The ShadowMusic Web Community

Announced today that he has passed away at age 85, after a long illness.
Many warm tributes on other news websites to a true legend of music, who appealed to all generations
with a laid back style and charming manner.
Stranger On The Shore is a melody that is truly a timeless classic that will live on through future generations.

Mike

Sad news indeed, RIP Acker and thanks for the music - that will never die.

Great clarinetist and showman who stood the test of time with a long career.....

I didn't know that Acker is a local expression in Somerset where he was born for mate or friend......

Sad loss......happening too often these days.....

I was very sorry to see this. I have two stand-out memories of Acker. The first from my early days when we were on the support bill at Nuneaton Co-Op Hall where he was headlining. While we were carrying amps and instruments into the venue, Acker and his band were carrying in several large cases of white wine.

The best memory, though, was when my band supported Acker at a corporate do in the eighties. We played the last set of the night, finishing off with a belting version of 'What'd I Say?' As we played, Acker and the rest of his band came back onto the stage and joined in for an impromptu, storming show-stopper of a finale to the evening. Happy memories!

During Licorice's time with the Shadows, as many will know, they used to include Stranger on the Shore in some of their stage shows with Lic taking the lead on harmonica.

rip acker great entertainer. peter

A true gentleman with a great sense of humour. Stranger on the shore was massive of course, but he was at the forefront of the Trad Jazz boom of the late 50s and early 60s with his Paramount Jazz Band. Lucky enough to see him a few years ago in Manchester at the great Bridgewater Hall with two other legends, Kenny Ball and Humphrey Lyttelton. All are now gone, but will never be forgotten.

I have fond memories of hearing Acker Bilk's music when I was about 7-8 as my grandparents had several of his records and I used to play them on their Dansette when it was too rainy to go on the beach (they lived by the sea in Cornwall). Monty Sunshine was the other popular clarinet player of the period; he played with the Chris Barber band (Chris Barber is still with us!) and he played the beautiful solo on Petite Fleur which was credited to Chris Barber's Jazz Band. He later said that he thought the band were sounding like "a bad imitation of The Shadows" and was sacked!