THE HERE & NOW.
Brian and Annie decided in 2002 to travel in their American Motorhome. Starting in the Lake District then over the Pennines into North Yorkshire, moving on to the Lincolnshire coast and into Norfolk. After calling back to their home in Beeston, Nottingham they set off again this time for North Wales. Next stop was Devon and down to the New Forest. We had been out for seven months by then when Annie suggested we go across to our old home the Isle of Wight to see family and friends. What should have been a two week stay there turned out to be a move back for seven years.
Brian retired as a DJ in 2005 after doing a few shows on the Isle-of Wight
It took him over two years to finally copy the cassette tape recordings he took direct from vinyl records and taped interviews on to CD; and then with the advent of MP3 to copy them all over again.
Those seven years spent together on the Island involved joining the Ventnor Comic Jazz Band (see Utube) See the Big Bopper dressed as an American police officer playing snare drum and Marie as a cowgirl at most of the island carnivals. A show or two just to keep his hand in and a lot of singing, but tragedy would strike when Annie fell ill.
Annie suffered from lung cancer for the last two years before finally passing away in August 2008. She was in great pain and was very brave until the end. She will always be remembered by the many people who knew her.
ANNIE 1945 - 2008
With the passing of time a new partner has come into Brian's life. Divorcee Marie hails from Leyton, London originally but found herself on the Isle of Wight having moved there in 2002.
Hearing Brian sing one night they became friends and pretty soon things took off with the decision, at their time of life, to just "get together".
Brian took Marie to the East Midlands to show her where his roots lay and she just loved the place. They both moved in to a house in Derbyshire in February 2010
MARIE.
BRIAN AND MARIE WERE MARRIED ON SEPTEMBER 7th 2013 AT SWADLICOTE TOWN HALL SOUTH DERBYSHIRE.
Since moving into their home in Derbyshire Brian and Marie have been running THE BIG BOPPER'S KARAOKE SHOW together. With over 30 followers the show has been in local pubs in the area, and the followers have made great friends. Every Saturday night they could be heard singing away to many of the old songs. Brian just loves to sing too.
