| Jonny C |
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With the help of his uncle’s, Ceicel and Albert Guy, Jonny mastered the basics of playing the guitar and was soon to join their music combo, The Bunkhouse Boys. He later formed his own band Crimson Earth. Keen to get more work, the band decided to run an advert in Melody Maker, but unfortunately for them, instead of listing the band as Crimson Earth, the actually printed the name as Crimson Girth ! This prompted the bands change of name and proudly called them selves ‘Tapestery’. The band went from strength to strength and toured Wales and the south coast extensively. Jonny was later to write the band's first single 'Oh Mountain'. A six month tour of europe was set up, but as all good things come to an end, it didn't happen and the band members went their separate ways, but always kept closely in touch. In time Jonny would play the occasional acoustic gig with some of the old Tapestery guys and were sometimes referred to as The Heartbreakers and later on The Three Ronnies. In 1984 came along the greatest influence of all when Jonny discovered a band performing a residency in Bewdley every Wednesday night. It was The Big Town Playboys, featuring the charismatic Mike Sanchez and Ricky Cool. Later on Jonny and other band mates were to team up with Rick Cool to play the odd charity gig. 1991 was the year that Jonny really came to the front, when he performed almost a hundred shows with Mike Sanchez and The Hoola Boola Boys. What a year, anyone who saw those shows would remember what a great time Jonny and the rest of the band had, especially the nights when we were joined on stage by Robert Plant. The following year was spent backing boogie woogie piano player Big Man Clayton. In 1994 Jonny teamed up with good friend Ricky Cool and later on with Big Town Playboys guitarist Andy Silvester now on drums, and so Ricky Cool & The Hoola Boola Boys was born. A great band soon to become well established on th R & B scene. 2003 gave birth to Jonny's next band , The Hoolas, a very tight three piece band playing over 350 gigs on the pub circuit. In 2006 Ricky Cool and The Hoola Boola Boys was resurrected. In 2008, and what was to become Jonny’s final year of performing, he enjoyed such an eventful time and accomplished so much. Amongst all the other shows he played with the band he performed four times at the legendary 100 Club in London, one of those times backing Jerry Lee Lewis. He recorded a CD there called Ricky Cool and The Hoola Boola Boys, ‘Live at The 100 Club’, which he was very proud of, and performed in Sweden at the famous Rock at Sea gig. Jonny’s guitar collection was featured in Guitar and Bass magazine, again something he was immensely proud of. Jonny was a kind and gentle man. A friend with no conditions and always there in time of need. Jonny had no brothers or sisters but his cousin Veronica was like a sister to him and apart from his close relatives, his friends in the Music Industry were his second family. |
