Gerry & The Pacemakers

Not only were Gerry & The Pacemakers among the architects of Liverpool’s Merseybeat sound, they were also one of the British Invasion’s most successful exports. Their origin story mirrors that of their friends—as well as rivals—The Beatles: Forming in the late ’50s, they gigged around their hometown while also making trips to Hamburg, Germany, to further hone their mix of rock ’n’ roll, skiffle, and pop. Fresh off his inking a management deal with the Fab Four, Brian Epstein signed The Pacemakers, who hooked up with producer George Martin in 1963 and scored three No. 1 hits in England: “How Do You Do It?,” “I Like It,” and “You’ll Never Walk Alone.” With leader Gerry Marsden hitting his stride as a composer in 1964 and 1965, the band notched two more gems: “Ferry Cross the Mersey” and “Don’t Let the Sun Catch You Crying.” Both feature Marsden’s quivering tenor nestled in a fusion of strings and folk instrumentation that helped set the stage for the emergence of orchestral and baroque pop. They disbanded in 1967, but the singer reformed the Pacemakers in the ’70s. They would enjoy a long and successful career on the oldie circuits before Marsden’s death in 2021.