Gordon Giltrap

Just heard the news that my old friend Bert Weedon has passed away.

A sad day.

I shall be writing in detail later this week.

Be Well all.

G.

Gordon,

I remember that as a young boy I used to rush home from junior school to watch a programme on ATV. I can't remember what it was called, but it featured Ayshea Brough, a puppet character called Ollie Beak and Bert Weedon! Bert always looked very smart in a suit and didn't really look like the typical guitar player of that time. However, when he started to play I was just amazed by his skill and speed - not really what you would expect from a man in a suit playing what I thought at the time was an old-fashioned guitar (possibly a 335?). Anyway, it wasn't long before I got hold of my own guitar, a red plastic "Beatles" model, which unfortunatley didn't survive very long before being broken by one of my sisters. An interest in Jimi Hendrix and Dave Edmunds soon followed and I was truly hooked on the guitar.

So many thanks to you Bert - RIP

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-17781762

_________________
Life is too short to take on the unnecessary

Hi Gordon

Very sad to see the passing of the great Bert Weedon. As you know, I was a great fan of Bert. Without Bert’s ‘Play in a Day’ and ‘Play Every Day’ books we may not have seen many of our most famous guitarists. He made learning the guitar a pleasure and made everything so easy to follow.
I personally owe him so much as I was ready to give up when I was given his ‘Play in a Day’ book. A fantastic musician and teacher and a person who inspired so many, I only wish I had got to meet him and thank him personally for enhancing my life through the guitar and its music. Another great loss to the world of music.
Our thoughts and condolences are with his family.

R.I.P. Bert

_________________
Lives touch and paths cross for a reason - be grateful for these meetings and grow as a person

I have just read that Bert Weedon has passed away at the age of 91.

His "Play in a Day" book was my first introduction to guitar playing as a child. I well remember trying to hold the guitar and strum Bobby Shaftoe.

He was quite an influence upon many guitarists of the 1960's and 70's.

RIP Bert.

Sorry to hear of another loss to the British guitar scene. Bert's influence on young players, including GG, will never be surpassed.

I remember those TV lessons and thought of him as a very nice man.

RIP

_________________
Colin & Jill

'Twas 'Tuesday Rendezvous' which also featured Wally Whyton and another puppet - 'Fred Barker'. Wally also 'voiced' Ollie Beak.

But back to the topic... RIP Bert... one of nature's gentlemen methinks. I used to play 'Guitar Boogie Shuffle' regularly on the radio back in the '70s. A good 'filler' up to the news...!

_________________
The older I get, the better I used to be

Hello Mike,

Thanks for those memories Sir. I thought it was called Five O'clock Club, goes to show how memory can be.

I have just finished writing a brief memoir for dear Bert,and you know what with Jim Marshall passing recently and now Bert, a deep feeling of sadness has come over me whilst sharing these memories. I didn't think it would but it has and I have SO many memories of both people and places.

Bert had a good and happy life though, this I know to be true.

REST IN PEACE guys. You shall be greatly missed by many many people.

Be Well all.

G.

Without wishing in any way to take away from memories and respect for Bert Weedon - one of the gentleman guitarists - it looks like we were both sort-of right Gordon - but you more than me! :

"From 1963 to 1966 'The Five O'Clock Club' met every Tuesday and Friday.

The show, which was introduced by Muriel Young and Howard Williams, was the new title for what had been previously known as 'Small Time', 'Lucky Dip' (1958) and 'Tuesday Rendezvous' (1961), as ATV attempted to repeat the BBC's consistent success with children's shows by coming up with a cross between 'Blue Peter' and 'Crackerjack.' The show featured regular items such as "Happy Cooking" with Fanny and Johnny Craddock, Graham Dangerfield talked about pets, Jimmy Handley (father of future Magpie presenter Jenny) made models and Bert Weedon gave guitar lessons.

The first indication of the shows massive popularity came when Weedon invited anyone wanting help to play the guitar to 'Drop me a line." Three days later sackloads of mail arrived and Associated Rediffusion had to have thousands of special leaflets printed to post out to thousands of children.

Former skiffle group member Wally Whyton replaced Howard Williams and for an entire generation of children the show entered its most fondly remembered era. But the undoubted stars of the show were a pair of glove puppets called Ollie Beak and Fred Barker, the first television glove puppets with attitude. The show's original glove puppet, Pussycat Willum, was unceremoniously cast aside as the pair became so popular that in 1965 the show was re-titled 'Ollie and Fred's Five O'Clock Club.' However, not before one woman viewer rang up to complain that the pair had contrived to use foul language on the live broadcast, after listening to Jon Pertwee sing a folk song. As the song finished Ollie said to Fred how nice it was to hear a song from an 'old folker'. "

Ah memories!

Mike

_________________
The older I get, the better I used to be

Good to know that you and I have our memories reasonably intact eh Mike.

Looking forward to working together again my friend.

Be Well.

G.

Hilary and I will be attending Bert's funeral on May 5th.

There will hundreds there I'm sure.

Our thoughts go out to Maggie at this sad time.

Love to all.

G & H.x

Gordon,

We think that most people would be devastated if they had lost so many good friends over such a short period of time - Bert & Loren, Jim and now Bert. It's sad enough for those who never knew them, but appreciated what they did - for you and Hilary it must be terrible.

With our love and respect,

Roger & Em x

_________________
Life is too short to take on the unnecessary

Thanks for that Mike. ATV - what a station - whatever happened to Tinger and Tucker

I can now recall Wally and Muriel Young from those TV shows, but for very different and obvious reasons the great Bert and Ayshea remain in my memory - don't know why Ollie Beak does

Roger

_________________
Life is too short to take on the unnecessary

When people you know reach a great age you expect it,and in Bert's case we did. He had been ill for sometime. A quiet sadness is really what we feel. We hadn't had a lot of contact with Weedon's of late so it didn't hit quite so hard. It was only when I was recalling those good times gone by did the cloud of sadness descend.

Bert would be the first to say that he had a great life. Right time, right place, right life partner etc.Bert was a man of his time as we all are male and female. He wasn't considered a virtuoso like Django and the like,but he was a very solid player who fell under the banner of "entertainer".His schooling was initially classical and then of course jazz. I remember him saying to me once that "jazz was the road to the poorhouse" There was no way that Bert was heading in that direction, he was too shrewd for that.

I once offered to write his biography (in the days when I had more time and energy) but he wasn't really interested. Shame really because his fame was such that I'm certain it would have been successful.

Thanks for your thoughts guys.

Be Well.

G.