Hank Marvin

As the most distinctive member of top instrumental group, The Shadows, Hank Marvin remains massively influential, a key figure in the popularisation of the electric guitar in the UK, inspiring many of the top guitarists who emerged in the 1960s beat boom. He himself was inspired by Buddy Holly, moving to London at 16 with his school-friend Bruce Welch, where he met Cliff Richard at the 2i's coffee bar in Soho. Changing his name to Hank Marvin, he bought what was reputedly the first Fender Stratocaster sold in the UK when he and Bruce Welch both joined Cliff's backing band, originally called The Drifters. Altering their name to The Shadows to avoid confusion with an American band with the same name, they went on to become one of Britain's most enduringly successful acts, achieving numerous hits with Cliff Richard and enjoying several major early 1960s instrumental hits in their own right - notably Apache, Wonderful Land, Dance On and Foot Tapper. With his horn-rimmed glasses, stirring guitar-playing and shuffling dance steps, Marvin was the group's natural focal point, setting the benchmark for subsequent British guitarists. He also made a series of solo singles and albums playing a variety of different styles, reached Number 7 with Throw Down A Line in 1969 and embarked on occasional solo tours and collaborations with other artists, such as Jean Michel Jarre, Dire Straits and Richard Hawley.