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Liverpool (AP) - The British musician Gerry Marsden, who became famous as the singer of the band Gerry And The Pacemakers (“You'll Never Walk Alone”) in the 60s, is dead. His family announced this on Sunday evening.
«Gerry died today after a brief illness that was in no way related to Covid-19.
His wife, daughters and grandchildren are devastated, "said the statement, from which the British news agency PA quoted.
The radio presenter friend Pete Price had previously announced the death of Marsden at the age of 78 on Twitter on Sunday.
Manager Robert Pratt also confirmed the news of the death on the broadcaster “Sky News”.
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One of the most famous songs by the Liverpool-based group, whose first three singles became number one hits in Great Britain, is the song “You'll Never Walk Alone”, which has been the club anthem of English football champions Liverpool for decades and is also often used in can be heard in other football stadiums.
Liverpool FC paid tribute to Marsden on Sunday on Twitter.
"It is with great sadness that we learn of Gerry Marsden's death," wrote the club.
«Gerry's words will be with us forever.
You'll Never Walk Alone. "
In an interview the club posted on its home page in 2013, Marsden recalled how the song became the club's anthem.
Before the kick-off, the current top 10 hits were always played, including “You'll Never Walk Alone” for a while.
"When it flew out of the top 10, they took the song off the playlist and before the next match the fans in the stands shouted," Where's our song? "
So they had to put it back on, ”Marsden said.
"I still get goosebumps every game when the song comes up."
Marsden had worked on a new version of the song last spring.
The video contained encouraging messages to the employees of the NHS health service, who are even more exposed to the corona pandemic than usual. As a sign of solidarity, World War veteran Tom Moore had previously recorded a cover version of the song that even made space reached one of the UK charts.
He was previously known for walking 100 laps around his back yard on a walker before his 100th birthday to raise funds for the NHS.
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Marsden was born in Liverpool in 1942.
With the most successful representatives of the so-called Merseybeat scene, the Beatles, Gerry And The Pacemakers not only had their hometown Liverpool in common, but also the manager Brian Epstein and the producer George Martin.
Other hits of the group were "How Do You Do It?"
and "I Like It".
Liverpool Mayor Steve Rotherham wrote on Twitter that he was "devastated" by the news of the death of his good friend.
© dpa-infocom, dpa: 210103-99-886275 / 5