn't keep me away!!!) and especially used to love his 'Flying South To Dixie'!!! I learned how my then-favourite guitarist - James Burton - wasn't a rock'n'roll player but a country player! (Of course he's both, but you know what I mean..)

Before that day I had this complacent air of thinking I was this hot-shot pop-guitarist doing tours and TVs, then two hours watching (and playing with) this marvellous band changed my whole outlook. The Gibson Super 400 went into the cupboard and I bought a Telecaster!

Thanks for all the great music, Jon Derek - you'll be missed and I know you won't be forgotten.

My sympathies to all his family.
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Roger Rettig: Emmons D10, B-bender Teles and Martins - and, at last, a Gibson Super 400!
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Roger Rettig · From: Naples, FL

I've read my post, and I'm still not sure that I've managed to convey what an epiphany this day was for me. I'm not even sure that I've conveyed it to Gerry over the intervening years.

And I can also remember Jon having that very unusual Gibson J-200 with the blond top and roewood back-and-sides!

Thanks again, Jamie (Gunn), Jon (Derek) and Jerry (sic: Gerry Hogan)!
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Roger Rettig: Emmons D10, B-bender Teles and Martins - and, at last, a Gibson Super 400!
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Ken Byng · From: Southampton, England

Wonderful story Roger.

A bit like you, I was asked to join a country band in 1966. I was playing steel then, but into Santo & Johnny and Hawaiian music. I looked down my nose and said - "Yee Har - no thanks I'm not into country music". I was later loaned an early Merle Haggard album, and that was it, hook, line and sinker.

Country Fever were a top band, and Jon was a front man par excellence. I can still see Gerry playing his Sho~Bud in that band, and Jon had 3 of the best lead players in his band over the early years in Gerry, Albert and Adrian Legg.

Jon Derek and Lorne Gibson were two of the best and sadly are no longer with us. They were great times and I wish I could turn the clock back to be there once more.
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Roger Rettig · From: Naples, FL

Here's a web-site set up by his son. A nice job, I think, and I've borrowed a photo from it showing that unusual J-200. Looks like a late-'60s guitar to me.

http://www.markderek.com/jonderek.html

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Roger Rettig: Emmons D10, B-bender Teles and Martins - and, at last, a Gibson Super 400!
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Ken Byng · From: Southampton, England

Roger
That guitar was Jon's pride and joy, and he used it live on stage over many years. Looking at him in that photo, I still can't believe he is no longer with us.
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Gene Jones · From: Oklahoma City, OK USA, (deceased)

Not being familiar with Jon's work, I was impressed with his remarkable talent. Thank you Micky for acknowledging his passing.
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"FROM THEN TIL' NOW"

John Davis · From: Cambridge, U.K.

I meant to add my tribute to your post Micky but reckon I pressed the wrong button = new topic.... Sad

old age catching up with me I guess, Nice to see all the tributes to Jon here.

Gerry Hogan · From: Burghclere, Hampshire, England

Micky

Thanks for starting this thread. Jon was a one-off and his passing is very premature.

Roger

Thanks for your kind comments about the old Red Lion days! I stood in trepidation when I saw you and Brian at the back of the room! (I can still see you both now!). I'm thankful you liked what you heard!

I've just returned from Jon's funeral and I was pleased to see a very large crowd in attendance. The Service highlighted Jon's Welsh roots (from the Harlech and Anglesey area). Jon's son, Mark, was instrumental in organising the whole thing and I thank him. It was a fitting send-off for a highly-talented person.

Gerry Hogan

Gerry Hogan · From: Burghclere, Hampshire, England

Roger

I forgot to mention that Jon's guitar originally had a sunburst front, but it got badly scratched (I believe) and he had it re-finished with the natural front. I think I've remembered corrrectly, but certainly, it was originally a standard sunburst J200, bought from Selmer's in Charing Cross Road.

Gerry

Roger Rettig · From: Naples, FL

Hi, Gerry

Thanks for the J-200 explanation - that sounds logical. (I had a new one in '63 - mine was from Jim Marshall's Hanwell shop; that's a guitar that many of us were longing to own back then...)

I've been trying to remember where else I saw you guys play in those far-off days (apart from the Red Lion); there was one night when you played the White Hart, Acton and another at a venue either behind, or adjacent to, Ealing Common Underground Station. Does that ring a bell?

I was still on the road with Eden Kane at that time, but I'd watch for your gigs so that I could get my 'country music refresher course' from the very best in the UK!
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Roger Rettig: Emmons D10, B-bender Teles and Martins - and, at last, a Gibson Super 400!
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