Tommy Whittle 1926 - 2013
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Dad was quite freindly wilth Joe Muddel and Harry Klein who were regulars in the Tommy Whittle bands that played often around Soho in 53/54 . In the early days Tony Kinsey seemed to have first call on TW as in... "for one night only (until next Thursday) 'The Tony Kinsey Trio with Tommy Whittle'" though Tommy was already a band leader.
I associate him more with the Hopbine pub in Wembley, though too young for the "Tubby" recordings made there. He was a often on Peter Clayton's late night programme when I was a lad and I heard him at the Bulls Head a few times.
Dad's got a fairly good memory, worked out exactly how old Tommy was without looking it up, but other facts approximate.
A TW record from that time - 1955
(sleeve on video doesn't match)
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There's a nice obituary by Peter Vacher in today's Guardian here.
Amongst other things he tells us that Tommy was a refugee from playing the banjo (some escape for him - and us) and that at one point he led a band playing at the Dorchester Hotel with Bonny Wellins as a sideman. Bet the usual punters didn't notice...
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