A South Coast man has a musical career more than half a century old, starting as the lead singer on some of the most recognizable pop music songs from the 1960’s.
“I’m Henry the 8th, I am,” and “Mrs. Brown, You’ve Got A Lovely Daughter ” are some of the hits by the British pop “Herman’s Hermits.” The band may be from the UK, but its lead singer, Peter Noone has called the Santa Barbara area home for more than 30 years, and this week is hosting a big charity concert.
Noone says he grew up in a musical family, so it was only natural it would become his career. He says his father, his mother, and virtually all of his relative played instruments, and in the pre-TV days, they would entertain themselves by getting together to play music.
Noone says his family sent him to a school where he could study music, but his real education was forming a group, and playing with other teens. The musician says he, and his bandmates would sneak out of school to play during lunchtime at nearby pubs, and then sneak back into school for the final roll call of the day.
Noone says they kept playing gigs, and started building a fan base. After the band’s first big hit in 1964, “I’m Into Something Good,” they were a big deal in both their native UK, and the U.S. They had a number of hits in the mid-1960’s, and appeared in movies, and popular TV shows like “The Ed Sullivan Show.”
Noone and his family have lived in the Santa Barbara area since the mid-1980’s.
He still loves to perform, and is on the road more than a third of the year, with more than concert dates.
Noone is bringing his show home this week for a major benefit event. “Peter Noone And Friends” will take place at Santa Barbara’s Lobero Theater Tuesday night, as a fundraiser for Santa Barbara’s Unity Shoppe. It’s helping to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the non-profit organization which helps thousands of people in need a year.
