Gerry Conway, RIP

The Fairport family has lost another member, after the announcement of the death of Gerry Conway, who was the drummer for Fotheringay, Cat Stevens and Fairport Convention (from 1988 onwards). He was diagnosed with motor neurone disease almost exactly two years ago and retired from Fairport after 2022's Cropredy festival. At the time, it was thought that he felt that he was old enough to retire at 75 years old; now it appears that there was another reason.

"None of us knew that he was in the early stages of that pernicious horror Motor Neurone Disease," wrote band founder Simon Nicol on Facebook. "I didn't know until today, when news of his death filtered out from the protection and privacy he and Jacqui McShee [Conway's wife, and Pentangle singer] sought and deserved. Wonderfully patient and wise, infuriatingly tardy (!) but always ready and eager to play, and blessed with his own inner calm and solidity, I'm going to miss him more than I can say."

Of course, I have several records on which Gerry played: the two Fotheringay albums, "The bunch", "Rosie", some Sandy Denny solo records and a few from the late period of Fairport - fewer than I might have thought.

I was very taken by Gerry's drumming way back in 1970 on Fotheringay's "The pond and the stream", with sensitive drumming that changes according to the song's sections.

And in keeping with things Fairport, today is Richard Thompson's 75^th birthday.

---

This day in history:

Blog #	Date	Title	Tags
70	03/04/2007	An end to headaches?	Health, Migraine, Blood pressure, BCC
345	03/04/2011	Farewell NT4	Computer
1490	03/04/2022	Onion sauce	Cooking