20 April 2010 A special memorial concert has been added to the 2010 Eastbourne Bandstand calendar to honour Johnny Spice and Major Jimmy Howe, regular performers at the seafront landmark.
This Saturday 24 April, Eastbourne Bandstand is hosting a free afternoon concert in memory of the English bandsmen who performed on the Bandstand many times during their careers. The Johnny Spice Swing Orchestra and vocalists will perform a traditional concert with two plaques to be unveiled in memory of the two men.
An Eastbourne Borough Council spokesperson said “It is a real pleasure to be hosting such a special concert at the Bandstand this weeken and to be able to pay tribute to two fantastic and popular performers. Both Johnny Spice and Major Jimmy Howe were amongst the favourite performers at Eastbourne Bandstand and we hope the concert will be a fitting celebration of their lives and the many times they entertained the crowds who came to watch their performances. The plaques will mark a permanent memorial to the bandsmen on the Bandstand wall.”
Musical Director Paul Hyde will be leading the Johnny Spice Swing Orchestra with guest soloist Geoff Broom also joining the afternoon concert taking place from 3.30pm – 5pm on Saturday.
Both Johnny Spice and Major Jimmy Howe played at the Bandstand many times throughout their long careers and as Eastbourne’s seaside music venue celebrates its 75th birthday this year, a memorial concert is being held to celebrate their lives.
Johnny Spice last appeared at the Bandstand only last year when he played two solos, just two months before he died, while Major Jimmy Howe used to open the Bandstand season during the 60s and 70s and returned on several occasions before his death in 2005.
Admission to the afternoon concert this weekend is free, with the full Bandstand concert season getting underway from 7 May.
For more information on What’s On at the Bandstand go to the Bandstand website.
