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The Country Gentlemen

The unique attractions of a stunning new multi-million pound Marina complex, an old town steeped in 1000’s of years of history and mile after mile of golden sands.

www.thisishartlepool.co.uk

Since the website launched in 2008 it has proved extremely popular based on the number of visits and comments/material that have been received. Now its time to re-launch this new look site with more information and features, whilst retaining much of the original format that proved so well liked.

If you’re reading this for the first time, the chances are you are either a former ‘fan’ of the band, a friend, or just interested in UK Country music and performers. Whatever brings you here I hope you enjoy it and can find something of interest in this site.

The story of the band starts in the Hartlepool and surrounding areas, North-East England in 1965. The Country Gentlemen were at that time, one of the few regularly performing C & W groups (they didn't call them Bands in those days) in the area, and with some, but relatively few, line-up changes continued playing their style of Country music until eventually disbanding in 1998. Who could have imagined that starting a country music act at the height of the 60’s ‘Beatle-mania’ would lead to nearly thirty five years of continuous performing!

Why build a website 45+ years after the band started, and even more strange, many years after it disbanded? ...that’s a very good question…

· Possibly its just nostalgia. Like all of us we’re certainly getting older, but they do say ‘everybody has a story to tell’ and having recently met up again we are able to look back and enjoy it

· Maybe its just to tell that story of the band, from its formation, its members and its music, plus

· It’s also a feeling that any band that started to play a relatively niche, unfashionable music such as Country & Western at the height of the 60’s music revolution, particularly in the N-East of England, couldn’t get all the recognition it deserved.

.…….Ladies and Gentlemen…...I give you!!

From the 60’s

through the 70-80’s

into the 90’s

The Country Gentlemen

Mike Watson

E Mail: alan.mike@thecountrygentlemen.co.uk

A MonkeyHanger Web Production

If there are any errors in this site, believe me they are unintentional and purely down to fading recollections. However if you want to contribute to this site with your own memories of the band, photos, press clippings, venues or comments, please send an email to us at the address below, we’d love to hear from you. Happy browsing!!

Thanks to all who have contributed to this site, particularly Alan & Pauline Plant, Joe & Lynne Powell, Billy Hully and Billy Crallan for sharing their collection of photos and memorabilia and Stan Laundon for his help with the Music Player.

This site is dedicated to the memory of Cliffy Brookes, Michael Gallagher, Ray Bennett and Ken Nicholson.

Memorabilia