From:   "Dik de Heer" 
Date:  Mon Oct 28, 2002  1:16 am
Subject:  Born To Be With You : Hank Marvin
 
HANK MARVIN (By Shaun Mather)

Born Brian Robson Rankin, 28 October 1941, Newcastle, England

Hank Marvin was the first in a long line of Newcastle rock musicians to
make their mark in the world of entertainment. He achieved it through his
lead guitar work for the UK's premier instrumental group, the Shadows,
who hit the charts under their own steam and as the backing band for Cliff
Richard. He grew up playing guitar, banjo and piano and spent his youth in
various local skiffle groups where he met Bruce Welch. They moved to London
in 1958 and joined Cliff's backing band, the Drifters, with Ian Samwell and
Terry Smart. Whilst Hank wasn't on Cliff's debut single, Move It, he soon made
his mark on all consequent hits. The band changed their name to the Shadows
so as to avoid confusion with the American vocal group. Samwell and Smart
left and were replaced by Jet Harris and Tony Meehan.
They remained with Cliff but also branched out on their own and in 1960
scored with Apache which went to number one on the UK pop charts. From
1960-63, they achieved another four number ones and seven Top Ten hits
before disbanding in 1968. Marvin (still working with Cliff) went solo and has
recently undertaken his farewell solo tour of the UK. The Shadows did reform
in the '70s and returned to the Top Ten in 1978-79 with "Don't Cry for Me
Argentina" and "Theme from The Deerhunter".

Recommended listening:
The early Cliff stuff.
The early Shadows stuff.
Live at the BBC - half Cliff and half Shadows.
Official Shadows website: http://www.mcr26.freeserve.co.uk/Default.htm