The family of singer-songwriter Gerry Marsden said they were "honoured" as hundreds celebrated his life at a memorial service.
The Toxteth -born frontman of Merseybeat band Gerry and the Pacemakers died in January last year at the age of 78, after being diagnosed with a blood infection in his heart. Due to the covid pandemic, only a small private funeral could be held following Gerry's death and his legions of fans were unable to pay their respects to him.
Gerry’s family allocated several hundred tickets to the public for a memorial service, which took place at Liverpool’s Anglican Cathedral today. Among those attending were Liverpool FC legends Jamie Carragher and Kenny Dalglish, Liverpool City Region and Manchester Metro Mayors Steve Rotheram and Andy Burnham, and former boxing champion John Conteh.
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Ahead of the service, daughter Yvette on behalf of her sister Vicky and all the family said they wanted the service to be a "true celebration" of their dad's life.
Speaking to the ECHO, she said: "It is a huge honour, we realise we are very, very lucky to be able to do this for dad. We can't believe how many want to attend, it's obviously going to be very emotional, both happy and sad all in one.
"And how lovely we can hold this in the cathedral which he loved so much. Literally just down the road from where he was brought up."
The family said Gerry was a "brilliant dad". Yvette added: "To us he was just dad. He did the school runs, was daft with us. He was just dad.
"He did his best to get home when he was touring and try and get home most nights, even from a long distance, so he could have the day time with us. He was very, very grounded and he kept us very much out of the limelight and he was just a daft dad. He was brilliant.
"We are extremely proud. We always have been, but I think since his passing we just can't believe the corners of the world he has touched. We got messages from absolutely everywhere, all over the world.
"We had one saying he signed somebody's arm in Kuala Lumpur one day and he had it tattooed, we just couldn't believe the outpouring and as I say he touched so many people. It's just incredible.
"He toured every year all over the world and fans out there used to say you've brought a little bit of home back to us, especially in the likes of Australia. We didn't realise, and it has to be said again, we didn't realise until he passed how he respected he was in the business.
"Nobody has had a bad word to say about him. That's enormous and means a lot, he didn't realise how respected and loved he was."
Formed in Liverpool in 1956, Gerry and the Pacemakers have the distinction of being the first act to reach number one in the UK Singles Chart with each of their first three singles. The third of these singles was their cover version of You'll Never Walk Alone, which then became Liverpool FC ’s anthem.
The band starred in the 1965 musical ‘Ferry Cross the Mersey’, before splitting up in 1967. They reformed in the 1970s and continued touring until 2018, when Gerry retired.
Gerry had also worked as a solo artist and reached the top of the charts in the 1980s with re-recordings of his iconic tracks. He was made an MBE in 2003 for his services supporting the victims of the Hillsborough disaster and he was awarded Liverpool’s Freedom of the City in 2009.
The singer released a new version of 'You'll Never Walk Alone' in 2020, paying tribute to the efforts of the NHS during the covid pandemic.
