Lifelong Rod Stewart fanatic from Bewdley parts with singer's shirt
A Rod Stewart fanatic who's seen the star perform live 40 times – and invited him to his wedding – has parted with a shirt owned by the singer.
Kevin Freeth, from Bewdley, auctioned off the black and white Burberry shirt covered in love hearts once owned and worn by the performer.
It went under the hammer at Hansons Auctioneers' music auction on Wednesday and brought in £380 against an estimation of £400 to £500.
The 54-year-old, who is retired alongside his 63-year-old wife Helen, are lifelong fans of the Maggie May singer – so much so their wedding revolved around him.
Kevin said: "We got married in Vegas in 2014 and our wedding night celebration was watching Rod perform live at Caesars Palace with 40 fellow fans. They flew over with us from the UK.
"We tied the knot at the Treasure Island Hotel chapel courtesy of Rod Stewart lookalike Vic Vega. He sang a couple of songs during the ceremony. I actually invited the real Rod to the wedding but he didn’t turn up. It was still a brilliant day, though.
"I think he saw us in the crowd at the concert at Caesars Palace because I wore a bright green wedding suit and tried to get on stage with him. I didn’t manage it.
"Both me and Helen have met Rod a few times over the years. We’re members of a Rod Stewart fan club and got together at a club event. I bought the shirt at a club charity auction. Fans get together at Big Weekends and Rod’s sister, Mary, comes along. Apparently, she goes into her brother’s wardrobe and picks stuff out to be auctioned off for a good cause.
“I bought Rod’s cotton Burberry shirt before lockdown in 2019.
"I’ve worn it about four times – only on special occasions. I’m only parting with it now because I have three Rod shirts, including one Helen bid on at a fan club auction in March.
"The latest one is signed by Rod and it’s covered in playing cards which reminds us of our Vegas wedding. I suppose it’s a romantic purchase. I don’t really need three shirts so I’ve decided to part with one. It’s all good fun and we’ve made load of friends thanks to the fan club. I can’t put into words why I like Rod Stewart so much. My dad was a big fan. All you’d hear in the house when I was growing up was the Faces, his former band."
Claire Howell, music consultant at Hansons Auctioneers, said: "This is why music memorabilia is so important to people. It taps into great memories and nostalgia. Rod Stewart has played a massive part in Kevin and Helen’s lives. He helped them meet, inspired their wedding plans and enabled them to make new friends thanks to the fan club.
"The shirt itself is a lovely quality item, as you would expect from a mega-star."
