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Jovial Joe Brown’s child-hood growing up in the Plaistow pub his parents ran was the launchpad for a career which half a century ago saw him make waves in the music industry. The 76-year-old is still touring today and has no plans to give up.

Back in the sixties it was Joe who was headlining major tours, supported by an emerging and little- known young band called The Beatles.

From those humble East End beginnings the carrot-topped artist became one of the most respected perform-ers in music.

Growing up in wartime London, Joe candidly explains the lack of security and roaming the bomb sites of Plaistow as a boy.

When he was very small his fam-ily uprooted from Lanca-shire, where his parents had worked on farms, and moved to London where they took over the Sultan pub in Grange Road.

Years later, to commemo-rate that Joe once lived there, his image was im-mortalised on the painted sign hanging outside with him portrayed as a sultan wearing traditional Arab headgear.

As a youngster he vividly remembers being a book-ies runner with his friend Dennis collecting bets from drinkers and taking them to the bookmakers nearby.

He supplemented his earnings by selling cockles at the weekends and collect-ing scrap metal.

It provided him with the income that, through a twist of fate, would change his life.

He says: “I lived in the pub and there used to be a bloke who came in, a local musician Georgie Dance. He was from a musical fam-ily and played the guitar.

“When I was about 10 years old I was fascinated by the instrument and I bought this guitar for a pound. That’s how I started in music.”

The purchase catapulted Joe on a road to stardom and ignited his lifelong love

of stringed instru-ments.

After leaving school at just 12, Joe went from working on the railways and firefight-ing to getting

involved in skiffle

groups when the

genre was at its peak.

While touring the east London pub cir-cuit as a teenager, Joe swapped the skiffle scene for rock ‘n’ roll.

RespectedHe spent the 1950s as a television performer and singer, playing for visit-ing Americans like Eddie Cochran and Johnny Cash before pursuing his own music.

Throwing in a plethora of television appearances and

Legend of rock ‘n’ roll wants the music to continueIt has been more than 50 years since rock ‘n’ roll legend and former Newham resident Joe Brown joined his first band. From his friendship with Beatle George Harrison, who was best man at Joe’s wedding, to his trip to Buckingham Palace to receive an MBE, the 76-year-old talks about his eventful life ahead of his upcoming tour in April.

� Joe Brown receives his MBE for services for music from the Prince of Wales at Buckingham Palace Picture: Johnny Green/PA

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Comedian David Baddiel has turned to crowdfunding to raise the £55,000 needed to stage his new musical at Theatre Royal Stratford.

He must fund his musical version of the 2010 film The Infidel, which starred Omid Djalili in the leading role, by April 15.

More than £1,500 was raised in the 24 hours af-ter the appeal launch last Tuesday and, if the total is raised, the show will open

at the Newham theatre in October.

Kerry Michael, artistic director of Theatre Royal Stratford East, said: “Musi-cals are incredibly expen-sive to stage and we can’t hope to cover all our costs through ticket sales. We have most of the money we need and hope people will get behind us now to make it become a reality.”

To make a donation, visit-infidelthemusical.com

Cash appeal for musical

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musicals, he collaborated with some of the biggest names in the industry.

Joe says: “I’ve been very lucky; I’ve worked with some lovely people and always respected them for what they do.

“I have always thought that I could learn some-thing from them. You never stop learning.”

Joe has released 30 albums, the most recent of which is 2012’s The Uku-lele Album honouring the instrument that cemented

his lifelong friendship with Beatle George Harrison.

Their mutual apprecia-tion for the ukulele led to several collaborations.

He explains: “George was a great friend of mine. We were always around each other’s houses and talking about ukuleles. He was best man at my wedding.”

CharmedJoe adds: “He was good to work with. He was like me; he wanted to get it right all the time. He wasn’t the sort

of man that would rest on his laurels. He was a real professional.”

Over the last few years Joe has tirelessly embarked on regular tours and ap-pearances.

He charmed a new gen-eration of fans with his 2002 Glastonbury performance and later that year played to a worldwide audience at The Concert for George, a tribute to George Harrison who died in 2001.

Having been asked by widow Olivia Harrison and

Eric Claption to sing at the show, Joe moved listeners with classics Here Comes The Sun and That’s The Way It Goes. He closed with a ukulele rendition of I’ll See You in My Dreams, a favourite song of George’s.

In 2009, Joe was awarded the outstanding contribu-tion to music award by Mojo magazine. Just two days later he found out he was to be awarded an MBE.

“It was nice to get award-ed both of those things. What more could you ask?

They give you a medal and honour – in my case, for my contribution to music – for something that you have loved doing all your life.

Genuine“Mind you, they’ve never heard me play the five-string banjo,” he joked.

Joe has been trying to get accustomed to the instru-ment in preparation of his next UK tour. He says audiences can look forward to entertaining music and a genuine performance.

“It comes over that we enjoy what we are doing. I don’t think you can fool an audience and it is a great feeling when you go out. I could have the flu and a twisted ankle but I go out on the stage I don’t get any pain at all.”

Just as well that Joe hopes to continue his tours for as long as he can, bring-ing his music to loyal fans and new audiences.

For tour dates visit joebrown.

co.uk

� Mark Knopfler and Joe performing during the Lonnie

Donegan tribute concert at the Royal Albert Hall in 2004

Picture: Yui Mok/PA

� Joe with Shakin Stevens, left, and Alvin Stardust during a

break from rehearsals at the Astoria Theatre Picture: PA

� Left, Joe sings at the Rock’n’Roll Show, Wembley, in 1972. Above, he receives his MBE Pictures: PA

When I was about 10 years old I was fascinated by the instrument and I bought this guitar for a pound. That’s how I started in music

Some of Joe Brown’s hit singles:

� Darktown Strutters’ Ball Shine � What a Crazy World We’re Living In � A Picture of You � Your Tender Look � It Only Took a Minute

� That’s What Love Will Do � Nature’s Time for Love � Sally Ann � Sea of Heartbreak � With a Little Help from My Friends � Hey Mama

Joe Brown by Shekha Vyas