Obit: Lonnie Donegans drummer -Pete Appleby [2012]

Subject: Lonnie Donegans drummer
From: happyali
Date: 06 Mar 07 - 07:40 PM

I would like to know if anyone knows anything about Pete Appleby who was a drummer for Lonnie Donnegan.Thanks.

Subject: RE: Lonnie Donegans drummer - Pete Appleby
From: GUEST,Guest.
Date: 06 Mar 07 - 09:20 PM

Yes, I'd like to know about him too. Didn't he live Cleveland area? Or am I thinking of Pete Huggett?

Subject: RE: Lonnie Donegans drummer - Pete Appleby
From: fat B****rd
Date: 07 Mar 07 - 04:56 AM

Pete Appleby is probably still around and featured a lot in George Melly's first memoirs "Owning Up" 1965. He left the Mulligan band to join Donegean in the early 60s and after that I'm not sure. I seem to recall hearing ot reading somewhere that he was still active a couple of years ago. According to Melly he was born and raised in "Sarf Landon".

Subject: RE: Lonnie Donegans drummer - Pete Appleby
From: Roger the Skiffler
Date: 07 Mar 07 - 09:30 AM

There's supposed to be some information on Pete on this page:
Reminiscing
but I haven't finished ploughing through it- a mine of nostalgic information for a Mouldy Fig like me.

Rts

Subject: RE: Lonnie Donegans drummer - Pete Appleby
From: GUEST,Hootenanny
Date: 07 Mar 07 - 04:22 PM

"Apples" apparently was one of the few musicians on the "trad" scene in the fifties who was not partial to alcohol. Jazz Shows connected with the 100 Club at the time used to run riverboat shuffles each year down the Thams from London to Margate and back. There used to be two boats each with about six bands doing the trip. There was a two hour stop-over at Margate for the punters to go ashore. The boats then moored out in the Thames estuary. Being off-shore this meant the bars didn't close and most of the musicians stayed on board. Result was that there were quite a number of musicians rather the worse for wear on the return journey so very often the the bands were reduced to the organiser George Webb on piano, Pete Appleby on drums and who ever else was sober enough to stay upright.

Hoot

Subject: RE: Lonnie Donegans drummer - Pete Appleby
From: GUEST,John Milner
Date: 14 May 11 - 03:37 PM

Pete (Mr Appleby) taught me drums and made me learn all the key signatures and chords - and their qualities - before he let me play a drum kit. I am SO grateful: I now have a PhD in music, have led various bag bands and written for BBC and independent tv/radio and worked all over the world and had so much fun; largely as a result of Pete's encouragement and love for "JAZZ O ROONEY".

Pete was an inspiration and I will never be able to thank him enough. I love the references to "transpontine" Peter in the book 'Owning Up', by George Melly. I hope he is well .

John Milner (ex pupil of Pete's in Hartlepool)

Subject: RE: Lonnie Donegans drummer - Pete Appleby
From: GUEST
Date: 08 Feb 12 - 12:21 PM

Pete has recently died. Funeral 11/Feb/2012

Subject: RE: Lonnie Donegans drummer - Pete Appleby
From: Arthur_itus
Date: 08 Feb 12 - 12:41 PM

So sorry to hear that. My first 78 I bought was Lonnie Donegan and his band with Jack O' Diamonds and the other side Ham n Eggs. Pete was the drummer on those. RIP Pete.

Subject: RE: Lonnie Donegans drummer - Pete Appleby
From: fat B****rd
Date: 08 Feb 12 - 12:58 PM

RIP 'Apps'

Subject: RE: Lonnie Donegans drummer - Pete Appleby
From: GUEST,Bluegrassman
Date: 08 Feb 12 - 08:00 PM

Here is a link to the tribute in Teessides Evening Gazette, http://www.gazettelive.co.uk/news/teesside-news/2012/02/08/tributes-to-a-jazz-star-peter-appleby-84229-30284576/

Subject: RE: Obit: Lonnie Donegans drummer - Pete Appleby
From: Roger the Skiffler
Date: 09 Feb 12 - 06:18 AM

Yeah, condolences from me too.

RtS

Subject: RE: Obit: Lonnie Donegans drummer - Pete Appleby
From: GUEST,tom lynas
Date: 27 Aug 12 - 10:04 PM

just found out about pete,were do you start,1971 i kinda got picked to join the school band st beeds in hartlepool just to get out of tech drawing realy,once a week for an hour i would waite for pete to turn up in his old viva car and ask me if i wanted a ciggy didnt realy smoke those days though,then it was down to flams drags and paradidles anyway just like to say thanks pete for being a realy nice guy and a friend to a young wild kid,r i p, respect tom

Subject: RE: Obit: Lonnie Donegans drummer - Pete Appleby
From: Vic Smith
Date: 28 Aug 12 - 12:49 PM

The first concert I went to see on my own was The Lonnie Donegan Skiffle Group at The King's Theatre, Southsea. I was 13 and mightily impressed. The musicians were introduced individually and the sort of memory that I have reminds me that the drummer was called J. Nick Nichols.

The musicians were introduced individually by an off-stage voice and they came on, waving to the audience. The last to be introduced was Lonnie himself and of course there was tumultuous applause - but no-one appeared. The applause died down but still no Lonnie. After what seemed like quite a long time, he came running in stage up to the mic and said
'Sorry, I'm late... I've been shop-lifting..... Shops are getting much heavier these days.'

No. it wasn't funny even in 1956.

Subject: RE: Obit: Lonnie Donegans drummer - Pete Appleby
From: GUEST,Bob Curtis
Date: 22 Nov 12 - 12:13 PM

As I understand it John ('Nick')Nichols was drummer with L.D.from late 56 to early 1960 appearing with him at Royal Variety Performances in London to Madison Square Garden and just about everywhere inbetween. He moved into Jazz and was active into this century (until his hands gave up on him). He is alive in Cape Town, and I guess the last remaining performer from the group in its heyday... http://www.hillmanweb.com/donegan.html... gives a good indication of his importance in the group.

Subject: RE: Obit: Lonnie Donegans drummer - Pete Appleby
From: GUEST,Hootenanny
Date: 22 Nov 12 - 12:23 PM

Is Les Bennet, Lonnie's one time lead guitar player no longer with us?

Hoot

Subject: RE: Obit: Lonnie Donegans drummer - Pete Appleby
From: GUEST,roderick warner
Date: 22 Nov 12 - 04:03 PM

Les Bennetts died in 1995 (think that's that date) - survived as far as I know by his brothers Ian and Jonathan - living in Canada but some googling will give you the details. Didn't know him but know lots of people who did...

Subject: RE: Obit: Lonnie Donegans drummer -Pete Appleby [2012]
From: GUEST
Date: 06 Feb 14 - 01:54 PM

Thank you Bob, for your mention of drummer Nick Nichols (played with LD right up till around 1960). He did indeed get into jazz, and played in my 6-pc trad group here in Cape Town till he felt he couldn't any more. We are still friends, and in fact he lives about 2km from me. Although he is quite frail now, he still does his shopping on a bicycle. He occasionally pitches up at one of my gigs but declines the invitation to actually play. You can send him a message to [e-mail] if you like.
Warm regards
Vernon Varty
Cape Town

Subject: RE: Obit: Lonnie Donegans drummer -Pete Appleby [2012]
From: GUEST
Date: 06 Feb 14 - 02:42 PM

Pete started playing with Lonnie in 1960.

Up to 1963 he took part in a lot of songs like Lively, Have a drink on me, Michael row the boat, Pick a bale of cotton and some spirituals, Lonnie recorded.

May Pete rest in peace!