Liverpool icon Gerry Marsden dies aged 78 after illness

FILE PHOTO: Liverpool supporter and singer Marsden sings before their English Premier League soccer match against Blackburn Rovers at Anfield in Liverpool

Liverpool supporter and singer Gerry Marsden sings You'll Never Walk Alone

Reuters

3 January 2021

Singer Gerry Marsden has died age 78 following a short illness.

The Gerry And The Pacemakers star, who famously sang Liverpool FC’s anthem You’ll Never Walk Alone, suffered an infection in his heart, it was revealed.

Marsden’s family issued a statement saying: “Gerry died earlier today after a short illness in no way connected with Covid-19. His wife, daughters and grandchildren are devastated.”

His daughter Yvette Marbeck said: “My sister Vicky and myself have always been very, very proud of dad.

“He has always been a good man. He had his feet on the ground. He made us laugh every single day. He was our hero, wonderful.”

He went into hospital on Boxing Day after tests showed he had a serious blood infection that had travelled to his heart.

Ms Marbeck told the PA news agency: “It was a very short illness and too quick to comprehend really.

“And his heart has taken some battering over the years. He had a triple bypass, an aortic valve replacement and ironically he also had a pacemaker.

“I am just devastated and heartbroken.

“Unfortunately he died in hospital which was devastating for us because we were not allowed in due to the current regulations. It is just a dreadful situation for everyone.

“He was our dad, our hero, warm, funny and what you see is what you got.”

News of his death was broken by Gerry's friend Pete Price, who also shared a photograph of the pair together.

Mr Price, 74, tweeted: "It’s with a very heavy heart after speaking to the family that I have to tell you the Legendary Gerry Marsden MBE after a short illness which was an infection in his heart has sadly passed away.

"Sending all the love in the world to Pauline and his family. You’ll Never Walk Alone."

Tributes flooded in to the “true son of Liverpool” who was considered a contemporary of The Beatles and played at the Cavern Club nearly 200 times.

Liverpool Football club tweeted: “It is with such great sadness that we hear of Gerry Marsden’s passing.Gerry’s words will live on forever with us. You’ll Never Walk Alone.”

Frankie Goes To Hollywood singer Holly Johnson, who is from Liverpool and covered Marsden’s song Ferry Cross The Mersey, said the singer was a “Liverpool legend”.

“So sorry to hear about the passing of Gerry Marsden,” he wrote on Twitter.

“What a Liverpool Legend. So glad I met him.”

He first formed Gerry and the Pacemakers with his brother Fred, Les Chadwick and Arthur McMahon.

Gerry and the Pacemakers were the second group signed by Beatles manager Brian Epstein and remained among his favourite artists. Their first single was "How Do You Do It," was initially given to their “rivals” The Beatles becoming their first number one.

You’ll Never Walk Alone had enjoyed a resurgence during the coronavirus pandemic after a cover of the song featuring Captain Tom Moore reached number one in the UK singles chart.