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Subject: RE: Obit: Fred Wedlock -The Oldest Swinger in Town From: GUEST,Polly Squeezebox Date: 04 Mar 10 - 09:04 AM I've just learned from a local news broadcast that Fred Wedlock suffered a fatal heart attack in a Bristol hospital this morning. He was admitted on Monday suffering from pneumonia. Aged 67 his career had encompassed not only folk music/singing, but also television presenting, compering, etc. I have personal memories of him at Chippenham Folk Festival and send sympathy to his family. |
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Subject: RE: Obit: Fred Wedlock -The Oldest Swinger in Town From: Rasener Date: 04 Mar 10 - 09:06 AM OMG. Fred was booked for Faldingworth Live later in the year. Only spoke to him a couple of months ago. So sorry to hear this. RIP Fred. So sorry you weren't able to grace our stage at Faldingworth Live. Les Worrall |
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Subject: RE: Obit: Fred Wedlock -The Oldest Swinger in Town From: Dave the Gnome Date: 04 Mar 10 - 09:10 AM What a rotten shame, he will be sorely missed. Condolences to the family and many friends of this talented performer and very funny man. DeG |
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Subject: RE: Obit: Fred Wedlock -The Oldest Swinger in Town From: Nigel Parsons Date: 04 Mar 10 - 09:21 AM BBC Bristol R.I.P. Nigel |
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Subject: RE: Obit: Fred Wedlock -The Oldest Swinger in Town From: GUEST,Mad Spaniel Date: 04 Mar 10 - 09:24 AM Sad News |
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Subject: RE: Obit: Fred Wedlock -The Oldest Swinger in Town From: Fran Date: 04 Mar 10 - 09:33 AM Sad news, was looking forward to seeing him again at folk on the pier this year. A lovely and very funny man. |
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Subject: RE: Obit: Fred Wedlock -The Oldest Swinger in Town From: GUEST,Ed Date: 04 Mar 10 - 09:34 AM The Oldest Swinger In Town RIP, Fred https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MuctkJWUYRg |
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Subject: RE: Obit: Fred Wedlock -The Oldest Swinger in Town From: Dave Roberts Date: 04 Mar 10 - 09:40 AM A great shame. 'Oldest Swinger In Town' is one of the best and funniest comedy records ever. R.I.P. Fred. |
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Subject: RE: Obit: Fred Wedlock -The Oldest Swinger in Town From: Leadfingers Date: 04 Mar 10 - 10:14 AM RIP Fred , but its a shae he nver gave Ed Pickford any credit for O S I T . I still do his Folker (Rewrite of The Boxer) though ! |
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Subject: RE: Obit: Fred Wedlock -The Oldest Swinger in Town From: GUEST,Gadaffi Date: 04 Mar 10 - 10:25 AM As a one-time university folk club organiser, I found him courteous, extremely supportive off stage, and incredibly funny on stage. I went out of my way one lunchtime to see The Great Western Musical Thunderbox at The Union one lunchtime, which also featured the late Adge Cutler with the original Wurzels. I Easily recognised during his cameo performance on the identity parade on Never Mind the Buzzcocks. |
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Subject: RE: Obit: Fred Wedlock -The Oldest Swinger in Town From: MikeL2 Date: 04 Mar 10 - 11:06 AM hi Yes very sad losing a genuinely nice guy. RIP Fred MikeL2 |
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Subject: RE: Obit: Fred Wedlock -The Oldest Swinger in Town From: Nigel Parsons Date: 04 Mar 10 - 11:24 AM I see that the BBC link I quoted above gives Fred as the writer of 'Oldest Swinger'. Surely that's not right? |
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Subject: RE: Obit: Fred Wedlock -The Oldest Swinger in Town From: Hamish Date: 04 Mar 10 - 11:30 AM Goodness. I did a support gig for him last autumn in Brighton and he was on top form: the timing was perfect. Great performer, lovely man. That's a shock, indeed. |
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Subject: RE: Obit: Fred Wedlock -The Oldest Swinger in Town From: Anne Lister Date: 04 Mar 10 - 11:36 AM So sorry to hear this. Much sympathy to his family and friends. |
