The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #39093   Message #2860510
Posted By: Terry McDonald
09-Mar-10 - 05:31 PM
Thread Name: Lyr Req: Dorset Is Beautiful (Bob Gale)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Dorset Is Beautiful (Bob Gale)
We,'The Biddles', were regulars at Dorchester every Thursday between 1964 and 1966, indeed it was (along with our own club in Bournemouth) where we learnt our trade. Regulars were Dave Evans, who ran it, Mike York, Mike McCoy, Ray Mitchell (who's still at the current Dorchester club, same premises but now it's called Tom Brown's)and Greg Schofield (who was a cross channel swimmer.)The Yetties were regular visitors (there were five of them originally) and so were Exeter's Journeymen - Ken Penney, Dave someone and Gerry Higson.

I don't remember Paul Simon appearing although his songs were becoming known through Julie Felix and also two lads from Exeter - one was named John Remsbury but I can't remember the other one. I do remember going to the Fountain in Wemouth to see Paul Simon but he'd cancelled the gig.

Anyway, as I said in April 2008, 'Dorset is Beautiful' was introduced at Dorchester by The Dumpledores and it was always accepted that one of their number, Bob Gale, had written it. Both the Yetties and ourselves soon picked it up and it became an automatic choice when we were booked to perform at clubs outside of Dorset, i.e. in foreign parts such as Wiltshire and Hampshire.