Gary Fletcher is a British blues musician, best known for playing bass guitar with The Blues Band

The Blues Band

The Blues Band is a British blues band formed in 1979 by Paul Jones, former lead vocalist and harmonica player with Manfred Mann, and vocalist/slide guitarist Dave Kelly, who had previously played with the John Dummer Blues Band, Howlin' Wolf and John Lee Hooker...

, he is also a guitarist and songwriter.

Early life

Born in London in the early 50's, he became interested in blues music in the late 60's, so he learnt to play his sister's acoustic guitar. Being left-handed, he turned the guitar over, without reversing the strings, so he learnt and continues to play "upside-down".
After his first band, The Breath of Life, he played in Streatham folk-rock band Garfield Row, who were helped by Glenn Cornick

Glenn Cornick

Glenn Douglas Barnard Cornick was the bespectacled, first bass guitar player in the progressive rock band, Jethro Tull....

. After playing in several blues, folk-rock and country bands, he ended up playing and writing for rock band Panama Scandal. He joined blues band Sam Apple Pie

Sam Apple Pie

Sam Apple Pie were a British blues-rock band, of the late 1960s and 1970s, noted for having played at the first Glastonbury Festival in 1970, and for playing a role in the early careers of several musicians including Gary Fletcher, Dave Charles and Malcolm Morley.-Biography:Formed in Walthamstow,...

 in the mid 70's, after they had already recorded both their albums, and shortly before they became The Vipers.

Fletcher and his friend Steve Gurl, who had played with Cornick in Wild Turkey, won a recording contract, whilst Fletcher, Gurl and Fletcher's wife Hilary, also won a publishing contract.

The Blues Band

In 1978 Fletcher joined The Wildcats led by Wilgar Campbell

Wilgar Campbell

Wilgar Campbell was an Irish blues rock musician, best known for his role as drummer with Rory Gallagher in the early 1970s.-Career:Campbell played with local band The Method, who moved to London in 1968 and became Andwella's Dream...

 (Rory Gallagher

Rory Gallagher

William Rory Gallagher, ; 2 March 1948  – 14 June 1995, was an Irish blues-rock multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, and bandleader. Born in Ballyshannon, County Donegal, Ireland, and raised in Cork, Gallagher recorded solo albums throughout the 1970s and 1980s, after forming the band Taste...

's ex drummer), where he met Dave Kelly

Dave Kelly (musician)

David 'Dave' Kelly , is a British bluessinger, guitarist and composer, who has been active on the British blues music scene since the 1960s...

. Kelly invited him to play bass on his album Willing, and suggested Fletcher as bassist when Kelly, Paul Jones

Paul Jones (singer)

Paul Jones is an English singer, actor, harmonica player, and radio personality and television presenter.-Career:As P. P...

, Tom McGuinness and Hughie Flint

Hughie Flint

Hughie Flint , is an English drummer, best known for his stint in John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers, playing drums on the Blues Breakers with Eric Clapton album, released in 1966, for his group McGuinness Flint in the early 70s and for his subsequent association with The Blues Band.Flint played in...

 formed The Blues Band

The Blues Band

The Blues Band is a British blues band formed in 1979 by Paul Jones, former lead vocalist and harmonica player with Manfred Mann, and vocalist/slide guitarist Dave Kelly, who had previously played with the John Dummer Blues Band, Howlin' Wolf and John Lee Hooker...

 in 1979. Fletcher has remained with The Blues Band from its inception.

Fletcher has written several numbers for the Blues Band, notably "Green Stuff" from the 1980 album Ready, which is still a common encore, and "Stepping Out On Main" from the album Stepping Out

Side Projects

As well as The Blues Band, Fletcher has also undertaken side projects, writing and recording with other musicians, including The Dave Kelly Band and Christine Collister, Dave Kelly & The Travelling Gentlemen.
He formed The Relatives, with his wife Hilary, who released the Feud of Love album on Arone Records in 1997. The Relatives also played live, supplemented by Hilary's sister Vivien on vocals and Fletcher's son Jack on drums.
He formed The Gary Fletcher Band, a semi-acoustic band featuring Gary on acoustic & electric guitars, his son Jack on bass, John Evans on lead guitar and, depending on availability, Rob Townsend

Rob Townsend

Rob Townsend is a British rock and blues drummer. He was influenced by jazz greats such as Buddy Rich and Gene Krupa and is best known for being the drummer for progressive rock band Family and later The Blues Band....