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Subject: RE: Obit: Fred Wedlock -The Oldest Swinger in Town From: GUEST,No Fixed Abode Date: 04 Mar 10 - 11:46 AM We are both shocked and sorry to hear of Fred's death, he was one of the friendliest people we have met on the folk scene..........he gave us time, advice and encouragement when he did not have to. We were looking forward to meeting him for a coffee at Folk on the Pier. Our condolences to this family.....you can be proud of him. Our love goes with you where ever you have travelled to Fred.............. Una and Tony |
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Subject: RE: Obit: Fred Wedlock -The Oldest Swinger in Town From: Ian Anderson Date: 04 Mar 10 - 11:46 AM I just wrote this on the fRoots board but hope it bears repeating here: The first folk club that I was persuaded by friends to go to was in Weston-super-Mare. I was sixteen, the guests were the Yetis, the audience featured little old ladies knitting (they were probably in their 30s, but when you're 16 . . .) and I thought it was a horrible practical joke that had been played on me. It was a year before I tried another one, the Ballads & Blues in Bristol: the guest was Tom Paley and the main resident was Fred Wedlock, and from then on I was converted. You could say that Fred Wedlock helped change my life. Fred was a fixture on the Bristol folk scene then, immensely popular but steadfastly refusing to give up his day job. His light, personable mixture of funny songs, traditional songs and chorus jokes seemed almost throwaway but actually highly skilled. He was very supportive of all the myriad other types of musicians popping up on the burgeoning local scene (see the recent Bristol Folk book): my first ever paid gig was part of a triple bill organised by Fred at a local teacher training college - the other two were Keith Christmas and Sally Oldfield and I think for all of us it was our first proper booking beyond club floor spots. So he helped change my life twice. It was only after we persuaded a somewhat reluctant Fred - he didn't think there'd be much demand - to record his debut album The Folker for Village Thing and it went on to sell over 20,000 that he decided to go full time. The title track, a parody of Paul Simon's The Boxer became a national folk club standard, performed and recorded by many. In that big boom of folk club "entertainers" of the 70s from which emerged Jasper Carrott and numerous others, Fred was the one I liked the most because his song-to-joke balance was the highest. A while later he had his Top 10 hit The Oldest Swinger In Town. I last saw Fred some five years back when there were a couple of Bristol Troubadour re-union concerts. For some reason I still have total recall on some of his epics, and remember reciting his talking blues that began "I was driving down the old M4, doing a ton or maybe some more . . . " to my pal Ben who had come along for the ride down said motorway. Ben later got the full on Bristolese experience after I persuaded Fred to sing his celebrated version of Adge Cutler's Thees Got'n Whur Thee Casn't Back'n Asn't?. Now that's what I call regional folk music . . . This sad news of Fred's death today came as I was about to invite him to appear at the Village Thing 40th anniversary gig coming up at Cecil Sharp House in September. I wondered if he'd ever played at CSH. As a true English folk (club) hero, he certainly should have done. |
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Subject: RE: Obit: Fred Wedlock -The Oldest Swinger in Town From: GUEST,Davehh Date: 04 Mar 10 - 12:09 PM I remember going every Xmas to some Pub or other to drink with Fred his terrible beer..he would do the interview for my radio Programme and also make a new promo for me I still have those and one year he gave me his own Tape recording of "The Oldest Swinger in Town" Fred I will truly miss a very nice and funny guy..I trust you will make them laugh up there but keep it clean "IF YOU CAN" Mate I will truly miss you. |
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Subject: RE: Obit: Fred Wedlock -The Oldest Swinger in Town From: Bernard Date: 04 Mar 10 - 12:15 PM So sad, and so young... I was fortunate enough to meet and work with him on a couple of occasions. So naturally funny, even though most of his jokes were being recycled for the umpteenth time!! Sleep well, lad. |
