The Spinners were an early influence on my singing career, too.

Well do I remember their televised concerts from Bolton Octagon Theatre in the late 60s! What the people on telly didn't see was Hughie Jones (usually!) falling about laughing, and the crew having to 'reset' and do another 'take'!!

Many people were hypercritical (jealous?) of their commercial success, but they provided many thousands of people with their first taste of folk music - not just British, but from around the world.

Such was the measure of their influence that an American group with the same name agreed to be known over here as 'The Detroit Spinners', whilst 'The Liverpool Spinners' was the name our lads used over in the USA!