, Don James, or Pick Withers

Pick Withers

David "Pick" Withers was the original drummer for the rock band Dire Straits and played on their first four albums, which included hit singles such as "Sultans of Swing," "Romeo and Juliet" and "Private Investigations."...

 on drums/percussion. They are occasionally joined by Mark Feltham

Mark Feltham (musician)

Mark Feltham is an English musician best known for his harmonica playing. Feltham is a long term member of the British rhythm and blues band, Nine Below Zero, and Rory Gallagher's band; and is often utilised as a session musician.-Albums:*Nine Below Zero: Live at the Marquee ; Don't Point Your...

 on harmonica
Their album Human Spirit (BGOCD 780) also includes contributions from Bernie Marsden

Bernie Marsden

-External links:*...

, Micky Moody

Micky Moody

Michael Joseph "Micky" Moody is an English guitarist, and a former member of the rock bands Juicy Lucy and Whitesnake. He was also a founder-member of Snafu. Together with his former Whitesnake colleague Bernie Marsden he founded the Moody Marsden Band, and later, The Snakes...

, Dave Kelly

Dave Kelly

Dave Kelly may refer to:*Dave Kelly , Canadian TV host and voice actor*Dave Kelly , guitarist, vocalist, and member of the Blues Band*Dave Kelly , songwriter, musician, engineer, producer, and owner of Madhouse Records in Jamaica...

 and Paul Jones

Paul Jones (singer)

Paul Jones is an English singer, actor, harmonica player, and radio personality and television presenter.-Career:As P. P...

.

His son Jack was hospitalised after a major accident, and played music to help his recovery. Gary joined him to perform for the patients, and once Jack was released, they played at local parties and pubs as The Fletchers. Both of them sing, and play guitar and bass, but The Fletchers appearances are limited by Gary's commitment to The Blues Band and The Gary Fletcher Band, and Jack's appearances as drummer for Aphid.

Fletcher has also appeared solo, releasing The Official Gary Fletcher Bootleg Album (Hypertension HYP4227) which includes original versions of several songs he wrote for The Blues Band, and recorded a session for BBC Radio 2 broadcast in Mar ’05

Outside Music

Outside of music Fletcher is a keen racing driver, although he only took this up in his mid 40's. Initially competing in the '95/'96 Ford Credit Fiesta Challenge, his first win came in July '98 at Castle Combe in the Proton Coupe Cup and he came third overall in the '99 Championship. As music commitments limit the number of races he can compete in, he became an racing instructor.

Solo/Gary Fletcher Band

• Official Gary Fletcher Bootleg Album (2004)
• Human Spirit (2007)
• Giant From The Blue, Gary Fletcher Band (2011)

With Dave Kelly

• Willing (1979)
• Feels Right (1981)
• Dave Kelly Band Live (1983)
• Making Whoopee - 1979/1982 (2002)

With The Blues Band

• Official Bootleg Album (1980)
• Ready (1980)
• Itchy Feet (1981)
• Brand Loyalty (1982)
• Bye Bye Blues (1983)
• Homage (1996)
• Best of the Blues Band (1999)
• Brassed Up (1999)
• Fat City (2000)
• Wire Less (2000)
• Itchy Feet/Brand Loyalty (Reissue) (2001)
• Official Bootleg Album/Ready (Reissue) (2001)
• Back for More (2002)
• Greenstuff: Live at the BBC 1982 (2002)
• Live (2002)
• Live In Poland (2002)
• Be My Guest (2004)
• Thank You Brother Ray (2004)
• Best of the Blues Band (2005)
• Blues Band Box (2005)
• These Kind of Blues (2005)
• Thank You Brother Ray (Reissue) (2006)