Obit: Bill Caddick (1944-2018)

Subject: Bill Caddick is not well
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 29 Sep 18 - 12:18 PM

Message on Facebook from his wife today.

Apparently its really bad - pancreatic cancer.

I'm sure there will be many of Bill's admirers and friends on Mudcat, and though its bad news, I thought I'd pass it on.

Subject: RE: Bill Caddick is not well
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 29 Sep 18 - 12:40 PM

Bad news indeed, Bill is a really nice bloke, I talked with him many times during the Mysteries run at the National Theatre in 1985.

Subject: RE: Bill Caddick is not well
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 29 Sep 18 - 01:10 PM

Bummer :-( One of my favourite albums of all times is "A duck on his head" which Bill did with Tim Laycock and Peter Bond.

All we can do is expect the worst and hope for the best.

Subject: RE: Bill Caddick is not well
From: GUEST,henryp
Date: 29 Sep 18 - 01:40 PM

Very bad news.

Best wishes to Bill and his family.

Subject: RE: Bill Caddick is not well
From: Bonnie Shaljean
Date: 29 Sep 18 - 03:36 PM

Awwwwwww NO! I’m devastated to hear this. Bill was always one of the nicest, most talented people on the folk scene, as well as being huge fun. My thoughts are with him and his family.

Thanks for letting us know, Big Al.

Subject: RE: Bill Caddick is not well
From: The Sandman
Date: 29 Sep 18 - 04:26 PM

very sad

Subject: RE: Bill Caddick is not well
From: The Sandman
Date: 29 Sep 18 - 04:34 PM

John of dreams is imo a fine song ,lets hope he responds well to treatment

Subject: RE: Bill Caddick is not well
From: Herga Kitty
Date: 30 Sep 18 - 03:55 AM

I'm so sad to read this. All best wishes to Bill, Katherine and family.

Kitty

Subject: RE: Bill Caddick is not well
From: GUEST,Brewgyrl
Date: 30 Sep 18 - 04:36 AM

Very sad to hear this. I have many happy memories of the club he ran in Bilston in the 60s.

Subject: RE: Bill Caddick is not well
From: GUEST
Date: 30 Sep 18 - 07:54 AM

Oh dear, dear Bill. What a lovely man!
Don't know any other song writer who can put himself so perfectly in the place of a woman as in The Barmaid's Song, which (ironically) I have just been re-learning. Please, somebody, make him well again!
Molly

Subject: RE: Bill Caddick is not well
From: GUEST,Andiliqueur
Date: 30 Sep 18 - 09:40 AM

Out of the blue I revisited "Cloud Factory" yesterday morning. I will sing it at our Folk Club tonight. Any one who can write those words must be a good'un. As Guest Molly says "Please,somebody,make him well again."

Subject: RE: Bill Caddick is not well
From: Mick Pearce (MCP)
Date: 30 Sep 18 - 12:31 PM

Very sorry to hear this. A lovely song writer and performer. All my best wishes to Bill and his family.

Mick

Subject: RE: Bill Caddick is not well
From: GUEST,Ian Gill
Date: 03 Oct 18 - 08:12 AM

I am very sorry indeed to hear this news, I've known Bill since the Painter's Arms days in the 70's, through festivals and concerts and latterly with ABU and you could not wish to meet a nicer bloke. A lovely musician and man and a great songwriter - and I mean great.The last time I saw him was just after his 70th birthday, he was trying to relearn one of his songs for a WW1 themed charity event, he told me a very funny joke then quipped how he had no problem recalling other people's songs but struggled with his own.
Very best wishes indeed,
Gilly

Subject: RE: Bill Caddick is not well
From: GUEST,Mark Berry
Date: 06 Nov 18 - 02:35 PM

Is There any more news on Bill’s situation?

Subject: RE: Bill Caddick is not well
From: Herga Kitty
Date: 20 Nov 18 - 05:03 AM

I'm so sorry to have learned this morning that Bill passed away last night, peacefully at home and surrounded by his family. RIP Bill, and deepest sympathies to Katherine and the rest of the family.

