Inspired Mr Loveboat promises to rock on

Wayne Bentley: still going strong

MUSIC EXTRA: Oldham’s one and only “Mr Loveboat”, Wayne Bentley, is still as busy as ever.

HE might be 68, but he still does three of four shows a week - and the thought of quitting sends a shiver down his spine.

With fellow Oldham entertainment legend Morgan Fletcher, South Wales native Bentley has entertained local audiences with his near faultless and energetic cover versions of popular chart tracks for many years. His trademark swagger and boundless enthusiasm have thrilled audiences for 20 years in 50 venues across the country.

It’s almost half a century since Bentley decided to go his own way. He fronted Wayne and the Comets in Wales when still a raw teenager - but being part of a group wasn’t for him: “Even back in the early 1960s there were groups around like the Beatles and the Stones, but as the Sixties progressed I became keener on the solo performers.

“It wasn’t long before Tom Jones came along; the band split and my manager at the time seemed keen to promote me in my own right. After that I never saw the need to go back in a band.

Bentley boasts a long and respected history in the music business; he might not have enjoyed major commercial success but he is certainly big news in and around Oldham, totally settled after living here for 20 years.

He still boasts a good-sized following whenever he features locally, and recalls with the utmost pride how “fantastic” it felt to see his two recorded albums — “This is My Life” and “We’re in This Love Together” — selling like hot cakes in town a decade ago.

Bentley is a good, honest, hard-working vocal entertainer who cares passionately about his audiences, wherever he might be performing: “Every venue is different and each audience needs to be treated appropriately, in my opinion,” he explained. “I still seem to attract quite young audiences, and though they like some of the old classics, it’s important to try to be up to date to some degree.

“I always make sure I’m doing something that’s reasonably up to date. Every week I keep my eye open to check out any potential new material. I do George Ezra’s ‘Budapest’ now, and a One Direction number, ‘Steal My Girl’. ”

A knee replacement operation two years ago had some of his supporters wondering whether that was to be the beginning of the end of “Mr Loveboat”. But the man unequivocally dismisses that notion: “I’m still inspired to do this, and I still see it as an exciting challenge. The pride of performance plays a part of course, but this is my living and I always try to perform as professionally as I can.

“Times aren’t quite the same and that means I have to travel a bit more these days. But I still have great times in Oldham. There’s certainly no chance of me retiring yet.”

Keep watching out for “Mr Loveboat” at a pub near you soon.

Gig listings: www.waynebentley.co.uk.

FOLLOW Simon Smedley on Twitter — @smedders1966 — for a link to the exclusive audio interview with Wayne Bentley.

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