As you may have heard, yesterday brought the sad news that Gerry Marsden aka frontman of the Merseybeat band Gerry and the Pacemakers, had passed away after contracting a heart infection.

Marsden was 78 and left behind an impressive legacy including what many consider the definitive version of the iconic 'You'll Never Walk Alone', amongst many others.

The Liverpudlian band were the second to be signed by Brian Epstein after he had signed The Beatles, and as such, the two bands had a close friendship - particularly in their early days.

Amongst the many musicians and fans paying tribute to Marsden was Paul McCartney, who shared a pretty amazing photo on Instagram of Gerry and the Pacemakers, The Beatles and Roy Orbison backstage in a dressing room.

"Gerry was a mate from our early days in Liverpool," he wrote. "He and his group were our biggest rivals on the local scene. His unforgettable performances of 'You’ll Never Walk Alone' and 'Ferry Cross the Mersey' remain in many people’s hearts as reminders of a joyful time in British music. My sympathies go to his wife Pauline and family. See ya, Gerry. I’ll always remember you with a smile. - Paul"

 

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A post shared by Paul McCartney (@paulmccartney)

Other well-known names also paid tribute to the musician, including musician Elvis Costello, comedian John Bishop, E Street Band member Stevie Van Zandt and Liverpool FC.

R.I.P.