Liz Bray and John Murray - The Melborn ,Bradford - Whitby Folk Festival.

Within the last year the above two well loved people have died tragically and will be missed by people who frequent Whitby and the Melborn pub in Bradford.

Liz was a singer with the band "Avalon" and if these clicky things work you can read for yourself what a what a wonderfull kind hearted friend we have all lost - I THOROUGHLY RECOMEND THAT YOU READ THE FOLLOWING

http://www.thisisbradford.co.uk/bradford__district/archive/2003/12/15/brad_news08.int.html


http://www.thisisbradford.co.uk/bradford__district/archive/2003/04/11/brad_news11.int.html

http://www.thisisbradford.co.uk/bradford__district/archive/2003/10/02/brad_news02.int.html

http://www.thisisbradford.co.uk/bradford__district/archive/2003/10/23/brad_news06.int.html

John greatest pleasure in life was the regular Monday night session in the Melborn and Whitby festival where he charmed many with humerous self penned songs such as "Melborn Monday" to the tune of "Ohhh Lisdoonvarna" with people who frequent the popular Monday evening session mentioned in his version as opposed to Irish celerities and politicians in Lisdoonvarna. He also made a version up with Whitby Festival and the many friends he knew there in the lyrics instead.

My buddy Andrew Wilde read out his poem at last years festival where many were shocked to hear of John's tragic death on Christmas Day 2002. At the end of the poem Andrew pays tribute to some other friends such as Jennyn Tierney, Herbert Burgess and Walter Hallsworth Green, ( Walter also tragically died at last years festival - many of the friends who were there when he died attended his funeral in Derby soon after the festival).

Owed to John Murray / Remember         by Andrew Wilde 2003.      

                         Some called him "Quiet John"
                         But he could sing as loud and long
                         As any one else.

                        When he sang 'The Whip Jamboree'
                         Or 'Rolling in my sweet baby's arms'
                         My ears would hurt
                         If I was sat too close.

                        And he could croon
                        And he'd charm you
                        With a medley of 'This Boy' and 'Blue Moon'
                        And 'The way you looked tonight'.

                        But most will remember his humour and wit
                        That could have you in stitches
                        No matter how many times you heard
                        His turned around cliches.

                        A favourite was a song about
                        An inflatable doll and a fish
                        'What's a plaice like you
                         Doing with a girl like this?'

                        What was her name now, was it Angeline or Trish?
                         No, it was Shirley, I know but I couldn't get that to rhyme.
                         Not the way John could, he had a way with words.
                         'Yes', some said - 'it were a crime'.

                        And there was 'The day we went to Blackpool'   
                        With characters and scenes that stuck in your mind.
                        They were at least a match for Wallace and Gromit,
                        Remember Grandma and Granddad, and 'Our Willies' vomit'!

                        Another side to John's talent and passion
                        Were his tales of American politics and subject to his inspection
                        Were the Democrats, and Bill Clinton and Monica
                        And how George Bush got his election.      
      
                        But sadly, last Christmas, 2002,   
                      Was 'too close to call' for John himself
                      And he'll be remembered
                      By one and all

                                                                                        continued
                                                                   1
                                                   
      
                                                                                                                                 
                        From Wibsey to Whitby
                        And from Clapham to Chesterfield
                        In The Melborn and The Plough
                        And many more that some could reel........

                        The many friends and faces
                        The people and places we'll recall               
                        Where good times were had and if John could say now
                        He'd not want us to be sad.

                        Many of you get a mention in the songs he wrote
                        And one that deserves special attention was 'Melborn Mondays'
                        Which was about the pleasure of being in 'The Melborn' Mondays,
                        At a sing-around known as 'Eamons' Corner'
                        And if Eamon wasn't there John usually would be.
                        
                        But don't worry if you never got a mention in the song
                        Because you can still pop along to 'The Melborn' Mondays
                        And Tuesdays,Wednesdays,Thursdays,Fridays,Saturdays and Sundays!
                        Now if you think this just might be a 'plug' for 'The Melborn'
                        Brother Eamon will be pleased to welcome you and put you right.
      
                        Now as memory fails
                        Or if time and space don't permit   
                        Reference to others of Johns' songs
                        I'll just refer to a couple of standards he 'covered'
   
                        Such as 'The Lock Keeper', which was especially liked.
                        He referred to it in 'Melborn Mondays',
                        And I wondered which one that was
                        Until I realised I'd known it all along as 'Southern Cross';

                        And 'Vincent' -one of his best,
                        Sung straight and without sentiment,
                        Though perhaps hinting at his own 'hard travellin'   
                        Of which few really knowed.

                        So this is for you John
                        It's one that is owed.
                        And we'll remember John Murray
                        Because, - "remember -   we loved him".
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Dedicated to the memory of Whitby Folk-Festival 'Crewsers Jenny Tierney(Broadstairs) 2001
                                             
John Murray - 1944 - 2002 (Bradford);
Herbert Burgess - 2003 (Glasshoughton) and
Walter Hallsworth-Green 1938 - 2003 (Matlock Bath).