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Subject: RE: Obit: Fred Wedlock -The Oldest Swinger in Town From: GUEST,toyna and john Date: 04 Mar 10 - 12:38 PM R.I.P. Fred it was a joy to have known you |
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Subject: RE: Obit: Fred Wedlock -The Oldest Swinger in Town From: Herga Kitty Date: 04 Mar 10 - 02:22 PM Puddleduck were the supporting ceilidh band when he performed at the Royal Veterinary College back in the 70s - he was fantastic, and will be sadly missed. Kitty |
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Subject: RE: Obit: Fred Wedlock -The Oldest Swinger in Town From: alanabit Date: 04 Mar 10 - 02:30 PM He was a riveting performer and I found him a very pleasant and affable man. He can't have been much over five foot tall and yet when he was on stage, he seemed like the biggest person in the room. He will indeed be missed, especially in his native Bristol and the area around it. |
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Subject: RE: Obit: Fred Wedlock -The Oldest Swinger in Town From: Black belt caterpillar wrestler Date: 04 Mar 10 - 03:17 PM Very sorry to hear this. He was the guest at Cheddar folk club on the night we announced our engagement and he insisted on signing the card. We still have it somewhere safe. Our sympathy to his family. Robin and Anne. |
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Subject: RE: Obit: Fred Wedlock -The Oldest Swinger in Town From: skipy Date: 04 Mar 10 - 03:36 PM RIP Fred, I used to book him back in the days when I ran the folk club "splinter village" at RAF Brize Norton in the late 70s. Skipy |
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Subject: RE: Obit: Fred Wedlock -The Oldest Swinger in Town From: SylviaN Date: 04 Mar 10 - 07:05 PM Very sad indeed. Condolences to his family. Sylvia and Keith |
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Subject: RE: Obit: Fred Wedlock -The Oldest Swinger in Town From: GUEST,harvey andrews Date: 04 Mar 10 - 07:44 PM Fred and I go back a long, long way. He was one of those people you always looked forward to meeting and having a chin wag with;cheerful,optimistic, and full of wisdom about our profession. He recently did a brilliant night at my annual village hall concert for charity. I shall miss him. Harvey |
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Subject: RE: Obit: Fred Wedlock -The Oldest Swinger in Town From: GUEST,Chris Newman Date: 04 Mar 10 - 09:24 PM I've just heard the news. It's December 1984 since we worked together but we did a squillion gigs (and the whole OSIT thing) together during the previous 7 or 8 years. He was a hoot in so many ways. This is turning out to be a bad week with Disley so ill too. Condolences to Sue, Hannah & Lucy. |
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Subject: RE: Obit: Fred Wedlock -The Oldest Swinger in Town From: GUEST,PaddyA1 Date: 05 Mar 10 - 02:32 AM I have just spotted this brilliant memorial page to Fred. Fred Wedlock tribute Sadly missed and always raised a smile. RIP |
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Subject: RE: Obit: Fred Wedlock -The Oldest Swinger in Town From: GUEST,Graham Diacon Date: 05 Mar 10 - 04:04 AM So sad to hear that Fred has left us. I remember very clearly Fred singing at the folk cub in Grosvenor Place Bath when my late wife and I went on our first date back in May 1966. Though not the greatest fans we had fond memories and saw him from time to time the last being at Brize Norton in the 1980's. At least I have a collection of recordings to remember him by. Graham |
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Subject: RE: Obit: Fred Wedlock -The Oldest Swinger in Town From: GUEST,MC Fat (at work) Date: 05 Mar 10 - 05:35 AM I booked Fred (and Chris Newman)in the 70's when I ran the Hogsty Folk Club in Aspley Guise. They did a great night. Fred stopped at my house and that's where he got 'Oldest Swinger in Town'. I had a tape of a live folk club set by (the late) Iain MacKintosh and played him the song. Next thing I know he's recorded it. Noel Edmonds championed it and played it a lot on radio and it became a hit. I too still sing 'The Folker'. He came over as a nice man. |
