James Harrel (Jimmy) McGriff
3rd April 3 1936 – 24th May 2008

Jimmy McGriff, who recorded the memorable Radio Caroline close-down music 'Round Midnight', has died. Described on his own website as the 'World's Greatest Blues Organist', Jimmy passed away in a New Jersey nursing home. He had suffered from multiple sclerosis for some years.

Jimmy came from a musical family and was playing piano by the age of five, later switching to organ. He trained at Juilliard and the Combe College of Music in Philadelphia and also enjoyed private tutoring from Jimmy Smith. (Smith was the musician who was to play his Hammond on the deck of the Mi Amigo in 1965).

Ronan O'Rahilly was a huge fan of jazz organists, so it was not surprising that Jimmy McGriff's recording of 'Round Midnight' (a cut on his album 'I've Got a Woman') was chosen for the nightly Caroline close-down. On the Pirate Radio Hall of Fame, Alan Turner also cites the track (penned by Thelonious Monk) as being the first record ever played on Caroline.

On Svenn Martinsen's website, Carl Thompson recalls rescuing the one-and-only copy of 'I've Got a Woman' when the Mi Amigo ran aground at Walton-on-the-Naze.

"I suddenly remembered the closing theme, which was by Jimmy McGriff. I believed that there was only one copy of that; it was scratched, but it was the only one we had on board and I thought we couldn't get another one from London. So I tucked it in my shirt."

The record was handed over to the office in London and went out to Caroline's temporary home, the Cheeta II. When the Mi Amigo returned after repairs, the record was transferred back aboard.

Websites: Jimmy McGriff personal website; All About Jazz biography; Alan Turner's entry in the Pirate Radio Hall of Fame; Svenn Martinsen's Northern Star.

Not content to playing home to various RSLs and Pirate BBC Essex, then starring in Grey Pierson's TV documentary 'Swinging Radio England – A Tale of Pirates, Texans and Teenagers', the lightship LV18 appears in full make-up as the fictional station Radio Sunshine, in the new Richard Curtis comedy, 'The Boat That Rocked'.

Tony O'Neil, Project Manager and Trustee of the Pharos Trust, the charity that owns and operates the historic ship, has issued a press release and a photo of the new movie star.

"We hope that the publicity gained from this will not only highlight our endeavours to bring the LV18 alongside permanently as a tourism and community resource but will also, through 'Film Tourism', attract many people who will want to see the vessel, due to its starring role in 'The Boat That Rocked'."

Links: Pharos Trust press release; our story 'Coming to a Cinema Near You – Offshore Radio' and also 'Fab Offshore Memories', below;Working Title Films site www.workingtitlefilms.com; Swinging Radio England – A Tale of Pirates, Texans and Teenagers; Pirate BBC Essex

Arrrrrrrrr! It be the Big 6-0 for Guy!
Guy Hamilton of Radio Essex and Radio 270 celebrated his 60th birthday at a beer festival at his local. Seeing as it was also the birthday of Jon Myer of the Pirate Radio Hall of Fame, they had a joint party where guests attempted to drink the barrels of colourfully-named beers dry.

On this auspicious occasion, Guy was presented with everything an ex-offshore jock could possibly want - a treasure chest, a Jolly Roger and piratical statuette.

(right) Guy aboard the Oceaan Seven, advertising another popular radio station