Brian Bennett
Brian Bennett famed drummer with The Shadows for over forty years was the second Record Industry professional to visit the Exhibition on 19th October 2006. Brian has been a hero of mine since 1960; I went to watch Summer Holiday, the Cliff and The Shadows movie, at the ABC Cinema Walsall as a young boy. Seventeen years ago I met Brian on a golf course and we have since become the best of friends, a rare quirk of life, when a hero becomes a friend.
Brian has had the most outstanding career, from resident drummer at The 2 I’s coffee bar, now recognized as the home of British Rock n Roll, drummer with Marty Wilde and The Wildcats, drummer for Eddie Cockran and Gene Vincent, forty years with the Shadows and now an award winning composer for Film and TV.
It was an honor to bring him to Walsall, where we did a question and answer session with the music departments from schools in the local area and Brian gave advice on a career in the industry as a musician and composer.
Now on show at the Museum are Brian’s OBE for services to Music and his some of Platinum records from his Shadows career.