Kitty

Subject: RE: Bill Caddick is not well
From: Vic Smith
Date: 20 Nov 18 - 05:16 AM

From Ian Anderson of fRoots:-

We're very sorry to report the death last night of the great Bill Caddick, singer and writer of "John o Dreams", "Unicorns", "Waiting For The Lark" and many other wonderful songs. He was 74.

He had been hospitalised for some months, but his wife Katherine tells us that Bill died very peacefully last night, at home in his own bed, where he wanted to be, and with his family around him.

Subject: RE: Bill Caddick is not well
From: GUEST,Lorna & Glenn, Grimsby
Date: 20 Nov 18 - 05:22 AM

Another sad loss, without the recognition he deserved. A lovely, talented man leaving the folk family. Rest peacefully, Bill

Subject: RE: Bill Caddick is not well
From: Leadfingers
Date: 20 Nov 18 - 05:24 AM

I sang Unicorns on Sunday evening - So sad to hear he has now left us !!

Subject: RE: Bill Caddick is not well
From: GUEST,Derek Schofield
Date: 20 Nov 18 - 05:41 AM

Very sad news …

Subject: RE: Bill Caddick is not well
From: MoorleyMan
Date: 20 Nov 18 - 06:13 AM

So sad. Another grossly undersung talent. RIP, Bill.

Subject: RE: Bill Caddick is not well
From: Vic Smith
Date: 20 Nov 18 - 06:19 AM

I would like to pay my tribute to Bill whose death was announced yesterday. Bill had been active on the folk scene for decades and we first booked him back in the 1960s. He was deservedly popular as a solo performer and became one of the scene's most respected songwriters with a unique recognisable style of writing and performing., He was the lead singer in the hugely popular band 'Home Service' for a number of years and through them became involved with the National Theatre as musician, singer and writer, contributing to and appearing in several plays which included "Don Quixote", and "The Mysteries".
One of the things that made him such a popular figure was the warmth of his personality and his enthusiasm for the performances of others. Sometimes, I thought that Bill was unaware of his impact and the status that he has achieved. He was always the same friendly-faced person that I had met in his early days in folk clubs.
About two years ago, I followed up my junior school aged grandaughter's obsession with Unicorns by playing a recording of Chris Foster's recording of that song. She was transfixed. I had to make a copy of of it for her. She provided a photo of a unicorn on fairly stiff card and I typed the words to go on the other side. This was because she wanted to sing it at a school assembly. I thought that I would tell Bill about this when I saw him again.
Sadly, I never did.

Subject: RE: Obit: Bill Caddick (1944-2018)
From: GUEST
Date: 20 Nov 18 - 09:21 AM

I just read about this on Facebook. I'm live on air right now on Celtic Music Radio. I'll play some of Bill's songs right after 3pm GMT. I have his own version of Tipperary here and have versions of both January Man and John O' Dreams.
http://www.celticmusicradio.net/ and 95 FM in Greater Glasgow

Gavin Paterson (Can't log in right now)

Subject: RE: Obit: Bill Caddick (1944-2018)
From: Vic Smith
Date: 20 Nov 18 - 09:47 AM

Gavin,
'January Man' was written by Dave Goulder and not Bill.

Subject: RE: Obit: Bill Caddick (1944-2018)
From: GUEST
Date: 20 Nov 18 - 09:54 AM

My mistake - that has already been pointed out to me. I got the two men mixed-up in my head. I'll just play the right two songs.
Ta
Gavin

Subject: RE: Obit: Bill Caddick (1944-2018)
From: GUEST,Jane SW
Date: 20 Nov 18 - 10:24 AM

Another one I'll never get to hear in person now :(

Can someone remind me which of his songs included the line/s "the trenches stretch from Passchendale to each and every door"?

Subject: RE: Obit: Bill Caddick (1944-2018)
From: RTim
Date: 20 Nov 18 - 10:30 AM

Very sad news - always enjoyed his performances: stole a couple of his songs....Used to sing John of Dreams to my kids at bedtime.

