Coseley guitar star who packed venues and toured with biggest names dies aged 71
A legend of the Black Country music scene who played to packed-out venues during the halcyon days of the 1960s has died following a stroke.
Tributes have been paid to Alan Clee, who was part of bands Finders Keepers and Revival and lived in Coseley.
He shared the stage with icons including Deep Purple star Glenn Hughes and followed in the footsteps of The Beatles playing at a famous German venue during a career which spanned more than half a century.
Mr Clee was born on the Roseland estate in Dudley. In the early 60s he joined the Strangers which went onto become Finders Keepers. They became hugely popular in the Black Country. Crowds would pack venues to see them during the glory days of live music.
Former bandmate Jake Elcock, who played bass guitar with Finders Keepers, knew Alan for more than 50 years.
He said: "It was a wonderful era for music. The most popular place we played was the Jazz Club in Dudley, which was in the Liberal Club. The place used to be absolutely packed, you couldn't imagine it these days. We had a residency there and it would be packed every Monday for three or four years.
"We famously used to play at the Hamburg Star Club where the Beatles played before they broke in '62. Finders Keepers followed them in there."
The band's most famous single - Light - was produced by American pop group the Walker Brothers. Finders Keepers underwent a line-up change during the late 60s to include names which would later become rock icons.
Rock royalty Glenn Hughes, from Deep Purple, Whitesnake's Mel Galley and Dave Holland of Judas Priest and Trapeze all served their musical apprenticeship alongside Mr Clee in Finders Keepers.
Jake said: "They loved Alan. He was still in contact with Glenn Hughes, he went to see him recently at the Robin 2 and met up."
Mr Clee died on Thursday morning at Russells Hall Hospital aged 71. His family, wife of 51 years Beryl and sons Andy and Paul, were at his bedside. Mr Clee continued to play with Finders Keepers into his later years and also formed part of Midlands supergroup The Crockers, which was made up of members of The Montanas, Light Fantastic and Finders Keepers.
Mr Elcock said: "He was a one-off. We used to call him Big Al. He was a huge guy with huge hands but he could play the guitar with great feeling. He was a huge personality."
