Bobby Irwin (23 March 1953 – 8 May 2015) was an English drummer, record producer and songwriter. He is known for working in close collaboration with
Nick Lowe
Nicholas Drain Lowe (born 24 March 1949) is an English singer-songwriter, musician and producer. A noted figure in power pop and new wave,the Cowboy Outfit, as well as being the drummer for
Van Morrison
Sir George Ivan Morrison (born 31 August 1945), known professionally as Van Morrison, is a Northern Irish singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist whose recording career spans seven decades. He has won two Grammy Awards.
As a teenager in t ...
. Irwin was also a member of the bands
Roogalator
Roogalator was a Pub rock (United Kingdom), pub rock band formed in London in 1972, by the United States, US-born guitarist Danny Adler.
Earlier that year, Adler recorded demos with 10cc's Graham Gouldman at Strawberry Studios. Prior to Rooga ...
,
the Sinceros
The Sinceros were a new wave and power pop band from London, England, who recorded two albums for Epic Records, ''The Sound of Sunbathing'' (1979) and '' Pet Rock'' (1981). Both albums were released worldwide and achieved moderate commercial ...
and
the Balham Alligators
The Balham Alligators were an English band from London that mixed rock 'n' roll, Cajun music, cajun, Country music, country and R&B. The band centred on singer and instrumentalist Geraint Watkins.
Career
The band came together by chance at ...
.
As well as working alongside Nick Lowe and Van Morrison, Irwin also played drums/produced for many other bands and artists including
Bryan Ferry
Bryan Ferry CBE (born 26 September 1945) is an English singer and songwriter. His voice has been described as an "elegant, seductive croon". He also established a distinctive image and sartorial style: according to ''The Independent'', Ferry an ...
,
John Hiatt
John Robert Hiatt (born August 20, 1952) is an American singer-songwriter. He has played a variety of musical styles on his albums, including new wave, blues, and country. Hiatt has been nominated for nine Grammy Awards and has been awarded ...
,
Lene Lovich
Lene Lovich (; born Lili-Marlene Premilovich; March 30, 1949) is an English-American singer, songwriter and musician. She first gained attention in 1979 with the release of her hit single "Lucky Number", which peaked at number 3 on the UK Single ...
Carlene Carter
Carlene Carter (born Rebecca Carlene Smith; September 26, 1955) is an American country music singer and songwriter. She is the daughter of June Carter Cash and her first husband, Carl Smith.
As of 2020, since 1978, Carter has recorded 12 album ...
Geraint Watkins
Geraint Meurig Vaughan Watkins (born 5 February 1951) is a Welsh singer, songwriter, rock and roll pianist and accordionist. He has backed many notable artists, including Nick Lowe, Dave Edmunds, Van Morrison, Mark Knopfler, Paul McCartney, Ro ...
,
Jim Lauderdale
James Russell Lauderdale (born April 11, 1957) is an American country, bluegrass, and Americana singer-songwriter. Since 1986, he has released 31 studio albums, including collaborations with artists such as Dr. Ralph Stanley, Buddy Miller, and ...
,
Eleni Mandell
Eleni Mandell is an American singer-songwriter. Since 2000, she has published albums through Zedtone Records in Toronto, Ontario, which in 2012 began licensing her releases to Yep Roc in the United States, and Make My Day in Europe. She is also ...
,
Norman Bergen
Norman Bergen (born May 17, 1945 in Brooklyn, New York, United States) is an American pianist, arranger, record producer, band leader, musical director, and vocalist.
Biography Early years
Norman Bergen comes from a musical family. He is th ...
,
Tres Chicas
Tres Chicas are an alternative country group from Raleigh, North Carolina.
History
Blakey and Cary met in 1997 when Glory Fountain shared a bill with Whiskeytown. Blakey met Lamm when she attended a Hazeldine show in Chapel Hill, and soon all ...
and My Darling Clementine.
Irwin was also known as Robert Trehern (or Treherne), being credited on certain releases under that name. Robert was his
given name
A given name (also known as a forename or first name) is the part of a personal name quoted in that identifies a person, potentially with a middle name as well, and differentiates that person from the other members of a group (typically a fa ...
, and Trehern was his mother's
maiden name
When a person (traditionally the wife in many cultures) assumes the family name of their spouse, in some countries that name replaces the person's previous surname, which in the case of the wife is called the maiden name ("birth name" is also used ...
.
Irwin died of cancer on 8 May 2015 in
Twickenham
Twickenham is a suburban district in London, England. It is situated on the River Thames southwest of Charing Cross. Historically part of Middlesex, it has formed part of the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames since 1965, and the boroug ...
. His funeral was held at St. Stephen's Church, Twickenham, on 19 May. Among those who attended were
Nick Lowe
Nicholas Drain Lowe (born 24 March 1949) is an English singer-songwriter, musician and producer. A noted figure in power pop and new wave,Geraint Watkins
Geraint Meurig Vaughan Watkins (born 5 February 1951) is a Welsh singer, songwriter, rock and roll pianist and accordionist. He has backed many notable artists, including Nick Lowe, Dave Edmunds, Van Morrison, Mark Knopfler, Paul McCartney, Ro ...
, saxophonist Martin Winning and
Neil Brockbank
Neil Brockbank (February 1951 – 30 May 2017) was a British record producer, audio engineer and bass player. He is known for working in close collaboration with Nick Lowe spanning 25 years, producing all of Lowe's albums since 1994's ''The Impos ...
, who also died of cancer two years later in 2017.