Just three days after the death of legendary blues guitarist Peter Green shook the music industry and music lovers worldwide, generations of northeast music fans were devastated to learn of the passing of one of their own guitar heroes, Charlie Harcourt. Charlie died in hospital on 28th July 2020 following a long period of ill-health.
With a music career spanning over five decades, Charlie Harcourt built up a sparkling reputation as a guitarist both in the local area and beyond. His musical journey from the Junco Partners in the sixties through to Lindisfarne this millennium took him all over the world, including a spell living in the United States.
Although I didn’t know Charlie personally I saw him perform many times in the sixties and early seventies before I left the northeast. Looking through my old diaries I’m able to come up with a date that I first saw him weaving his magic on guitar. It was on 20th March 1965 at the Blue Note Club in Sunderland as part of the original Junco Partners line-up. By that time the Juncos had become well established at Newcastle’s Club a’Gogo with a growing reputation in other areas of the northeast. The band sounded and looked great as a unit but it was the musicianship and charisma of each individual member, including Charlie Harcourt, which made the Juncos by far the best band around at that time. I can genuinely say that I still have vivid recollections of the Junco Partners’ performance that night at the Blue Note. The last time I saw Charlie perform was at the launch of the North East Beat exhibition at the Discovery Museum in 2009.
Charlie Harcourt learned to play the guitar at an early age. In 1964 the 17-year old Charlie was asked to join a newly formed Junco Partners whose core members were Dave Sproat (bass), John Woods (drums) and Ronnie Barker (vocals). The band had come to the attention of The Animal’s manager Mike Jeffery and was rehearsing at the Club a’Gogo. Replacing the original guitarist, Charlie became a member of the band along with John Anderson (vocals) and Pete Wallis (keyboard). After a few months of rehearsals the Juncos began playing at the Club a’Gogo. They proved to be a great success with the Gogo crowd and eventually became the resident band there.
The Junco Partners was tipped to follow The Animals as the next northeast band to achieve fame and fortune. But the elusive big break never came. The band saw various changes over the years. In 1970 the Juncos was down to a four-piece consisting of original members Charlie, Dave Sproat and John Wood with Bob Sargeant on keys. At that point Charlie decided to leave the band. He was a tough act to follow. In spite of advertising for a new guitarist the remaining members of the band weren’t able to find a replacement and continued for a while as a three piece before finally calling it a day.
In the meantime Charlie had joined a band formed by ex-Nice bassist Lee Jackson called Jackson Heights. This was a fairly short lived venture with the original band falling apart after one album.
Since the heady days of the Club a’Gogo in the mid-sixties, club owner and Animals’ manager Mike Jeffery had done well for himself. He had become the co-manager of Jimi Hendrix, the highest grossing rock guitarist of the sixties. Jeffery also had a stable of artists that he managed. Two of his acts were a duo from Chatanooga called Jimmy & Vella and a Californian based band called Cat Mother & The All Night News Boys. The two acts frequently toured together. Charlie Harcourt was asked by Mike Jeffery to join Jimmy & Vella as a backing guitarist. This led to him becoming a member of Cat Mother, recording on one of their albums. Charlie lived in California for a few years and toured with both acts all over the States and Europe.
On his return to the UK, Charlie became a member of a reformed Lindisfarne, the original Lindisfarne having fractured in 1973. During this stint with Lindisfarne he formed a song-writing partnership with Ray Jackson. When Lindisfarne (mark 2) split in 1975, Charlie continued his association with Ray Jackson forming the band Harcourt’s Heroes.
Around 1976/77 some members of the original Junco Partners got together once more and started performing again in the northeast. The Juncos regained their original popularity and became resident band at the Cooperage on Newcastle’s Quayside playing to packed audiences. The Junco’s second coming was to last for 40 years until the band finally called it a day in 2017. Charlie Harcourt performed with the Juncos throughout this period as well as gigging with Lindisfarne until 2015 and performing at some of their legendary Christmas shows at the City Hall.
Over the decades Charlie Harcourt performed with numerous top musicians and artists. His guitar playing has been enjoyed by several generations of music lovers. Both fellow musicians and fans alike respected Charlie’s skills. His contribution to the northeast music scene will always be remembered and will live on through the recordings he made with the many bands he played with.
RIP Charlie.
Enjoyable read brought back lots of memories from Newcastle days.
R.I.P. C.H.
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The first time I spoke to Charlie Harcourt was in The Young Set. I was hoping to bond with my older blues guitar hero by suggesting we had similar musical taste. I told him I thought The Impressions were really good. “Too supper club” he replied but in a tone of empathy so as not to offend a fawning sycophant.
Years later when we were both older and he was with Lindisfarne (in Rhode Island I think?) and listening to a lot of Al Green and I was listening to mostly Gamble & Huff he told me I had the musical taste of a teenage African American girl. May you rest in peace Charlie Harcourt.
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A very interesting article!
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RIP. Charlie. Without doubt. A Hero.
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Whilst being a great guitarist he had a fantastic voice. Many years of great memories in the Juncos.
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Another one gone Roger. But some of us continue on. I still keep in contact with Tom Henderson from Marimba, A’Go Go fame and even Grey’s club!