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Subject: RE: Obit: Fred Wedlock -The Oldest Swinger in Town From: GUEST,Phil B Date: 05 Mar 10 - 06:03 AM So sad to hear the news. Fred was one of the most supportive other artistes in my earlier escapades with Paul Downes in the '70s. we will miss him greatly. Saw him last at Trowbridge two years ago and chatted for ages. |
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Subject: RE: Obit: Fred Wedlock -The Oldest Swinger in Town From: Mr Red Date: 05 Mar 10 - 10:43 AM we saw him locally less than 6 months ago. He was in a pantomime at Xmas in Brisel. He didn't show any adverse signs at the time. Hope he didn't suffer. |
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Subject: RE: Obit: Fred Wedlock -The Oldest Swinger in Town From: Girl Friday Date: 05 Mar 10 - 10:49 AM I met Fred at a Folk Day in Essex some years ago. He was headlining an evening concert, but eas keen to get back into Folk Clubs. Unfortunately, I couldn't afford to book him then. |
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Subject: RE: Obit: Fred Wedlock -The Oldest Swinger in Town From: Bonecruncher Date: 05 Mar 10 - 05:15 PM He will be greatly missed. Condolences to his family. Colyn |
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Subject: RE: Obit: Fred Wedlock -The Oldest Swinger in Town From: GUEST,Martin H Date: 06 Mar 10 - 07:17 AM Back in the late 60's I was a pupil at The Castle School, Thornbury when we were introduced to our new Geography teacher. In walked this guy with a bright kipper tie, guitar in hand. He said my name is My Wedlock. Every Thursday we could not wait to get to Georgraphy. Did we learn about glaciers and meanders? No but we learnt some brilliant folk music. Teachers like this no longer exist but certainly made a lasting impression on us kids. RIP |
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Subject: RE: Obit: Fred Wedlock -The Oldest Swinger in Town From: MoorleyMan Date: 06 Mar 10 - 08:04 AM Sad news. Fred scored points in my book for getting that difficult balance between songs and humour right. And he was a nice guy too. Condolences to his family. |
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Subject: RE: Obit: Fred Wedlock -The Oldest Swinger in Town From: Irene M Date: 06 Mar 10 - 01:58 PM Got a hell of a shock when I saw the obit in The Times this morning. Never saw Fred, but every time I get the drill or a screwdriver out, I think of his "Do It Yourself" |
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Subject: RE: Obit: Fred Wedlock -The Oldest Swinger in Town From: GUEST,Neily Date: 09 Mar 10 - 03:45 PM Yes - I saw Fred too in Brighton when Shamish was the support act. I knew Fred in Bristol and he was always generous to other performers and unfailingly very funny. Great natural timing. 'thought he'd live forever... He'll leave a huge hole. RIP Fred. We'll all miss you. My condolences to his loved ones. |
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Subject: RE: Obit: Fred Wedlock -The Oldest Swinger in Town From: Herga Kitty Date: 09 Mar 10 - 03:54 PM Derek Schofield's obit was published in today's Guardian - with credit to Ed Pickford for the Oldest Swinger. Kitty |
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Subject: RE: Obit: Fred Wedlock -The Oldest Swinger in Town From: Rasener Date: 09 Mar 10 - 04:31 PM This might help Subject: RE: Lyrics Fred Wedlock From: GUEST,Chris Newman - PM Date: 21 Jan 03 - 05:22 PM Re: Swinger...Ed Pickford wrote the original song. I first heard it on a tape by someone-whose-name-escapes-me (it was a long time ago!). I altered the original tune a fair bit, did the arrangement and recorded it in Bath in August 1979. Fred altered a few vocal phrases at my suggestion - the original had the same punchline repeated over and over and inevitably the impact was reduced. Noel Edmunds heard it in early 1981 and it became a hit. I received a silver disc for producing the record, and that was my lot. It was fun at the time, although irksome in the extreme that all the cash went elsewhere...worse things happen at sea! It was from this thread thread.cfm?threadid=15636 |
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Subject: RE: Obit: Fred Wedlock -The Oldest Swinger in Town From: Peter the Squeezer Date: 09 Mar 10 - 04:45 PM My earliest recollection of Fred was watching "The Great Western Musical Thunderbox" at lunchtimes, round about 1973. RIP Fred, you gave us all a lot of laughs over the years. Peter |
