Val Doonican RIP

[Ken Byng]

I have put this on this page as the news isn't steel guitar related. Really sad news about Val, who died today aged 88. A good age. Val died peacefully in his sleep, and you can ask of no better way to go. I had the pleasure of doing one gig with him in his heyday in the 1970's. It was a live gig on Southampton common in front of probably 5,000 people. Just a 40 minute set. I played lead guitar and pedal steel, and Val was very chatty backstage about the pedal steel. He loved the Nashville records of the day and especially the steel guitar parts. (Lloyd Green was one of his guests in the early 80's playing Feelings). He was as easy going of-stage as he was on, and he was very witty with the audience.

My wife and I saw him many years later at a small theatre in Fareham, and he must have been close to 80 at the time. He looked no different, and put on a great show. It's easy to forget just how big he was at one time, and was almost a permanent fixture on British TV. RIP Val.

[Zumbilly(Murdoch)]

A very talented man indeed.I watched His tv shows every week
Nice to know His passing was peaceful.
R.I.P. Val

[gus york]

I played road back up steel for Val for Five years-Toured the world-made some great and lasting friends, both musicians and punters. He was a very easy guy to get on with, had a lovely family and was very keen to promote the steel as often as possible, on the road and on his shows, hence Lloyd Green appearing a couple of times. Val rang me to ask if I would like to meet Lloyd at the studio (silly question ) I still have the photo taken with him back in the late 70's. Val was a master musician, never missed a wrong note if some one played one-most times it was me-Hey Ho ! Still I must have been doing something right eh!Attended his funeral a couple of weeks ago, along with many of the other musos attached to the road band-great meeting everyone again, but a sad occasion to do it.
As Ken Byng said, he had massive audiences for his TV shows, a normal figure regularly was 20 mill viewers !!!! Todays 'Stars' as such would give everything for figures like that !! RIP Val-at least you went peacefully with your family round you. As I said from all the musicians to Val -'We were right behind you all the way '.
GUS YORK.

[JohnDavisStringsHere]

Another very sad loss.....