John McNally (born 30 August 1941) is an English guitarist.[1] He was a member of The Searchers, a band he formed in 1959, who were a big part of the Mersey sound in the early 1960s. He was the longest serving member of the group, touring in the band from 1957, until their retirement in 2019, as well as their 2023 farewell tour.
Early life
McNally was born in Walton, Liverpool. His love for music first came as a child, when his older brother, Frank, would bring back records from the United States, whilst working out at sea in the Navy:[2]
First of all he'd bring country stuff like Eddy Arnold and Hank Williams, the next minute it was Johnny Cash, then Gene Vincent, Elvis, and Eddie Cochran.
He first learned guitar as a child when Georgie McGee, a friend of his older brother, taught him a few guitar chords.
In 1957, after being suggested to do so by friend Tony West (1937-2010), McNally formed a band. The band started off playing skiffle and, after an everlasting line-up which resulted in just McNally as the sole founding member still in the band, broke off into a new band in 1959, containing McNally, Mike Pendergast (Mike Pender), Tony Jackson, Chris Crummey (Chris Curtis), and William Francis Beck (Johnny Sandon). The new band was named the Searchers, named after the 1956 film of the same name. Sandon left in 1960, and the four remaining members proceeded to tour in Hamburg, Germany.
Everyone was being signed up (to a record label) and we didn't want to miss the boat. We wanted to make a demo at the Iron Door (club), organising a company to nip in with all the gear. So we did 11 tracks and he sent them all around the companies, and luckily Tony Hatch at Pye Records picked up on it. We were on our way back to the Star-Club to do another stint when he asked us to come and record Sweets for my Sweet, which we did ahead of the ferry.
In the bands earlier years, McNally rarely sang lead or co-lead on their releases or performances, with singing mainly done by guitarist Mike Pender, bassists Tony Jackson and Frank Allen, or drummer Chris Curtis, however, John did slightly contribute, singing the line "Now looky here" in their version of Don and Dewey's "Farmer John", from their debut album Meet The Searchers. In the following years going into the 20th century, McNally has since contributed to lead vocals on stage, such as singing lead on their live performances of "Mr. Tambourine Man".
Unlike the other members of The Searchers who played in bands, and even formed one of their own, McNally has never recorded with any other act, than the Searchers.
Following the departures of Tony Jackson in August 1964, Chris Curtis in mid 1966, and Mike Pender in December 1985, McNally was the last original member of the classic 1960s line-up who remained in the band. Shortly before the band were set to perform in the Sixties Gold Tour in September 2017, McNally suffered a stroke and took a three-month break from touring.[4]
McNally remained with the band over 60 years, touring alongside Frank Allen, who replaced Tony Jackson in August 1964, until their last concert on 31 March 2019.[5] It was announced on the band's website in 2021 that they would undertake a further farewell tour in 2023.[6] The tour contained McNally, Allen, Spencer James (who had replaced Pender in 1985), and new member Richie Burns, and started on 13 April, at the Wimborne Tivoli in Wimborne, Dorset, and is set to end on 17 June 2023, at the Philharmonic Hall in Liverpool, where the band originated from.[7]
In his late teens, Buddy Holly was a great influence on McNally, and when Holly performed at the Philharmonic Hall in Liverpool on 29 March 1958, McNally had plans on going to see him, but was unable to due to his job; Mike Pender stated that he saw Holly at the performance, but does not remember a lot about it.[2]Bert Weedon'sPlay in a Day Guide to Modern Guitar Playing book has also been said to be an influence on McNally.[11]
In 2006, McNally received a telephone call from a band in Manchester, who asked him to meet him; upon going to see the band, he was surprised by the likes of Bruce Springsteen and Nils Lofgren, who had all claimed that McNally and the Searchers had inspired and influenced them.[12]
Personal life
McNally attended St Mary's College. John McNally has been married to Mary McNally since 1964.[13] Prior to working full time as a musician, McNally worked at the Alfred Holt’s Blue Funnel line, where his brother also worked, doing office work and delivering mail.[2] Since he was a child, John has enjoyed watching and playing football.[2]
I never felt the need to move out of Merseyside, I didn't like the London scene in the 1960s so I never stayed. A couple of the lads (Searchers members) did like it and went the wrong way. They got involved with drugs and stuff.
Health
As a child, McNally fell ill with tuberculosis, and learned the guitar around the time he had fallen ill, often saying that had he not contracted TB, he would not have bothered learning the guitar.[14] Shortly before the band were set to perform in the Sixties Gold Tour in September 2017, McNally suffered a stroke and took a three-month break from touring.[4]
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