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I first saw Charlie as a member of Pacamax a collection of gerordie musicians that included Ray Jackson, Rod Clements and Ray Laidlaw of Lindisfarne along with Billy Mitchell who would eventually join Lindisfarne and Jed Grimes – they played a gig at the New Crown in South Shields to a packed crowd – what a great nights entertainment – the next time was when he became a member of Lindisfarne – great performer and a nice man.
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A Lovely guy with a unique style
RIP my friend
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Seen charlie play on several occasions last time was at norham castle Northumberland what a player
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Great bloke and guitar teacher RIP
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Great friend gave me his copy of It’s all over now by the Valentino’s for my 15th birthday.
Still have it. Loved the time I spent with him
Tears in my eyes
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Charlie was a great guitarist and a lovely man. We had many great times together in the Juncos. RIP Charlie.
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Met up with Charlie & Jacka again when Lindisfarne played at Backstage at the Green, Kinross in 2015, it was great to see them again after some 40 years , and we all agreed we’d never changed ( if only)! It’s a sign of friends when we can chat on as if time hasn;t happened. Charlie was both a great guitarist and vocalist and another great loss to the North East. RIP my friend.
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In the words of Nat King Cole: ‘Unforgettable’.
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Looking through this site , it’s heartbreaking to see all this talent from the north east disappearing from life , another one gone .
Jim Jordan you a blast from my past hope life has treated you well.
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Hi Judith, all we can hope is that we made the most of it while we could. The Sixties in the North East were a great time with bands everywhere, very different times now ( Even before COVID), with the lack of venues, through the ” Rose Coloured Glasses” it seems back then if you wanted to Gig there were plenty of opportunities. Gone now the Working Mens Clubs, Rex Hotel, Argus Butterfly, Coatham Bowl and the smaller venues, Gogo, Downbeat, Quay Club Lampglass Cellar ( One of your locals), but will it depress us? Too right it will!
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Well said Ji
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Many a happy night at Throckley Union Jack club listening to Charlie and the Mick Whitacker band back in the early 80’s, lovely memories.
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Still remember Charlie from school. While some us played table tennis in the physics lab during break Charlie played air guitar. Charlie and the Juncos are legends. RIP
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So sad to hear about Charlie’s death. I knew him from his other line of work: residential and day care services. He was a lovely genuine enthusiastic guy. I worked in Newcastle social services children’s homes, the same time as Charlie in the early 80s. We were once on a four night residential course and Charlie brought along his guitar. Very much appreciated. Latterly he was in charge of music at the Percy Headley Foundation. Charlie was most amused, when I told him one of the young people, I was linked to was first in line, when he retired. I also knew Ronnie Barker, from the Juncos, as I worked with Margaret his wife. Ronnie told an amusing story about Robert Stigwood of Polydor record fame. Charlie was present at the occasion!
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In the 1960s the Junco Partners would sit in the Biz Bar in Park Lane Sunderland and chat up the girls encouraging them to come to the el Cubana in Toward Rd Sunderland, where they played regularly. They built up a large following which went on for years.
The “Juncos” played their first professional gig at the el Cubana.
They were involved for many years later raising funds for McMillian Nurses at the Barnes Hotel in Sunderland, with they encouragement of “LES SCOTT (Ex mayor of Sunderland.) I myself attended one of these fund raising events events while on holiday from New Zealand ( I have lived there since 2003) It was so nice to meet the Juncos again.
RIP Charlie Harcourt.
Eric Punshon. ericpunshon@gmail.com
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I was the only doorman at the “Change Is” on Bath Lane when it first opened.
Junco Partners used to hang out in the lobby with me quite often, they were a super nice bunch. Charlie had a beautiful blond girlfriend at the time and we dated on and off for a while after she and Charlie broke up. I can’t remember her name but she came to the club quite often. I wondered at times if they ended up together.
She lived on Gardner Ave – up Elswick way (excuse the spelling). The time period was the latter part of 1969. I moved to America shortly after.
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I never met Charlie but I saw him a few times in the 60’s and 70’s. Great guitar/vocalist. In 1973 I moved into a flat in Tynemouth and I hadn’t been there for more than a few hours when the phone rang and a young lady asked for “Charlie”. I had to say sorry, but there is no Charlie here. The calls just kept coming! Then I found out from the landlord that the Charlie that all these lovely ladies wanted to talk to was Charlie Harcourt! Nice one mate! Rock on up there in heaven!
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Charlie and I used to play / practice in our garage in Newcastle, in the late 50’s, early 60,s, but then our paths split. He ended up with the Junco Partners, and I formed various groups ( among which were The Dinosaurs, the Why and Wherefour, then final the Whisky run), and after 8 years or so, retired from the scene when I met my future wife, and decided that it was her I wanted for the rest of my life, so quit the group scene in mid 1967, a year before we got married. I never forgot Charlie however, and wa very sorry to here of his passing.
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Went to school with Charlie – either Atkinson Rd or John Marlay, I forget which. I was learning guitar and played with him and another mate Kenny Davison a couple of times at his place off the West Rd (if memory serves).Charlie taught me a lot of stuff as he was a much better player than me. I lost touch as I moved away for a lot of years – I was very sad to hear Charlie had gone. RIP.
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Used to see the Juncos in the Uni Playhouse foyer .. abs brilliant live gig
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