THE last time Arthur Strand was given a send off it was led by American soul legend Jimmy Ruffin.
The singer, whose hits included What Becomes of the Broken Hearted, may now be performing in that great concert hall in the sky but back in the 1969, he was headlining at the famous California Ballroom in Dunstable.
“Jimmy Ruffin was on stage playing his hits when he suddenly stopped,” explains Arthur.
“He knew my band was heading out to what was then West Germany to tour military bases. In the middle of his set, he told the audience where we were going and asked them to give us a rousing send off. It was amazing to hear such a legendary singer giving our band a shout out.”
That night was the start of a mammoth trek with Arthur performing in 60 military bases in 60 days. Other tours followed and as his reputation as a bass guitarist spread, he received a call to record with a certain Australian singer called Olivia Newton John.
Next month, Arthur, 69, will be saying his goodbyes once more –this time after 10 years as one of Wokingham’s best-known and popular market traders.
Born in Finchampstead, the man who is as much a Wokingham fixture as the town hall itself, says he’s happy for a more quieter send off.
“I’ll just put my jacket on, wave goodbye to the other stall holders and head off home,” he smiles.
It will be the latest stage of a varied and rewarding music career which has taken him all over the world and meeting artists such as The Delfonics and legendary songwriter, Les Reed, who penned hits such as Delilah and It’s Not Unusual for Tom Jones.
Although Arthur will finally close down his popular stall which has helped raised money for local charities, he is very much looking to the future of Wokingham and the market.
“In nine years’ time – in 2027 – we will be celebrating the 800th anniversary of the charter which set up Wokingham market,” Arthur explains. “That is a major milestone for any town and I hope to be there for the celebrations.
“I remember my mum bringing me to the market and taking me round her favourite shops and stalls when I was just a schoolboy.
“Over the years there have been many characters.
“I especially remember Goldie Young who was still running her haberdashery stall well into her 80s.
“Then there was Ed Philips who sold women’s clothes for 42 years. His son, Darren, has had a florist stall for 20 years.”
He adds with a grin: “I think many people believe I was here when the market was first set up.”
Before running his CD stall, Arthur enjoyed a varied career as a singer, songwriter, sports correspondent and friend of the stars.
It was back in 1957 that as a young schoolboy, he got his first rather abrupt introduction to the wonderful world of music.
“A teacher blew a few times into a cornet, handed it to me then said take that and practice,” laughs Arthur. “I did try but it just wasn’t for me. Not long after that, I discovered the bass guitar and realised this was my instrument. The only problem is I now have 14 of them at home and I’m running out of space.”
In the 1960s, Arthur was a member of several bands with the members often changing as frequently as the venues. A frenzy of gigs, tours and sessions culminated with that performance at the famous California Ballroom in Dunstable and meeting Jimmy Ruffin.
On his return, he got the call to play guitar for Olivia Newton John.
“It was in London and I was the bassist for her on what would be her first worldwide hit, If Not For You. That was amazing. I wasn’t surprised when a number of years later, she was cast as Sandy in Grease.”
It was on another tour in Germany, that Arthur bumped into what he thought were three American soldiers. They talked about music over a cigarette when the Wokingham man suddenly realised his new friends were in fact the chart topping band, The Delfonics who enjoyed worldwide success with songs like La-La (Means I Love You) and Didn’t I (Blow Your Mind This Time).
But then, mixing with music legends was second nature to Arthur. Many years later, after he stopped touring, he was working as a sports correspondent covering Finchampstead FC and the St Barnabas Cricket Club.
“I was reporting a county game when I saw someone walking towards me. He asked if I was Arthur Strand and when I replied I was, he introduced himself as Les Reed.
“I don’t know who told him about me, but here I was chatting with an Ivor Novello winner who has written maybe 60 hits including Delilah and It’s Not Unusual, for Tom Jones and The Last Waltz for Englebert Humperdinck. We chatted about music and songwriting. It was an amazing experience.”
In recent years, Arthur has become a regular fixture at the weekly Wokingham Market. Come rain or sun, he has pitched his stall in the town, attracting both local music lovers and music stars.
“My customers have included people like Dave Lambert, guitarist with The Strawbs, and Dave Swarbrick of the folk group, Fairport Convention.
“It’s great to chat and pass the time talking about music. I’ve loved having the stall and helping to raise money for various charities.
“However, I’m nearing 70 and I’ve decided not to renew my pitch. My last day will be Thursday, July 26. Lots of people are telling me to keep going but I feel now is the right time to call it a day.”
As he looks back on his own musical career, Arthur believes this is an exciting time for the borough’s future music stars.
“When I was starting out, there weren’t that many opportunities in the town but the music scene has changed for the better,” he says. “Pubs and other venues are very supportive of local singers and bands. They could help launch music careers.
“There is a huge amount of musical talent in our area and I am excited about the future.”
As he enters his 70th year, Arthur promises he won’t be deserting his beloved Wokingham.
“I’ll still be around, meeting people and catching up with friends old and new. I’ll be there on market day, just not running a stall,” he smiles.
“I love this town. Where else could I go?”
