1997 – 2012 15 years old!

A brief history….. Tony Vickress and myself Jon Webber were introduced to each other by a mutual guitarist friend. We both wanted to play in a big soul or blues type band and to cut a long story short, as there were no vacancies in any of the established local soul bands, we eventually decided to start our own. Rehearsals started in January 1997 and Jackie Wilson Says… played our first gig at the ‘Oaklands Hotel’, Woodham Ferrers, on Monday 23rd June.

The first year was spent finding our feet and deciding the direction that we wanted to go in. Tony Jefford was (and still is) lead male vocalist and we tried a joint male/female team with the colourful Dee joining Tony to front the band. After a few gigs we established a regular horn section of Barry Nunn on trumpet, Gerry Marshall on alto sax (thanks for designing the logo), Neil Conner on tenor sax (thanks for coming up with the name) and Dave Murray on trombone (Dave left a few years ago but still plays from time to time with us).

Keys was played by Steven Panter, drums by Phil Woods with Tony Vickress and Derek Duckworth on guitars and myself on bass.

Dee left after the first year and at this point we decided on the classic soul band format of lead male singer who would front the band, with female lead and backing singers. Theresa Richards (nee French) joined us on lead female vocals and as she has been with us for nine of those ten years, we always think of her as one of the original band members.

The core of the band has remained the same over the years and the original members still with us are Tony Jefford, Theresa, Derek, Barry and of course Tony Vickress and myself.

The complete line-up in 2012 is Tony Jefford, Theresa Richards and Kellie Shanks on vocals, Keys; Stewart Harper, trumpets; Barry Nunn and Nick Quarrell, tenor sax; Pete Harley, alto sax; Anita Carmichael, trombone; Dave Murray, guitars; Tony Vickress and Derek Duckworth, drums; Odge and myself Jon Webber on bass.

 So …15 years and still going strong

Our aim has always been to both entertain and to enjoy ourselves going out with a group of musicians and friends – as Jackie Wilson Says, playing classic soul music as authentically as we can.

We have enjoyed continual public support – which we always appreciate – at our annual Riga and Freight House gigs and the other odd local event and have made friends with many of our ‘regulars’ who started out as audience but are now more like mates. Likewise everyone at Club Riga, The Freight House and Martin Jordan who has been our sound engineer for some years now.

Thanks to David Jacobs who has looked after the web site for years, (Tony Jefford has recently taken it over) Steve for all the pics, everyone who has ever played with us, come to see us, booked us, done the sound or lights, put up the stage, worked with us in any way etc, etc in the last 15 years……here’s to another 15!

Jon