With The Searchers
![[image]](http://mysite.verizon.net/kentpearson/graphics/TheSearchers.jpg)
left to right; Frank Allen, Kent Pearson, John McNally (1986)
9-12-87
To Whom It May Concern:
I am a member of the popular music group THE SEARCHERS, who with 25 years standing and such hits as Love Potion #9, Needles and Pins, Bumble Bee, Goodbye My Love and others, must be considered one of the classic British rock acts from the Mersey era.
On recent tours of the U.S., I became acquainted with a songwriter by the name of Kent Pearson and was delighted to find that he was writing material of a style and quality that suited us greatly. So much so that we now perform his work on stage and at least one of his songs is under consideration for our next single release. Indeed we have already made a live demo of this tune.
It is difficult these days to find songwriters who construct their work over a guitar base as opposed to synthesizers so we were delighted to find his six string and twelve string guitar playing gave exactly the right feel and sound for the excellent tunes he had presented to us. Had they not been guitar backed, I doubt we would have been able to assess their full potential.
I now understand that he has now suffered an accident which means he can no longer play the guitar. This to my mind is a tragedy. The guitar is crucial to the way he writes and a songwriter has the ability to earn a considerable fortune. In my experience it has always neen the writers of the songs and not the artistes who have gained the most financially, apart from some exceptions. Even a modest hit can earn potentially hundreds of thousands of dollars purely by the fact that artistes other than the original recorder cover the same tune on an infinite number of albums. As you can imagine, the number of versions multiplied by the years of copyright during which sales will continue even after chart life will build up a substantial income. I have to believe that his future is damaged severely by this accident.
I am concerned mainly by the plight of such a talented songwriter, but also by the fact that a source of much wanted material may well be closed off.
Yours Faithfully,
Frank Allen (The Searchers)
![[image]](http://mysite.verizon.net/kentpearson/graphics/FAllen01.jpg)
The actual letter to my personal injury lawyer. I ended up with a whopping $6,000 lump-sum settlement.
Six years later, I decided that my hand had healed enough to attempt re-learning how to play the guitar. I was finally able to close my hand in a fist, although the middle finger on my fretting hand, which was caught in a hydraulic press and was nearly lost, now crosses my ring finger. The sensation had returned as well. It took roughly another six years to get back to where I felt my playing developement was suddenly halted. Roughly, a dozen years, "out of the loop". I'm pleased to say that I can now play as well or better than I could previous to the injury, but unfortunately, the time lost is gone forever.
![[image]](http://mysite.verizon.net/kentpearson/graphics/Searchbig.jpg)
The Searchers, mid 1960's record sleeve
I am a member of the popular music group THE SEARCHERS, who with 25 years standing and such hits as Love Potion #9, Needles and Pins, Bumble Bee, Goodbye My Love and others, must be considered one of the classic British rock acts from the Mersey era.
On recent tours of the U.S., I became acquainted with a songwriter by the name of Kent Pearson and was delighted to find that he was writing material of a style and quality that suited us greatly. So much so that we now perform his work on stage and at least one of his songs is under consideration for our next single release. Indeed we have already made a live demo of this tune.
It is difficult these days to find songwriters who construct their work over a guitar base as opposed to synthesizers so we were delighted to find his six string and twelve string guitar playing gave exactly the right feel and sound for the excellent tunes he had presented to us. Had they not been guitar backed, I doubt we would have been able to assess their full potential.
I now understand that he has now suffered an accident which means he can no longer play the guitar. This to my mind is a tragedy. The guitar is crucial to the way he writes and a songwriter has the ability to earn a considerable fortune. In my experience it has always neen the writers of the songs and not the artistes who have gained the most financially, apart from some exceptions. Even a modest hit can earn potentially hundreds of thousands of dollars purely by the fact that artistes other than the original recorder cover the same tune on an infinite number of albums. As you can imagine, the number of versions multiplied by the years of copyright during which sales will continue even after chart life will build up a substantial income. I have to believe that his future is damaged severely by this accident.
I am concerned mainly by the plight of such a talented songwriter, but also by the fact that a source of much wanted material may well be closed off.
Yours Faithfully,
Frank Allen (The Searchers)
The actual letter to my personal injury lawyer. I ended up with a whopping $6,000 lump-sum settlement.
Six years later, I decided that my hand had healed enough to attempt re-learning how to play the guitar. I was finally able to close my hand in a fist, although the middle finger on my fretting hand, which was caught in a hydraulic press and was nearly lost, now crosses my ring finger. The sensation had returned as well. It took roughly another six years to get back to where I felt my playing developement was suddenly halted. Roughly, a dozen years, "out of the loop". I'm pleased to say that I can now play as well or better than I could previous to the injury, but unfortunately, the time lost is gone forever.
The Searchers, mid 1960's record sleeve
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