User:Calinmusic/sandbox

Brian Horner : Musician

Born in Dunfermline, Scotland in 1951 Brian was a late starter in music, he was 25.

It all began in 1976 when he started to drive a musician friend [sadly now passed away] to his gigs, everyone called him Big Hank. He used to get Brian up for a song or two some nights and it was his suggestion that Brian go into so called show business for himself, we now know who to blame L.O.L.

Brian's so called career then started in a little duo called "The Symbolics" no explanation given, that was changed to "Just Us" That duo lasted about 12 months and was expanded into a 4 piece band called "Cab-A-Ray" they were a very popular covers/comedy band on the local scene in Ireland. They were sometimes billed as the second "Clubsound" or as Brian recalls the poor man's Clubsound. Playing in this band for around 7 years, he believe's the comedy was great craic. No need to ask who the idiot was.

He moved on from there and was invited to join a band called the "Strangers" this band didn't stay together too long much to his dismay, but the drummer and Brian formed a 3 piece 60's covers band called "Heartbeat" and had many good years together and it seems they were one of the best 60's cover band as a 3 piece. Heartbeat were the resident band in the Europa Hotel in Belfast on a Friday night for a few years.

Eventually Heartbeat went their seperate ways around 2001, taking a break from music for a year or two until an old musician friend of Brian's returned from living and playing in Spain, managed after several attempts to coax him out of retirement and join him in a duo called "MonTanA" they shared a lot of great times and laughs doing the country/line dance venues travelling as far as the South of Ireland, Scotland, England and Spain.

On one occassion MonTana was offered a gig in the infamous "Cavern Club" but unfortunately circumstances didn't allow.​

Since then Brian has spent his time as a solo act playing all types of venues and covering all types of music from the fabulous 60's through old time and line dance although 60's is always his preferred music. During his so called showbiz' career he was very fortunate to have worked with a lot of his Idols from the Sixties either as a support act or in some other very small way. He states that this was a massive privilege for him and the memories and friendship shown by them all will stay with him.

​In 1995 he received a phone call from a young lady by the name of Yvonne Guppy [the late great Bobby Vee's press agent] she explained that some of the songs he had written made their way to Bobby and as he was coming to England on tour with, Brian Hyland, Chris Montez, Little Eva and Johnny Preston. He extended an invitation for Brian to come to Leeds to meet him, So without any hesitation, Brian his wife Catherine and his then keyboard player Billy Irwin and his wife Roberta headed of to Leeds. Sadly Bobby has passed away and never recorded any of Brian's songs but this is as Brian says is one of the biggest highlights of his career, and will obviously cherish.