50 YEARS AGO: CENTRE FOLK TRIO SET FOR THE BIG TIME

The Eccles and Patricroft Journal used to have a music correspondent who went by the name of "Tempo", he would review the latest albums and interview the local pop and folk groups.

I came across this story from October 1970 and tells of the the folk trio, Centre Folk.

The group consisted of and I quote, 

"The group consists of, Martin Stimson, the handsome, single, lead guitarist who plays the Tenor mandolin and banjo, a Manchester Corporation employee who lives on Worsley Road, Winton.

"Ann Rhodes the pretty one who arranges much of the groups material, she plays the guitar and mandolin, and is a housewife with two children who lives on Worsley Road, Swinton.

"Terry Sherwood the bearded comedian, who plays the Spanish guitar, banjo and mouth organ lives on Gilda Crescent Road, Eccles.

The group came about by accident when they were all learning the guitar at the Eccles Adult Education Centre and the class was asked to provide music for the social dance, sadly they were the only three who turned up, but the show must go on, the trio took to the stage and the band was born!

They were the resident group at The Two Brewers pub on Regent Road, Salford and played at The Hephalump Club in Eccles, never heard of that one, where was it?

A tape of their music was sent to Radio Manchester and was met with praise, the group had a manager, Keith Rhodes who was told their music would be played on the airwaves.

He then added that the band would go ahead writing and producing their own material in the Winter of 1970/71.

Success surely beckoned?

Sadly I don't think Centrefolk made the big time, I would love to know what happened to them,, the name Martin Stimson does ring a bell though.

Any ideas what happened to them or did you see them perform?