Bill Bush RIP.

That's very sad, he was a smashing bloke who came over to the UK just to see the interest in 'I'm Waiting' with his own eyes. He had a bit of a mobility problem about 4 years ago when he came with his friend Martin Gavin to Crossfire and was proud as could be to hear his song being played out over the speakers and packing the dancefloor.

Sad news, fitting tribute by you though. So pleased he got to know that his sound was appreciated.

Well put Martin, he was a real southern gentleman and talented too.

Merged the two topics into one.

ROD [Forum Moderator]

RIP Bill. I didn't know he was white. So what's the A side like? Is it totally different?

Such a brilliant record.

RIP Bill

The best record that I never heard at Wigan. RIP.

Aye well put mate,

And well done you for giving the guy his well deserved 15 minutes from our scene.

Rest in peace.

The best record that I never heard at Wigan. RIP.[/quote

Really Wigan, that early?

The best record that I never heard at Wigan. RIP.[/quote

Really Wigan, that early? , I only heard it late 80s.. Covered as Billy Lennox... Brill tune anyway.

Love the Johnny clarke 45 on Sherwood too, remember gav first playing it after getting it off andy dyson late 90s.

Not got a great memory for events in my life, but one that will stay with me forever is dancing to 'Im waiting', which is one of my favourite tunes ever, at glasgow weekender 2005 and being completely off my tits...aware though still, that Bill and his mrs were also on the packed dancefloor next to me, dancing to it.

basically, I'm dancing to bill bush, next to bill bush.

.

I remember fighting the urge to give them a big hug for a while but eventually losing control and just bear-hugging them both, and maybe kissing them.

sorry bout that Bill;

Rest in peace, you did exactly what all musicians hope to do.

very sad loss RIP Bill

Love the track RIP Sir

And may I say a fitting tribute

I'll remember his smile at Crossfire, a cross between bewilderment and pride, a very humble man, RIP.

 

That's what I said Lenny "The best record that I NEVER heard at Wigan".

 

Some of you may have heard that the musician and songwriter, Bill Bush, died this week after falling at his home. He was 70. Bill recorded 'Velvet Touch / I'm Waiting' on Ronn in the mid 60s and played with the Fabulous Carousels, a.k.a Little Johnny Clark, prior to forming his own combo.

I'd known Bill for exactly a decade this year since I traced him through a contact at the local newspaper. I brought his band over to the Glasgow Jazz Festival in 2005 and two years later I visited him at his home in Shreveport, Louisiana, meeting Stan Lewis, BB Davis, Eddy Giles and many other great characters from that era.

Anyone who met Bill in Glasgow back in 2005, or at Crossfire allnighter in April 2013, will remember him as a warm and funny bloke, and very, very talented despite never 'making it' big nationally. He played on the same bill as people such as Jerry Lee Lewis and Bobby Bland, to name a few of the stars who crossed his path in a successful performing career of 50 years+. He was still playing live the week before he died.

Although he was not able to perform / do a PA at Crossfire, he did appear onstage and thanked everyone for their support just before Sean Chapman played his Ronn single to a packed dancefloor. That meant a great deal to him.

When he was in the UK last year I tried once again to explain the appeal of his dance track but mentioned that it wasn't like Motown and was a different kind of sound, I asked him what the influence was for it given that 'northern soul' was nowhere on his radar, where had the inspiration come from for that driving beat and soulful delivery, asking him: "What was it supposed to be?" His reply, "It was supposed to be the b-side". So we're still no wiser.

What started for me as a desperate search for an impossible 7" led to friendship and genuine affection, he was a great guy and I'm very lucky to have called him 'friend'.

Thank you to Keith Money for spinning Ronn 17 at the 100 Club back in the early 2000s, without whom none of this would have happened. I remember saying to my other half at the time, "I have to get that record". 

https://www.shreveporttimes.com/story/news/local/2014/10/01/bush-former-councilman-dies-fall/16549359/

 

Great Story!! Sad news R.I.P. Bill Bush

The Glasgow Jazz Festival gig was a very special evening. The relaxed, family feeling of friendship from Bill, his wife and cohorts who had come over for the gig permeated the whole venue.

Explaining the culture where they came from and, at the end,giving everyone strings of carnival beads as  momentos of their visit, has stayed as a very special memory of mine .

A true Gent.

That's what I said Lenny "The best record that I NEVER heard at Wigan".

Should have went to Specsavers

Ah, memories of Caley Soul!

Sad news!

That´s one brilliant record - thanks Keith Money for making it a classic on the Rare Soul scene.

And thanks Martin Gavin for tracking Bill down and making his story being known among the soulies.

Heartwarming that Mr. Bush got to perform in Glasgow and attend Crossfire in London to see a packed floor dancing to his great song.

Thank you for the music, Bill Bush and Rest In Peace.

top record and still a  floor filler r.i.p bill......

On 07/10/2014 at 12:27, daved said:

RIP Bill. I didn't know he was white. So what's the A side like? Is it totally different?

Just saw this, yes it's a swamp pop ballad.