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Subject: RE: Obit: Fred Wedlock -The Oldest Swinger in Town From: Leadfingers Date: 09 Mar 10 - 05:03 PM I was heading down the old A4 , doing the ton or maybe more Saw a sign , said Bristol Town , thought I'd better slow it down I was Aquaplaning !!! Deeloping antiphase vibrations in the epicyclic overdrive And the horse was knackered ! |
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Subject: RE: Obit: Fred Wedlock -The Oldest Swinger in Town From: Ian Anderson Date: 09 Mar 10 - 05:12 PM Hmm, the folk process or braincell decline?! I remember it as "developing transverse thrust in me epicyclic overdrive torque condenser unit." Who'll check their vinyl first! Ref "Swinger" authorship and credit given: When I interviewed Fred for Southern Rag in 1982, he said about it: "Swinger I picked up by pure chance - I did a little club up near Milton Keynes, stayed with the club organiser and the next morning he played me some tapes of Iain MacIntosh. He was singing this version of Swinger - the tune was pretty duff and to be honest quite a few of the words were as well. But I thought there was great potential so I scribbled it down . . . Without being uncharitable to Ed Pickford, the lines which have been quoted most were the ones that I wrote in. Quite a lot of the song. The first verse is all Ed's, and several of the other ideas . . . he'll make a lot more money out of it than me, I should think £20,000 at a conservative estimate." Which tallies with what Chris Newman said above. |
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Subject: RE: Obit: Fred Wedlock -The Oldest Swinger in Town From: Leadfingers Date: 09 Mar 10 - 05:51 PM Ian ! My Brain Cells are a LOT older than yours so I only have the Readers Digest Condensed version of that line ! All I could remember was the 'Epicyclic Overdrive'! |
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Subject: RE: Obit: Fred Wedlock -The Oldest Swinger in Town From: GUEST,Chris Newman Date: 09 Mar 10 - 07:03 PM From Fred's website: Funeral Arrangements On Monday 15th March there will be a funeral service held at St. Mary Redcliffe, Bristol, at 1 p.m. followed by a private cremation. Wearing black is not necessary. No flowers please. Donations to Bath Cancer Unit Support Group - a charity that Fred recently raised money for. |
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Subject: RE: Obit: Fred Wedlock -The Oldest Swinger in Town From: GMT Date: 10 Mar 10 - 11:20 AM So sorry to hear this news. RIP Fred and my condolences to the family. Gary |
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Subject: RE: Obit: Fred Wedlock -The Oldest Swinger in Town From: Dave the Gnome Date: 10 Mar 10 - 11:37 AM There are some classic lines in that talking blues "Playing "Sunshine of your love" on e-flat cash register and smoky bacon maracas" "A fasion parade from the Amrmy surplus store" and "Miss a step there, son. No, I hit every bloody one" culminating in... "It might be rubbish. But, by jingo, it's British rubbish!" I will not be able to make the funeral and did not Fred that well anyway but I bet it will have as many laughs as tears if I am any judge. Cheers Dave |
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Subject: RE: Obit: Fred Wedlock -The Oldest Swinger in Town From: goatfell Date: 10 Mar 10 - 12:07 PM R.I.P. Fred, so sad |
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Subject: RE: Obit: Fred Wedlock -The Oldest Swinger in Town From: GUEST,old girl Date: 10 Mar 10 - 05:44 PM So sorry to hear this sad news |
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Subject: RE: Obit: Fred Wedlock -The Oldest Swinger in Town From: GUEST,Not THAT Brian May Date: 11 Mar 10 - 03:28 PM Shared a stage with you at RAF Colerne's first Folk Evening circa 1972. It was a privilege and great fun. I still sing 'Bristol Busses' - I re-bought the Albums 'The Folker" and 'Frollicks' on iTunes not long ago to replace my 'vinyl' (or LPs as we knew them). My family will miss you but express joy in your life. Have fun up there with 'your yard of German plywood and a capo' :D Commiserations to those of us who remain and miss him. |