Tim Radford

Subject: RE: Obit: Bill Caddick (1944-2018)
From: DaveRo
Date: 20 Nov 18 - 10:35 AM

GUEST,Jane SW wrote: Can someone remind me which of his songs included the line/s "the trenches stretch from Passchendale to each and every door"?

'Superman' on The Wild West Show

Subject: RE: Obit: Bill Caddick (1944-2018)
From: GUEST,Jane SW
Date: 20 Nov 18 - 10:48 AM

Dave, Thank you very much!

Subject: RE: Obit: Bill Caddick (1944-2018)
From: The Sandman
Date: 20 Nov 18 - 12:47 PM

Sad news R I P

Subject: RE: Obit: Bill Caddick (1944-2018)
From: GUEST,Ian Gill
Date: 20 Nov 18 - 12:58 PM

He was inspirational and his voice was true, our condolences to Katharine, Tam and the rest of the family. We are so sorry to hear this sad news. RIP,
Ian and Linda

Subject: RE: Obit: Bill Caddick (1944-2018)
From: Bonnie Shaljean
Date: 20 Nov 18 - 01:05 PM

Even though it's not unexpected, that doesn't make it any easier. He was a true original, and a lovely lovely man. He will be hugely missed.

Home comes the rover
His journey over
Yield up the darkness to old John O'Dreams

Rest in peace, Bill

Subject: RE: Obit: Bill Caddick (1944-2018)
From: Chris_S
Date: 20 Nov 18 - 02:55 PM

Bill was an exceptional writer and I thank him for giving us so many beautiful songs. He was such a warm and witty performer. I have a lovely recording of him performing at the Witney Folk Club (all those years ago ) which I shall play with fond memories. RIP Bill

Subject: RE: Obit: Bill Caddick (1944-2018)
From: Waddon Pete
Date: 20 Nov 18 - 03:14 PM

We often close our song circles with "John o' Dreams". A great songwriter and another friend i never had the chance to meet. My condolences to all those who know and love him. I have added his name to the "In Memoriam" thread.

RIP

Peter

Subject: RE: Obit: Bill Caddick (1944-2018)
From: Steve Parkes
Date: 20 Nov 18 - 03:17 PM

I'm so sorry to hear this. Bill was a wonderful musician, songwriter and performer, with a warm sense of humour; and a proper gentleman.

Subject: RE: Obit: Bill Caddick (1944-2018)
From: GUEST,Jim & Georgina Boyes
Date: 20 Nov 18 - 05:48 PM

A great songwriter who always took his own way into a song and its subject - and so often from the point of view of an individual. His loss is such a shame.

Subject: RE: Obit: Bill Caddick (1944-2018)
From: Richard Atkins
Date: 20 Nov 18 - 08:25 PM

Another great for me leaves us. I recall walking with him after his 50th birthday at Redditch Festival at 5.00 AM. I proudly stated that I had gained his Sunny Memories LP on a folk club raffle for 50 pence some 20 years before saving me buying it. His classic reply was "You still have it I thought they had been all turned in to flower vases" A special man who helped me enter the folk world RIP

Subject: RE: Obit: Bill Caddick (1944-2018)
From: Dave Sutherland
Date: 21 Nov 18 - 03:29 AM

Booked Bill a couple of times at South Shields and saw him at plenty other clubs and festivals during the seventies. I particularly remember the live tour of Sunny Memories with some great songs and stories. RIP Bill.

Subject: RE: Obit: Bill Caddick (1944-2018)
From: andymac
Date: 21 Nov 18 - 06:24 AM

Ach,

I hadn't logged in for a couple of days and now find that Bill, whom I never met, rarely heard sing but whose songs have kept me going when down and have fired me up when I needed fired up, has passed. RIP and thank you for inspiring so many of us.

Andy

Subject: RE: Obit: Bill Caddick (1944-2018)
From: GUEST,David Robertson
Date: 21 Nov 18 - 08:47 AM

Many years ago in Norfolk, at a memorial concert for Alex Atterson, some friends and I were standing in a corner of the bar, improvising harmonies to John o' Dreams. Up comes this bloke I didn't know, and starts joining in. Cracking voice, I thought. Come the end of the song he smiled and said 'Thank you... I enjoyed that!'10 minutes later I found out that it was Bill himself. A true gentleman, and one who wore his talent lightly.

