Keyboard player Wal Taylor dies at 79

A well-known musician who was part of a double act that played to audiences at dances and social clubs around the Black Country has died.

Wal Taylor, of Pelsall, lost his battle to cancer aged 79.

He died at home in Hillside Crescent, which he shared with his devoted wife Freda, on June 19. As Wal and John Duo, Mr Taylor played keyboards while his friend John Train played drums.

They toured the Black Country social club circuit for more than four decades.

The pair were also members of the Pelsall Kidney Machine and Research Committee. Along with their wives Freda and Jean, they organised sequence and ballroom dances in Bilston and Wombourne in aid of the renal unit at New Cross Hospital, Wolverhampton.

A former self-employed printer, Mr Taylor would have celebrated his 80th birthday next month.

Mr Train, aged 69, said: "We played together for 44 years. We first met at the West End Club in Wolverhampton in 1965 and played together there for about 36 years and we eventually branched out and did charity dances in and around Walsall and Wolverhampton.

"We never fell out and as a duo we were well-known because of our tempo. We never had any problems selling our tickets. Wal was a dancer himself and knew what dancers liked.

"My wife Jean and I last saw him a few days before he died. He was very ill and we're glad we got a chance to see him before he passed away. He will be sadly missed by all the dancers whom he had entertained over the years."

The funeral will be held on Monday at 11am at Streetly Crematorium, Little Hardwick Road, Streetly.

This will be followed by refreshments at the Saddlers Supporters Club, Bescot Crescent.