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Death of legendary Aberdeen promoter


Graham Knight

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Today I attended the funeral of Gordon Hardie who was also a neighbour of mine.

Gordon was a founder member of the Abergeldie Jazz club that flourished in the late fifties and early sixties. It played host to local bands like the Sandy West Jazz Band and even promoted Aberdeen appearances for big stars like Dizzy Gillespie.

 

Gordon's Stag Entertainments in the sixties, often in association with Albert Bonici, Brian Epstein etc booked many shows in the North East including a Sunday Concert by the Beatles into the Beach Ballroom in December 1962.  

Later on he would promote shows at the Capitol Theatre Aberdeen featuring The Rolling Stones, Millie Jackson, Dusty Springfield, Kenny Ball's Jazzmen etc etc.

 

Gordon was a very successful promoter and when I was about 14 he would come into my Dad's shop in Rosemount and he always parked his Porsche right at the door. Having a Porsche back in 1958 really was something else. Over the years Gordon must have had dozens of them. I remember him selling one once because the colour of the bonnet clashed with the colour of the upholstery!

It was mentioned today that he was quite a ladies man and didn't get married till he was 46.  Once he was driving Dusty Springfield between shows and took the opportunity to chat her up but to no avail.  It was a little later that he learned that Dusty was gay.

Gordon was very good at helping young musicians at the start of their careers and his work at Aberdeen Arts Centre was much also much appreciated.

He came out of retirement to help book my piano playing friend Kyle Esplin get his first TV engagement that led him on to great success.  http://kyleesplin.com

Gordon lived just down the road from me and whenever I heard the roar of a high powered engine and a friendly toot on the horn - it was always Gordon passing by.  There was never any point in waving back as he would be long gone.

Sadly Gordon himself has now gone and another link with Aberdeen's musical history is no longer with us. 

Edited by Graham Knight
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