After the tragic car crash and Eddie Cochran's death on April 17, 1960, Gene flew back to the US for nursing a broken collarbone and addtional damage to his left leg. He returned to the UK on April 29 and opened a new tour on April 30 at Hanley Gaumont. The pictures below were taken on the 5th date of the tour on May 7 at Guildford's Odeon. He was backed by Joe Brown's group, The Beat Boys, including pianist Georgie Fame. The same band would play on Gene's recording Pistol Packin' Mama a few days later.

More information on this tour can be found in Susan Van Ecke's book Race with the Devil. Gene would stay in the UK until June 20 and then returned to the US for the rest of the year and before a return to Europe on January 20 1961. Pictures were supplied by Adrian Owlett to Pierre Pennone in 1966.


© Adrian Owlett, 1961 (courtesy Gene Vincent Music Ltd)

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