Subject: RE: Obit: Bill Caddick (1944-2018)
From: GUEST,Dave Hunt
Date: 21 Nov 18 - 09:41 PM

Subject: RE: Obit: Bill Caddick (1944-2018)
From: Richard Atkins
Date: 21 Nov 18 - 09:53 PM

David Robertson. Thank you for that. May many fond memories follow from others now.

Subject: RE: Obit: Bill Caddick (1944-2018)
From: GUEST,Dave Hunt
Date: 21 Nov 18 - 10:00 PM

Not unexpected but that doesn't soften the blow..I was in floods of tears for quite a while yesterday,   .
We were born about 5 miles apart in the same year. We have been friends since the Pipe Hall FC in Bilston in the 60s. He was a part of the Wolverhampton folk scene when he lived in Parkdale with his first wife June and son Christie, He was rwegularly touring clubs all round the country
- He became`a full time member of Magic Lantern for several years - I was a part-time member as Ramo Samee the fire eater (no PC in those days!) Several times I drove him to gigs around the country which was always a real pleasure. By far my favourite writer - and such variety of songs and styles! - Edwardian for Sunny Memories, Circus for 'A Duck on his Head' C&W for 'My good ol' Cherokee' and 'One hand on the radio, One on the Wheel' 'Eights and Aces'and so on.and of course the sublime John O' Dreams'...Unicorns' and the fabulous 'Cloud Factory'   I'll miss you old buddy

Subject: RE: Obit: Bill Caddick (1944-2018)
From: Mick Tems
Date: 22 Nov 18 - 07:42 AM

Despite my mobility problems and my advancing years, I went to see Bill and chatted to him at the closing night of the Halfpenny Folk Club in the hamlet of Oldwalls, Gower; he was a lovely man, an inspiring and wonderful songsmith and an entrancing personality. Many years ago, I heard him singing the stark and beautiful 'Unicorns', which he had just devised; the song made quite an impact on me. I invited Bill a few times when I was co-founder of Llantrisant Folk Club, and he always came up trumps and really delighted and moved the audience with songs like his 12-minute classic 'The Writing Of Tipperary', 'I'm In Love With A Gibson Girl', 'Poor Pig', 'She Moves Among Men', 'Waiting For The Lark', 'Oller Boller', 'Donkey Jack Donkey', the ingenious 'Cloud Factory' and the utterly memorable 'John O' Dreams'. Farewell, my old friend.

Subject: RE: Obit: Bill Caddick (1944-2018)
From: John Robinson
Date: 22 Nov 18 - 02:28 PM

I'm very sad to hear about this. I never got to see Bill play, but 'Unicorns' was a huge influence on me early on. RIP.

Subject: RE: Obit: Bill Caddick (1944-2018)
From: The Sandman
Date: 25 Nov 18 - 05:30 AM

re

Subject: RE: Obit: Bill Caddick (1944-2018)
From: wendyg
Date: 28 Nov 18 - 05:31 AM

Sorry to hear this. I only met Bill once, but liked him a lot and loved his music.

wg

Subject: RE: Obit: Bill Caddick (1944-2018)
From: Vic Smith
Date: 28 Nov 18 - 10:17 AM

"The Guardian" website has an obituary of Bill Caddick by Derek Schofield, It is accompanied by my photo of Bill taken at our folk club at the Royal Oak in Lewes. It wasn't in my paper edition today - but their obits. often appear on the website first.
Click here to read it,

Subject: RE: Obit: Bill Caddick (1944-2018)
From: GUEST,Robbie Wilson
Date: 28 Nov 18 - 12:04 PM

Cry whenever you need to but laugh whenever you can. X

Subject: RE: Obit: Bill Caddick (1944-2018)
From: GUEST,Clive Pownceby
Date: 29 Nov 18 - 11:39 AM

A great loss - I've been reminding myself of what a gifted and sensitive writer he was by playing 'The Wild West Show' album. He'd appeared in the '70s at The Bothy in Southport, as a soloist, as part of Magic Lantern and finally with Pete Bond and Tim Laycock doing the 'Duck On His Head' show on a blisteringly hot night in July 1979. After that his work at the National Theatre and with The Home Service kept him busy and we lost touch - my fault not his.
Sad news indeed and condolences to his family and to those who knew him far better than I.

