With his toothy grin and cheeky manner, Gerry Marsden, who has died aged 78, was one of the prime movers of the Merseybeat sound of the early 1960s. For a time, Marsden’s band, Gerry and the Pacemakers, were vying with the Beatles as Britain’s top pop group, both of them part of Brian Epstein’s Liverpool-based management stable.
Paul McCartney has paid tribute to Gerry And The Pacemakers’ Gerry Marsden, whose death was confirmed earlier today (January 3).
Marsden was 78 years old and died after suffering an infection in his heart, his friend and broadcaster Pete Price confirmed on social media.
Gerry And The Pacemakers formed in Liverpool in 1959 and were the second group to be signed by The Beatles’ manager Brian Epstein. They performed at the city’s iconic music venue The Cavern Club nearly 200 times in their career.
Gerry was a mate from our early days in Liverpool. He and his group were our biggest rivals on the local scene. His unforgettable performances of You’ll Never Walk Alone and Ferry Cross the Mersey remain in many people’s hearts as reminders of a joyful time in British music... pic.twitter.com/t1COAIwZVM
— Paul McCartney (@PaulMcCartney) January 3, 2021
“Gerry was a mate from our early days in Liverpool,” McCartney wrote on Twitter. “He and his group were our biggest rivals on the local scene. His unforgettable performances of You’ll Never Walk Alone and Ferry Across The Mersey remain in many people’s hearts as reminders of a joyful time in British music.”
He added: “My sympathies go to his wife Pauline and family. See ya, Gerry. I’ll always remember you with a smile.”
