I’m researching the career of musician Cherry Wainer and the 1950s-1960s music scene.
In October 1958, a Daily Herald reporter caught up with Cherry as she emerged from a shop in Shaftesbury Avenue clutching five-guinea sweaters and three boxes of expensive cuff-links. “For my friends,” she said, scurrying towards her pink low-slung sports car before the approaching policemen noticed the “no parking” sign.
“On ‘Oh Boy!’ we are all friends and the musicians treat me as one of the boys.” Accelerating away, Cherry added, “That’s Cliff Richard – our new boy. He’s a nice kid, not a ruffian like lots of singers these days. He thinks about things. Willing to learn. He’ll get to the top and stay there.”
“I’ve got four record players and hundreds of records – Sinatra, Ella, Duke, rock and roll…Some people say rock’s no good. Some of it is. No good being a snob.”
“I played Peggy Lee’s Fever night after night before I sang it on ‘Oh Boy!’ The big thing with that song is the eyes. I kept still and put all the actions into my eyes.”
“I couldn’t stand the political set-up (at home) in South Africa. Here (in Britain), I work with people I like. Who cares what colour they are?”
From 30 October 1958, part one of Cherry Wainer’s syndicated media interview.
Part two
Part three
At this stage of my research, I’m not clear about Cherry’s relationship with drummer Don Storer. They arrived in Britain together, shared the same agent, and performed together as an organ-drum duet. This report from November 1958 stated that they were cousins. They married, but not until 12 June 1992 when they were in their sixties. Maybe more details will emerge, or maybe this aspect of Cherry’s life will remain a mystery.
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