Singer Davey Pattison is the rock of ages – he’s celebrating his eightieth birthday and still gigging

ROCK singer Davey Pattison is rehearsing for his next gig – even though he’ll celebrate his EIGHTIETH birthday tomorrow/today. (Tuesday, November 18)

The Scots vocalist who was plucked from obscurity in 1980 after living in a Paisley tenement to be the frontman and voice of American rock band Gamma and later the Robin Trower Band, spent 40 years in the States living the rock star life.

The singer – described by legendary music producer, Shel Talmy as ‘one of rock’s very best lead vocalists’ – has now returned from America to live in Paisley and has formed a new blues-rock outfit, The Davey Pattison Band.

And he’s following in the footsteps of vocalists like Mick Jagger, Paul McCartney and Rod Stewart, who are still singing in their eighties.

Davey has performed in stadiums and arenas all over America and Europe and once sang in front of 80,000 people at the Oakland Coliseum, in California.

His next gig is at the popular music venue Backstage at The Green, in Kinross, on Thursday, December 4, when he’ll be belting out rock and blues songs backed by his five-piece band. He’s also been in the studio recently recording tracks for a new EP.

Davey says: “I might be 80 years old, but I’m still rockin’ after all those years!

“You could say I’m the oldest rocker in town, but I don’t mind that, as long as I can still give rock and blues music fans a night to remember and that’s what I’ve been doing with my new band.

“If it’s good enough for Mick Jagger, Paul McCartney and Rod Stewart to be performing in their eighties, then it’s good enough for me”

He continues: “The lads in the band haven’t been slow to take the mickey out of me and my upcoming birthday.

“They think they’re all comedians and have been telling me that they’ll have to phone the Fire Brigade if I light all the candles on my birthday cake at the same time and they’ve put legendary fire fighter, Red Adair on stand-by.”

But the band’s lead guitarist, Jim Keilt said: “Davey is still some singer. He can belt out the blues and rock songs like he always did.”

Davey adds: “Despite the ribbing I’m getting, I’m really happy with the band I’ve got now, as all the guys are fabulous musicians.

“I can guarantee people will have a rockin’ good night if they come along to my next gig in Backstage at The Green.”

Tickets for the next Davey Pattison Band gig, in Backstage at The Green, Kinross, on December 4 are available from www.mundellmusic.com.