A HEREFORDSHIRE band and the wider 1960s music scene are being celebrated 60 years on from their heyday.

Members of the Facebook group We Grew Up in Hereford have shared memories of the 1960s band the Ganes Boys of Herefordshire, remembering times they played at local pubs and parties.

The band was made up of lead vocalist Barry Gane, guitarists Cec Gane and Alex Wakeley, bassist Alan Rudd and drummer Phil Tippins.

Geoff Davis said: "I want to see many bands in Herefordshire. The Ganes Boys was one of these bands as well as Shiloh, Coopers Country and even Mott the Hoople."

Patricia Mohan commented: "They played at my 18th! Great band."

Meanwhile, Kevin Fosbery and Brenda Powell remembered how the drummer Mr Tippins had a toy of the Muppet Animal on the front of his drums.

"Great memories," added Sarah Milner, with Julia Laycock saying, "Those were the days."

Mr Tippins' cousin Stan Tippins also achieved success in Herefordshire band Mott the Hoople.

Reminiscing about the wider music scene in Hereford in the Sixties, Stan Tippins has previously spoken about iconic Hereford venue the Hillside Ballroom which saw performances from huge acts like the Rolling Stones, the Who, the Kinks and more.

He told the BBC 10years ago: "I think every band played at the Hillside Ballroom bar the Beatles.

"I remember seeing the Rolling Stones on a Friday night about 1963, and Come On had just come out. It came in the charts that week at 22.

"It was only half full. Most people didn't know who they were, but they were fantastic. 

"The movements of Mick Jagger astonished me. He was such a great mover on stage."

The following decade, iconic band the Pretenders formed including three Hereford teenagers, later becoming one of the world's biggest bands.

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Lead singer Chrissie Hynde found her backing band of guitarist James Honeyman-Scott, bassist Pete Farndon, and drummer Martin Chambers to form the Pretenders in 1978.

Four years into their career, Hynde and Chambers were the only original members left.

Farndon died in 1983 aged 30. Two days later Honeyman-Scott was found dead of heart failure caused by a cocaine overdose.

Hynde still runs the band, with Chambers in and out.