FRIENDS AND ASSOCIATES

Graham Cooper, who hales from Stoke, has been playing in bands since a teenager.
One of his first bands was called Peter & The Persuaders. In the early days of pop Graham’s band was taken under the wing of Tony Hatch and got to play with a host of Britain’s best and well-known bands <i>before</i> they became the big names we know and love today. Graham can boast of rubbing shoulders with the likes of Jethro Tull, Slade, The Hollies and The Beatles!
Graham is The FourtuneS front man; he shares lead and backing vocals with Dean, and plays lead and rhythm guitars.

Dean James, a Bolton lad, started on his musical path at the tender age of 15 as the drummer with a band called Loose Change in 1966. In 1968 after seeing The Bee Gees and hearing Maurice Gibb’s Rickenbacker Bass playing, he decided that he also wanted to produce those same commanding deep driving bass sounds. So in 1968 bought a Hofner Violin Bass of Mr McCartney fame! A number of bands followed, The Vectors, Image Replay, Phoenix Knights, Inpulse.
“One gig in Bolton I particularly remember, there was a fellow band on the bill called The Kimbos, a great band where <i>all four</i> members were left handed! “
Dean is a founder member of The FourtuneS TRIBUTE band and shares lead and backing vocals, and now does play a Rickenbacker 4003 bass and is responsible for the bands sound setup – so if it’s not up to scratch, it's Dean's fault!

John ‘The Keys’ Merriman, as the name suggests, plays keyboards and also provides backing vocals and is the only local man in the band! John is a founder member of The FourtuneS TRIBUTE band, is very easy going and just can’t do enough for everyone.
He has made several recordings as a freelance and with various bands in the 60's / 70's.
Pack of Cards, S.O.S., Lead Iron Brewery, Lynne Breeze Duo, Phoenix Knights and Park Avenue (along-side Eddie Mooney, former lead singer / bass player with the DAKOTAS now with the original FORTUNES).

Drummer Peter Amos is The FourtuneS latest member. Originally from London, Pete started work in Marshall’s music shop in London and has met many of the countries most famous musicians. He has played drums professionally for many years. Moving to the North about fifteen years ago, Pete plays a beautiful vintage Ludwig drumkit and his solid drumming perfectly compliment’s The FourtuneS musicality and we count ourselves very 'Fourtunate' to have him with us.