Bernie Calvert | |
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 Bernie Calvert (1970) | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Bernard Bamford Calvert |
| Born | 16 September 1942 Brierfield, England |
| Genres | Rock, pop |
| Occupation | Musician |
| Instrument(s) | Bass guitar, piano |
| Years active | 1960s–1981 |
| Formerly of |
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Bernard Bamford Calvert (born 16 September 1942) is an English musician who played bass guitar with The Hollies from 1966 until 1981. [1]
He worked with several rock and roll groups during the early 1960s, most notably Rickie Shaw and the Dolphins, where he worked with future Hollies members, Tony Hicks and Bobby Elliott. Originally a pianist, Calvert, on Hicks's suggestion, switched to bass. [2] [3] Bernie's nickname was "Bamf", which derived from his middle name, Bamford. [3]
After the break-up of the Dolphins, Calvert played in a number of semi-professional outfits. However, unable to advance his musical career, Calvert took a factory job until he was asked to substitute for Hollies' then bassist, [4] Eric Haydock, in a tour of Scandinavia. After the tour, Calvert and the Hollies played on the Everly Brothers album "Two Yanks in England", [5] and then on the Hollies' single, "Bus Stop", before returning to his factory job. Shortly after that, he was invited to join the Hollies permanently in 1966. In 1981, Calvert left the band after they started working with The Shadows rhythm guitarist Bruce Welch as their producer. Calvert had actually been omitted from a session from Welch, and decided to leave the band all together after a phone call with Terry Sylvester, who himself also spoke about leaving. [6] Sylvester left and Calvert followed a few days later. [7] Calvert never returned to music.
Calvert was friends with Mama Cass Elliot from The Mamas & the Papas. She flew Calvert and the rest of the band to Los Angeles for his birthday. [8] In early 1969, Calvert was in a "session supergroup" called The Bread and Beer Band, that featured Elton John, Caleb Quaye, Roger Pope, and Lennox & Rolfo. [9] [10] They recorded a single and album in February 1969. The single was released and the album was set to release in June of that year, but was shelved. [10]
On 24 September 2009, the Hollies were nominated for induction to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and were inducted on 15 March 2010. [11] They were represented at the RRHOF ceremony by Clarke, Nash, Sylvester, Eric Haydock and Calvert. Bobby Elliott (drums) and Tony Hicks (guitar) were unable to attend because they had a prior booking with the Hollies.
The Hollies are an English rock and pop band formed in 1962. One of the leading British groups of the 1960s and into the mid-1970s, they are known for their distinctive three-part vocal harmony style. Singer Allan Clarke and rhythm guitarist/singer Graham Nash founded the band as a Merseybeat-type group in Manchester, although some of the band members came from towns further north, in east Lancashire. Nash left the group in 1968 to co-form Crosby, Stills & Nash, though he has reunited with the Hollies on occasion. As well as Clarke and Nash other members have included lead guitarist Tony Hicks, rhythm guitarist Terry Sylvester, bassists Eric Haydock and Bernie Calvert, and drummers Don Rathbone and Bobby Elliott.
Harold Allan Clarke is an English rock singer, who was one of the founding members and the original lead singer of the Hollies. He achieved international hit singles with the group and is credited as co-writer on several of their best-known songs, including "On a Carousel", "Carrie Anne", "Jennifer Eccles" and "Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress". He retired from performing in 1999, but returned to the music industry in 2019. Clarke was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2010.
For Certain Because is the fifth UK album by the Hollies and their second released in 1966. It was the first Hollies album in which all the songs were written by members Allan Clarke, Graham Nash, and Tony Hicks, and the first on which they did not use the songwriting pseudonym "L. Ransford". It was also the first Hollies album recorded with new bassist Bernie Calvert replacing Eric Haydock. In Bobby Elliott's book It Ain't Heavy, It's My Story, he explains how he came up with the title For Certain Because by taking the three words from the children's song "Teddy Bears' Picnic".
Anthony Christopher Hicks is an English guitarist and singer who has been a member of the British rock/pop band the Hollies since 1963, and as such was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2010. His main roles within the band are lead guitarist and backing singer.
Hollies is the 14th UK studio album by the English pop rock group the Hollies, released in 1974, marking the return of Allan Clarke after he had left for a solo career. It features the band's cover of Albert Hammond's ballad "The Air That I Breathe," a major worldwide hit that year. The album has the same title as the band's third album from 1965.
