January, cruising again, this time on the Arcada for P & O. They sailed from Southampton to Barbados, stopping at Maderia before flying back.
Various one-nighters followed then it was time to return to Australia for a six week tour covering Western Australia, Victoria and New South Wales.
This time despite a recession, the attendance was better than ever, with sell-out shows in Albany, Maldura, Free Mantle, and Banks Town to name a few.
On a sad note, it was while they were touring Australia that Jonathan got a phone call from his wife, Margaret, telling him that Kevin had passed away. Jonathan remembers, ‘We had a show to do that afternoon and it wasn’t going to be easy getting through it. What helped was a text I received from Lorraine, Kevin’s daughter, which simply said:“YOU’D BETTER GET ON STAGE AND BELT ONE OUT FOR DAD.” We did.
I think Kevin would have been genuinely surprised at the number of people he touched in his life. We remember him in another section of this web site.
Jonathan further recalls that although they met with kindness everywhere in Australia, they are especially grateful to Clyde and Lesley at Friends’ Restraunt, Perth. and the whole gang of people who run the Bankstown Sports club, in Sydney. This was the first club they worked on their first Australian tour back in 2000 and it will remain forever in their hearts. Thanks to Kevin McCormick, John Murry and all the lads for proving there is such thing as a free lunch.
Back home it was a few one-nighters, i.e., Lichfield for Duggie Chapman, Heigh Hall Country club Shrewsbury for Tony Best, another week of Brick Lane Music Hall, (their fifth year) and a return to the Winter Gardens, Blackpool.