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Subject: RE: Obit: Fred Wedlock -The Oldest Swinger in Town From: Rasener Date: 11 Mar 10 - 03:32 PM So sad he won't be at Faldingworth in October Brian! |
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Subject: RE: Obit: Fred Wedlock -The Oldest Swinger in Town From: Herga Kitty Date: 11 Mar 10 - 08:22 PM I quoted from Bristol buses on another Mudcat thread about the Bristol folk scene... this thread Kitty |
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Subject: RE: Obit: Fred Wedlock -The Oldest Swinger in Town From: GUEST,Susie S. Date: 12 Mar 10 - 02:36 AM VERY sad news - a funny, sweet man. Know Iain Mac's version of Swingers very well, as Hamish Imlach did it so much - Hamish always giggled when he heard Fred's! My condolences to wife and daughters - it's no age, these days. Hope all the lovely things that have been said about Fred help to ease the pain just a little. Susie |
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Subject: RE: Obit: Fred Wedlock -The Oldest Swinger in Town From: GUEST,Chris B (Born Again Scouser) Date: 12 Mar 10 - 11:04 AM BBC Radio 4 - the 'Last Word' programme, beginning just now, has a profile of Fred this afternoon. Probably get it on the Iplayer if you missed it. |
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Subject: RE: Obit: Fred Wedlock -The Oldest Swinger in Town From: BB Date: 12 Mar 10 - 02:22 PM I have such fond memories of Fred from when I was a teenager in Bristol in the late '60s. Not only a very funny man, but very encouraging as well, and a fine singer of traditional songs when he'd a mind to do so. Anyone remember the song of his which included something about printing "the Bristol Post in Welsh to make things clearer"? Can't remember what it was, but it always made me laugh. So sad that he's gone. Barbara |
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Subject: RE: Obit: Fred Wedlock -The Oldest Swinger in Town From: Young Buchan Date: 12 Mar 10 - 03:55 PM Radio 4's obituary programme Last Words squeezed him in for about a minute and a half at the end. Philip Langridge the opera singer got about ten minutes. It was ever thus. |
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Subject: RE: Obit: Fred Wedlock -The Oldest Swinger in Town From: GUEST,neil fraser Date: 13 Mar 10 - 04:28 PM I rememeber seing Fred at Trowbridge and one year at Cambridge folk festival . He always had the best musicians backing him. RIP . |
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Subject: RE: Obit: Fred Wedlock -The Oldest Swinger in Town From: Herga Kitty Date: 14 Mar 10 - 03:55 PM Refresh, before this thread falls off the bottom, and because the funeral is tomorrow - I can't be there, but will think of Fred and the family. Kitty |
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Subject: RE: Obit: Fred Wedlock -The Oldest Swinger in Town From: GUEST,Teddybard Date: 10 Dec 10 - 07:52 AM Fred was responsible for many happy nights in the company of great friends. and my interest in writing bad poetry with a hint of humour. e folk scene was the ritcher for his presence and he will be sadly missed. |
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Subject: RE: Obit: Fred Wedlock -The Oldest Swinger in Town From: SqueezeMe Date: 11 Dec 10 - 01:24 AM Quote from Barbara: "Anyone remember the song of his which included something about printing "the Bristol Post in Welsh to make things clearer"?" Actually, "Evening Post" rather than Bristol Post. A line from that anthem to all things Bristol, called "Virtute et Industrial". The song takes its title from the motto of the City of Bristol. Recorded and sung by Fred, but written, I believe, by the late Adge Cutler. The line refers to the (then) recently opened Severn Bridge. As Barbara also mentions, Fred was an excellent interpreter of traditional songs. I learned Moreton Bay from his singing, and since I came to live in Oz, that song has earned me quite a few beers. So thanks, Fred, wherever you are; I'll have one for you tonight. |
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Subject: RE: Obit: Fred Wedlock -The Oldest Swinger in Town From: squeezeboxhp Date: 11 Dec 10 - 07:15 AM So sorry to hear this. Much sympathy to his family and friends. |
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