Eric Haydock was a British musician, best known as the original bass guitarist of the Hollies from December 1962 until July 1966.
Terence Sylvester is an English musician and songwriter. He is a former member of the Escorts, the Swinging Blue Jeans (1966–1969), and the Hollies. In the latter role, he took on the high parts formerly sung by Graham Nash, who had left the band in December 1968.
Robert Hartley Elliott is an English rock drummer, best known for playing with the Hollies. He has been described as "one of the very finest drummers in all of pop/rock".
The Hollies' Greatest Hits is a compilation of singles by the Hollies, released on Epic Records in April 1973. It includes hit singles by the group on both the Epic and Imperial labels over a time span of 1965 to 1971. It spent seven weeks on the Billboard 200 charts, peaking at number 156.
Confessions of the Mind is the tenth studio album by the Hollies. It was released in the United States as Moving Finger, with a different track sequence and the tracks "Separated" and "I Wanna Shout" replaced with the Clarke/Sylvester penned "Marigold: Gloria Swansong" saved from the previous album and "Gasoline Alley Bred". In Germany, it was released by Hansa as Move On with an alternate track sequence with "Gasoline Alley Bred" added. The UK version peaked at number 30 in the charts and the US version at number 183.
Hollies Sing Hollies is the ninth studio album released in the UK by the Hollies. It was released in November 1969 by Parlophone. It was their second album that year, coming 6 months after an entire album of Bob Dylan covers. It was their first album of original compositions since the departure of Graham Nash. It was also the second album by the Hollies to feature Terry Sylvester and the first to feature his compositions, as well as an instrumental by bassist Bernie Calvert. The US version, titled "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother", included the hit single of the same name, while omitting the tracks "Soldier's Dilemma" and "Marigold/Gloria Swansong". The UK album did not chart, but its US version peaked at number 32.
Another Night is the 15th UK studio album by English rock/pop band, the Hollies. It is the band's second album with returning vocalist Allan Clarke who rejoined in 1974 for the album Hollies, after leaving for a solo career in 1972. The album is made up of original material, with the exception of "4th of July, Asbury Park (Sandy)" by the relatively unknown Bruce Springsteen.
Write On is the first of two 1976 studio albums by the English rock/pop band, the Hollies, and their 16th UK studio album. Like the previous one, this album has mostly songs written by the group's songwriting team. The final track of the album is the only one not composed by them. This album was not issued in the US.
Russian Roulette is a 1976 self-produced album by English rock/pop group, the Hollies, and their 17th UK studio album. This is the band's second release in 1976. It was composed entirely by the group's songwriting team. The album was not issued in the US.
A Crazy Steal is a UK studio album by English rock/pop group the Hollies. It includes their version of Emmylou Harris' "Boulder to Birmingham", which had been released two years prior, reaching number 10 in the charts in New Zealand. Three other songs from this album were released in 1977, and 1978 as singles, yet failed to chart anywhere.
Five Three One - Double Seven O Four is the 19th UK studio album by the English rock/pop group the Hollies. When rendered as digits, the album title is the band's name upside down in digital number view. The idea is credited to guitarist Terry Sylvester.
Hollies' Greatest is the only number one album in the UK by British band the Hollies. It was released shortly before Graham Nash's departure from the Hollies and was intended to include all of their British hit singles with Nash, as well as filling in for the lack of an original LP by the group in 1968. Only 3 of the 14 songs on the album – "Stay", "I Can't Let Go" and "Stop! Stop! Stop!" had previously been released on UK albums.
Bus Stop is the fourth U.S. album by the British pop band the Hollies, released on Imperial Records in mono (LP-9330) and rechanneled stereo (LP-12330) in October 1966. It features songs ranging from both sides of the band's then-current hit single to material recorded in the Hollies' early days on the UK's Parlophone Records in 1963, 1964 and 1965. The song "Oriental Sadness" had previously been issued in the U.S. on the Hollies' album Beat Group! earlier in 1966.
What Goes Around... is the 21st studio album by English rock/pop group, the Hollies. It includes their version of The Supremes' "Stop! In the Name of Love", which became their last US hit single. The Hollies reunited with Graham Nash for this album and for the following US tour. The LP was the band's first and last album with Nash since Butterfly (1967) and also their last one with lead singer Allan Clarke. Among the guest musicians, you can find Brian Chatton who was formerly keyboardist for The Warriors with Jon Anderson, and Flaming Youth with Phil Collins.
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