Bruce Welch

Bruce Welch, OBE ( born November 2, 1941 in Bognor Regis, Sussex, UK as Bruce Cripps ) is a British guitarist, songwriter, producer and singer who was best known as the rhythm guitarist of the group The Shadows.

Bruce Welch led his father's name continues up to and including 1958, he learned only in 1959, when he allowed himself to issue the wedding papers for his (first) marriage that his parents were not married. He has this flaw ( according to his own memoirs ) not overcome until today. Significantly, therefore, is also the first word in his own biography " rock and roll, I gave You the Best Years of my life". His father, he has knowingly seen only twice in a lifetime, for the first time. Shortly after the end of World War II, the last time at age 17 for a few minutes

Welch grew up with his Aunt Sadie in Chester le Street, County Durham, after his mother had died in 1944 of tuberculosis. He later moved to Newcastle upon Tyne. After he had learned to play the guitar, he founded at the age of 14 years, the skiffle band The Railroaders. His school friend Brian Rankin ( Hank Marvin ) later joined the band. The Railroaders went in 1958 to London to participate in a talent competition. Although they were only third, Hank and Bruce remained in London and formed with other participants in the contest, the band The Five Chesternuts - eg with Pete Chester ( b. 1942 as the son of comedian Charlie Chester ) on drums. In September 1958 Welch and Marvin were a member of Cliff Richard's backing group The Drifters, which later became The Shadows were. As much success as with the Shadows had Welch as a producer, inter alia, for Cliff Richard and as a songwriter for his former fiancee Olivia Newton-John. Bruce also brought a solo single out titled "Please Mr Please" which was not successful, however, even though the song has been covered by several other artists.

Among the Welch composed or mitgeschriebenen songs are eg the successful Shadows songs "Foot Tapper ", " Theme for Young Lovers " and "The Rise And Fall Of Flingel stained ", " Faithful " and "My Hometown" by Marvin, Welch & Farrar or hits of Cliff Richard as " In The Country "," Summer Holiday "and" I Could Easily fall ( In Love With You ) ".

He was married four times, from his first marriage ( at the Sir Cliff Richard acted as best man ) showed the son Dwayne.

In his possession is the legendary nasty tarote Fender Stratocaster No. 36346, the first Strat in Europe.

Bruce Welch was nominated in 2004 for his services to the music for the Officer of the Order of the British Empire.