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Vince Eager

Born Roy Taylor in Grantham, Lincolnshire. He teamed up with 2 pals to form the Harmonica Vagabonds, later to be the Vagabonds Skiffle Group - hugely popular in Grantham and came 2nd in the World Skiffle Championships which was televised by the BBC.

[Right: Vince Eager]

This led to a residency at the famous 2 I's Coffee Bar in London's West End. Soon after, they were booked by pop Svengali Larry Parnes who turned Roy Taylor into 'Vince Eager'.

Vince became a household name with over 100 TV appearances but his recording career was dogged by a conflict  between him and Larry Parnes.

Touring with Eddie Cochran, Gene Vincent, Marty Wilde, Jerry Lee Lewis, Billy Fury and many more top stars gave Vince the opportunity to hone the stage skills which still serve him to this day.

The death of his best friend Eddie Cochran was to prove a turning point in Vince's career. He was disgusted with the manner in which Parnes sought to gain publicity from the accident and he began to 'get away' from the 'Parnes Stable' of popsters.

In the years that followed the Parnes era, Vince was prolific on the British and overseas cabaret circuit, theatre, pantomime and for 5 years he starred in the Sir Laurence Olivier Award winning West End musical, ELVIS.

In 1986 Vince took up residency in Fort Lauderdale, Florida for twelve years, returning to the UK along with his wife Anette and is now based in rural Nottinghamshire.

[Right: Vince Eager with Roy Young on piano]

After returning to England, for a number of years Vince rekindled his association with legendary guitarist, the late Big Jim Sullivan in presenting a show of musical and anecdotal nostalgia. 

He has also written a amusing and inforamtiv musical biography, Vince Eager's Rock 'n' Roll files. 

 

 

[Vince, Cliff & Marty]

Read 7391 times Last modified on Wednesday, 26 July 2017 14:14

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