Subject: RE: Obit: Bill Caddick (1944-2018)
From: The Sandman
Date: 02 Dec 18 - 11:23 AM

RE

Subject: RE: Obit: Bill Caddick (1944-2018)
From: graham_t
Date: 02 Dec 18 - 05:37 PM

I know that some of Bill's finest albums ended up in the Harrogate Black Hole, but what happened to his first, Rough Music that was on the South Hill Park label SHP102? The only other recording I can trace of them is one by the Threadbare Consort SHP103.
Presumably Bill tried to get it released in CD form but failed (?). Did the master tapes got lost?

Subject: RE: Obit: Bill Caddick (1944-2018)
From: Vic Smith
Date: 17 Dec 18 - 11:13 AM

The online obituary that I referred to at 28 Nov 18 - 10:17 AM has now reached the printed edition.
Page 9 of the Journal section of today's "The Guardian" carries a full page obituary to Bill Caddick written by Derek Schofield and with a photo of Bill performing at our club at the Royal Oak in Lewes taken by me. The massive reaction to his death tells us all what a much-loved person he was.

Subject: RE: Obit: Bill Caddick (1944-2018)
From: Chris_S
Date: 18 Dec 18 - 04:56 PM

I have the most wonderful recording (thanks to Radio Oxford) of Bill entertaining at the Witney Folk Club way back when. Listeninbg to the songs in a new light now. It's a wondeful memory of the man and one that has so many beautiful songs, full of wisdom. If anyone wants a copy as an MP3 file, mesage me and I'll send on or I can do a CD if you let me have an address.

Subject: RE: Obit: Bill Caddick (1944-2018)
From: GUEST,Nick Dow
Date: 20 Dec 18 - 04:54 AM

A kind and talented man. It's entirely due to Bill that I ended up recording for Les Barker on ' Stones of Callenish' My part was originally written for Bill but he gave it to me. That's the sort of man he was. A talented songwriter, and a great entertainer. We will all miss him. RIP.

Subject: RE: Obit: Bill Caddick (1944-2018)
From: GUEST,Dave Hunt
Date: 20 Dec 18 - 09:44 PM

Chris S. I'd really appreciate a CD, 74a King St Dawley. Telford.

Subject: RE: Obit: Bill Caddick (1944-2018)
From: GUEST,Dave Hunt
Date: 20 Dec 18 - 09:51 PM

Chria - sorry that's Telford TF4 2AQ    or PM me on my FB page Thanks

Subject: Bill Caddick
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 02 Apr 19 - 01:01 AM

theres been a report on my fb that we've lost Bill.

very sad. a great songwriter and performer.

Subject: RE: Obit: Bill Caddick (1944-2018)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 02 Apr 19 - 03:20 AM

Rest easy, Bill.
And for your boatman, choose old John of Dreams.

Subject: RE: Obit: Bill Caddick (1944-2018)
From: GUEST,Katherine Caddick
Date: 12 Sep 19 - 03:43 AM

i finally felt able to read this thread today. thank you for sharing your memories. he spoke little about dying but did say to me one day, 'I've played JOD at so many funerals Kate, i wonder who will do it at mine?

it was John Richards and Phil Beer, we printed the words so everyone could join in.

i am hoping to publish an illustrated book of Bills best loved songs songs next year. its my way to honour and remember.

Subject: RE: Obit: Bill Caddick (1944-2018)
From: The Sandman
Date: 15 Sep 19 - 01:48 AM

I will sing JOD today, every time i sing it ., it becomes a way of remembering

Subject: RE: Obit: Bill Caddick (1944-2018)
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 15 Sep 19 - 05:13 AM

I'll never forget Bill's friendship during The Mysteries in 1985, always so welcoming in the Green Room at the National!