Retired cruise ship entertainer Howard Parkin is riding on the crest of a wave as leader of a senior citizens rock band dedicated to friendship and boosting funds for charity.
Eighty-year-old Howard and “The Bus Pass Guys and Gals” are hitting the right note for Chance Changing Lives, ploughing money they make from performances into the charity’s support of local families facing hardship.
The band is made up of Nantwich and Wistaston people in their 70s and 80s who rehearse every Monday at St John’s Church in Willaston.
Since forming last spring, they have played at Wistaston Memorial Hall and The Woodside pub and are keen to get more gigs.
Each time they played to a packed house thanks to family and friends spreading the word and raffles staged alongside performances did well.
Now they hope to strike a chord with much wider audiences after reaching out to Nantwich News for help.
“When we do a show, the audiences are quite simply gobsmacked to see and hear us play rock music from the 60s, 70s and 80s,” said Howard, who lives in Wistaston.
“The problem is we’re not from the age of social media and need to do more to publicise ourselves.
“We’re grateful to Nantwich News for giving us the opportunity to shout out about our mission to support Chance and the wellbeing benefits of being in a local band.”
A call from our editorial team was sweet music to Howard who settled in Wistaston with his wife Mary three years ago to be near family after a lifetime as a professional entertainer in clubs and on cruise ships.
Down the decades he’s worked alongside many famous names including Cilla Black, Cliff Richard, Alexander O’Neil, Jeff Beck, Noddy Holder and Ian Gillan of Deep Purple.
He ran his own nightclub in Spain where he entertained and was leader of a 40-strong rock choir while living in Portugal where he also ran a music shop and got to know many celebrities.
“I’ve always been around music, said Howard who sings and plays the electric guitar, mandolin, steel guitar and banjo.
“I’ve seen how a band can bring people together, there’s a beautiful bond. Now we’re getting on in years there are health benefits too.
“One chap Peter, aged 83, hadn’t played the guitar for 65 years but it came back to him just like that.
“The Bus Pass Guys and Gals has proven that people who have been musicians many, many years ago, who now have memory problems, are able to still remember everything. It’s incredible but true.”
Band members include Rosemarie Benson, Mandy James, Neil Brown, Peter Shepherd, Nigel Keegan, Jackie Keegan, Christine Ewan and Terri Humphries – all playing a mix of instruments and singing.
None have been professional musicians but have played for the love of it in their lifetime.
They steer clear of what Howard calls ‘old crooners music’ so there’s no Frank Sinatra or Engelbert Humperdinck unless specifically requested.
Instead they love to belt out Fleetwood Mac, The Beatles, Snow Patrol and The Corrs.
And there’s humour thrown in.
“We’re not spring chickens and like to take the mickey out of ourselves,” he adds.
“American Pie This Will Be the Day That I Die always gets a laugh!”
Anyone interested in booking The Bus Pass Guys and Gals for a donation to the charity is asked to call Howard on 07878 247744.
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