Whatever Happened To Ernie Shear?

[ala1940]

The info on Ernie was in the Berkshire site and was as follows over four posting:-

1- In November 1996 Ernie was still working mainly sessionsand some concerts, working with the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra and Ron Goodwin. Then he was still working with the Jack Emblow Quartet on Sing Something Simple (36 years!). Also a Robert Farnon concert for BBC radio. (Source Guartist November 1996) more info if needed.

2- The MU has a record of Ernie Shear but if he has passed away they have not been informed. I still have another option so I'll try that.

3-Success thanks to Jack Emblow I have tracked Ernie down. He retired a few years ago and is now living in Redhill.

4-Just spoken to Ernie and he was surprised and pleased to find the interest in him and that recording session.

Hope this helps

[RuneMoe]

Nice to read about Ernie Shear.

But what happened to the original Drifters drummer TERRY SMART?

Regards
Rune

[Martin Page]

Nice to read about Ernie Shear.

But what happened to the original Drifters drummer TERRY SMART?

Regards
Rune

I think he joined the Merchant Navy.

Martin.

[captainhaddock]

First of all, Happy Christmas to everyone and a big thank-you to all of those who have replied so far to my original posting. It is very hard to find any hard facts about Ernie Shear on the net, save for the fact that he was a Scot and wore Horn rimmed glasses. Amazon only offer one download of his work namely a recording of Cannon-ball. I was disappointed to find no trace of Johnny Guitar by Norrie Paramor as I am a big fan of the Spotnicks original version. I am a little late in expanding this posting to enquire about Terry Smart but would like to enquire about the other figures in the birth of the Shadows, namely Peter Chester and Norman Mitham. over to you !!!!!

[ShadsDrums]

I had a search for 'Shear' on this site to see if I could find an extensive thread of some months ago about the man. Although I found several references, it must have been on the last site that the discussion took place.

Martin.

Hi Martin

Indeed it was. The link is:
http://www.berkshireshadows.org/forums/ ... c=2519&hl=\Ernie+Shear\

Not sure whether it will work in that format on here - have a bash! Hope you find it OK.

Chris

[aardvarkd]

Perhaps JN woulldn't mind me adding a few more details from his 'Guitarist' interview (mentioned above) for those who didn't see it:
-Ernie said he used a Hofner Committee with a de Armond Rhythm Chief pickup that was on a sliding rail arrachment. He moved it 'right down by the bridge for the Cliff sessions and stuck a pencil rubber underneath it to keep it still.
-He was 'fairly certain' that he used a Fender DeLuxe Reverb amp on 'Move It' although he also used a small Ampeg at times. Later in his career he relied on a Gibson Les Paul Custom (with Ernie Ball .011 strings) through a Roland Cube 60.

[JimN]

Perhaps JN woulldn't mind me adding a few more details from his 'Guitarist' interview (mentioned above) for those who didn't see it:
-Ernie said he used a Hofner Committee with a de Armond Rhythm Chief pickup that was on a sliding rail arrachment. He moved it 'right down by the bridge for the Cliff sessions and stuck a pencil rubber underneath it to keep it still. He was 'fairly certain' that he used a Fender DeLuxe Reverb amp on 'Move It' although he also used a small Ampeg at times. Later in his career he relied on a Gibson Les Paul Custom (with Ernie Ball .011 strings) through a Roland Cube 60.

Actually, Ernie told me that he used a Hofner President (less ornate and slightly smaller than a Committee) on Move It, and that he used a Fender Deluxe amplifier (this would have been the tweed 15 watt version with no reverb or tremolo, which weren't added until the 1960s, after the amps had all been redesigned with front control panels).

Guitarist magazine changed the name of the guitar to "Committee" purely because they had a (later) picture of Ernie with that model (though the picture features Cliff, it can't have been the Move It Session various reasons).

I quoted Ernie accurately in the interview report, but those changes were made for the magazine's own reasons.

Hope this helps,

JN

PS: I interviewed Ernie by telephone (I got the number from Pipeline magazine) in response to a reader request in Guitarist magazine.

[aardvarkd]

Thanks for setting the record straight, Jim.

[Oilman]

First of all, Happy Christmas to everyone and a big thank-you to all of those who have replied so far to my original posting. It is very hard to find any hard facts about Ernie Shear on the net, save for the fact that he was a Scot and wore Horn rimmed glasses. Amazon only offer one download of his work namely a recording of Cannon-ball. I was disappointed to find no trace of Johnny Guitar by Norrie Paramor as I am a big fan of the Spotnicks original version. I am a little late in expanding this posting to enquire about Terry Smart but would like to enquire about the other figures in the birth of the Shadows, namely Peter Chester and Norman Mitham. over to you !!!!!

When i lived in Folkestone about 9 or 10 years ago,Peter Chester had a stall in the indoor market there.No later news but maybe able to find out.

Brian.

[Moderne]

First of all, Happy Christmas to everyone and a big thank-you to all of those who have replied so far to my original posting. It is very hard to find any hard facts about Ernie Shear on the net, save for the fact that he was a Scot and wore Horn rimmed glasses. Amazon only offer one download of his work namely a recording of Cannon-ball. I was disappointed to find no trace of Johnny Guitar by Norrie Paramor as I am a big fan of the Spotnicks original version. I am a little late in expanding this posting to enquire about Terry Smart but would like to enquire about the other figures in the birth of the Shadows, namely Peter Chester and Norman Mitham. over to you !!!!!

Just a minor point...'Johnny Guitar' was the theme to a 1954 film which is roughly when the Norrie Paramor version was released. The Spotnicks version wasn't the original. I assume 'Cannonball' is a cover of the Duane Eddy tune.

Clive