Cliff Hall

Jun 27 2008 by David Charters, Liverpool Daily Post

IT WAS, in its own way, almost as significant to Liverpool’s music as the meeting of John Lennon and Paul McCartney at St Peter’s Church fete, Woolton, in 1957.

The eager clerk was working at the Capenhurst research plant, in Wirral, when the black electrician arrived to mend a fuse.

The clerk, who brushed the sky at 6ft 7ins, was a devotee of jazz and skiffle, but he had never met a black man, so he gushed a bit too much in a vain effort to prove his liberal credentials.

Cliff Hall, though generous to the marrow of his bones, was not at first impressed by Tony Davis, the young skiffler, whose group, Gin Mill, sang in The Cavern about the old plantations.

But, before long, they were firm friends and the friendship was further strengthened when Tony discovered that Cliff played the guitar and a fruity harmonica.

So, when the other skifflers electrified their guitars and headed for rock and roll, Tony turned to more authentic folk music.

In 1958, he, Cliff and their pals, Mick Groves and Hughie Jones, formed the Spinners – with “Count” John McCormick on the double bass.

Devotees in long pullovers and duffel coats soon padded to their club on London Road, Liverpool, to hear folk songs and shanties.

With a folk revival running parallel with Merseybeat, The Spinners were soon appearing on TV, recording, and packing halls all over the country.

Bubbling with charm and possessed of great energy, they gave new life to almost forgotten songs, such as Blow the Man Down, the Leaving of Liverpool, Maggie May, Way Haul Away and Whip Jamboree.

Banter on stage highlighted the obvious friendship between them all, with Cliff sometimes pumping up his Caribbean accent, though he had lived in England since serving with the RAF in the 1940s.

His voice was mellow and gentle, ideally suited to West Indian songs such as Woman Sweeter than Man and Jamaica Farewell.

For 15 years, The Spinners had a regular series on BBC TV, including a Christmas special. The group broke up in 1988 and Cliff settled in Adelaide.

He married three times, was widowed twice, and had three children.

Cliff returned to Liverpool for his 80th birthday and friends hosted a wonderful party in his favourite Chinese restaurant.

Cliff Hall, musician; born September 11, 1925, died June 26, 2008.