It was in 1962 when Gerry and the Pacemakers were signed by manager Brian Epstein as his second group after The Beatles and made their name with ballads such as “Ferry Cross the Mersey” and “Don't Let the Sun Catch You Crying.” But it was a Rodgers & Hammerstein song, '”You'll Never Walk Alone” which had enthralled Gerry Marsden since he saw the film Carousel in his youth that was their biggest hit. For three decades, it has remained the anthem of the crowds at Liverpool Football Club and has been played before kick-off every Saturday inscribed on the club gates and always the most popular concert request. Marsden formed the group in the late ‘50s featuring himself on guitar and lead vocals, his brother Fred on drums, Les Chadwick on bass and Arthur Mack on piano who was replaced by Les McGuire in 1961. They worked the same Liverpool/Hamburg circuit as The Beatles and ran neck and neck with their rivals in local popularity. In 1963, they were signed by Epstein and began recording for the EMI/Columbia label under the direction of producer George Martin. Their first single was “How Do You Do It?” which was a Mitch Murray tune that went all the way to #1 on the charts. Similar to The Beatles, they starred in their own film, Ferry Cross the Mersey in 1965 for which Marsden wrote most of the soundtrack. Then in 1966, the band disbanded after the release of their last American Top 40 hit, "Girl on a Swing.” Marsden went on to become a popular cabaret and children's television entertainer sometimes performing with the Pacemakers on the oldies circuit. He also contributed vocals to British chart-topping revivals of "You'll Never Walk Alone" and "Ferry Cross the Mersey" in the ‘80s. Today, Gerry and the Pacemakers still enjoy well-deserved popularity and continue to tour regularly including this summer where they will be performing for one night at the Boulevard Casino’s Red Robinson Show Theatre in August.

Tickets: Cabaret Seating | $29.50 | plus service charges