What an enormous loss! There are many touching tributes written above and its difficult to express ones feelings.
Johnny had such wonderful voice: rich and powerful but with the ability to join in with gentle deep, rounded harmonies. An all-round singer and a great man but one who also took time to encourage others.
I still remember with pride one little incident in his life. After a song I sang in a singaround at Lancaster Maritime Festival a few years back, he made a point of coming up to me and said: "Well sung mate!" He certainly inspired me to develop my singing ability.
I'll cherish my memories of you, Johhny. At least you have left us an enormous amount of discography to enjoy.
My sympathy is with Joyce, with whom I enjoyed many narrowboat trips and for whom I acted as "galley slave".
"... and pray for those in peril on the sea and all my shipmates gone before...!"
Alan Whitbread