Val Doonican - RIP

Ken Byng · Post by **Ken Byng** » 2 Jul 2015 6:11 am

Irish singer Val Doonican passed away today aged 88. He died peacefully in his sleep. He was almost a permanent fixture on the BBC channels in the 60's, 70's and 80's. Val was a great country music fan, and featured Lloyd Green, Charley McCoy, Billie Jo Spears, Tammy Wynette and many country singers from the USA on his program. I had the pleasure of performing with him on steel guitar at a live open air show in my home town in the late 1970's. He was a true gentleman, and will be sadly missed in the UK. RIP Val.

Alan Brookes · Post by **Alan Brookes** » 2 Jul 2015 3:19 pm

I was sad to hear of this. I didn't realise he was that old, but, looking back, I suppose he would have to be. Nevertheless, I'm sorry to see him go, and glad to see that he had a good innings.

Bent Romnes · Post by **Bent Romnes** » 5 Jul 2015 4:02 am

So sad to read this. I always was a fan of Val. My favourite song was Walk Tall.
A beautiful voice is silent

Paddy Long · Post by **Paddy Long** » 5 Jul 2015 3:27 pm

Hey Ken Val was very big out this way too back when I was a young fella ... always had the flash jerseys and cardigans on hehe ... it was on his show that I first saw and heard Lloyd Green

James Taylor · Post by **James Taylor** » 20 Jul 2015 12:04 pm

Hi Ken, Very sad to hear his golden voice is silent here , but you bet he will blend well with the angels. When a young man he played guitar within all the top London jazz clubs and my 1950's guitar tutor did this also and sometimes they were together. Another artist of that time was Len Williams the father of John Williams JAMES TAYLOR

Gus York · Post by **Gus York** » 29 Jul 2015 1:38 pm

I played PSG with Vals' road band for five years-travelled the world with great musicians and friends. Got the job after working on the George Hamilton show in UK with Vals MD Roger Richards. I am also a photographer and did most of Vals publicity portraits etc over and beyond working with him. He was a lovely guy, very natural and down to earth, but also a master musician and was the only star to have top american country musicians on his top selling show-audiences of 20mill every week-not bad for an irish lad eh!Had the pleasure of meeting LLoyd Green whilst working with him. Most of his road band musicians attended his funeral a couple of weeks ago, and it was a great get together after so long apart. I got the job with Val purely on my playing as I don't read,,not that anyone at that time over here wrote for PSG ! Suited me though and allowed me to play to my abilities, rather than someone telling me how to play PSG with no real knowledge of it !!
They were great times with his band and all agreed we will miss him a lot.
RIP Val from his musicians-'WE WERE RIGHT BEHIND YOU ALL THE WAY'