Bernard Bamford Calvert (born 16 September 1942) is an English musician who played bass guitar and keyboards with
The Hollies
The Hollies are a British pop rock band, formed in 1962. One of the leading British groups of the 1960s and into the mid-1970s, they are known for their distinctive three-part vocal harmony style. Allan Clarke and Graham Nash founded the ban ...
from 1966 until 1981.
Career
He worked with several
rock and roll
Rock and roll (often written as rock & roll, rock 'n' roll, or rock 'n roll) is a genre of popular music that evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s. It originated from African-American music such as jazz, rhythm an ...
groups during the early 1960s, most notably Rickie Shaw and the Dolphins, where he worked with future Hollies members,
Tony Hicks and
Bobby Elliott. Originally a pianist, Calvert, on Hicks's suggestion, switched to bass.
After the break-up of the Dolphins, Calvert played in a number of semi-professional outfits. However, unable to advance his musical career, Calvert took a factory job until he was asked to substitute for Hollies' then bassist,
Eric Haydock, in a tour of
Scandinavia
Scandinavia; Sámi languages: /. ( ) is a subregion in Northern Europe, with strong historical, cultural, and linguistic ties between its constituent peoples. In English usage, ''Scandinavia'' most commonly refers to Denmark, Norway, and Swe ...
. After the tour, Calvert played on an
Everly Brothers
The Everly Brothers were an American rock duo, known for steel-string acoustic guitar playing and close harmony singing. Consisting of Isaac Donald "Don" Everly (February 1, 1937 – August 21, 2021) and Phillip "Phil" Everly (January 19, 193 ...
album, and on the Hollies' single, "
Bus Stop", before returning to his factory job. Shortly after that, he was invited to join the Hollies permanently in 1966.
Calvert was friends with
Mama Cass Elliot from
The Mamas & the Papas
The Mamas & the Papas were a folk rock vocal group formed in Los Angeles, California, which recorded and performed from 1965 to 1968. The group was a defining force in the music scene of the counterculture of the 1960s. The group consisted of ...
.
Bass Guitars
Fender Precision
When Calvert first joined The Hollies he used an early model of Fender Precision Bass that was still fitted with pickup and bridge covers. Calvert can be seen using this bass from 1966 to early 1967, resurfacing in 1969 on numerous recordings and live performances. It would remain in use until his departure in 1980.
Fender Jazz
In 1968 Calvert moved to an early model of Fender Jazz Bass that still fitted with pickup and bridge covers. Calvert acquired this model of the electric bass in early-1967 and used it on songs such as "
On a Carousel," "
Carrie Anne," and "
King Midas in Reverse."
Rickenbacker 4000
In the early 1970s Calvert acquired an early model Rickenbacker 4000, which was a single-pickup model that Calvert used throughout the 1970s in recording and performing. Though he would perform more often with the Precision, his Rickenbacker would be heard the most in 1970s recordings such as the
Distant Light album. Calvert would use this bass until his departure from the band.
Honors
On 24 September 2009, the Hollies were nominated for induction to the
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (RRHOF), sometimes simply referred to as the Rock Hall, is a museum and hall of fame located in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, United States, on the shore of Lake Erie. The museum documents the history of rock music an ...
, and on 18 December 2009 were announced as inductees, to be inducted on 15 March 2010. They were represented at the RRHOF ceremony by Clarke, Nash, Sylvester, Eric Haydock and Calvert. Although all of these members had left the band at various times, Bobby Elliott (drums) and Tony Hicks (guitar) kept the band going but were unable to attend because they had a prior booking. The two of them still lead the band, as of May 2020.
See also
*
List of bass guitarists
References
1942 births
Living people
English rock bass guitarists
Male bass guitarists
English songwriters
People from Brierfield, Lancashire
The Hollies members
English rock keyboardists
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