Local Teesside band of the 50s/60s. Photograph courtesy of Stan Laundon. It was sent to him by Tommy Gibson, of Middlesbrough – founder of The Midnighters 
Picture Stockton Archive
A Pictorial History of Stockton-on-Tees
Local Teesside band of the 50s/60s. Photograph courtesy of Stan Laundon. It was sent to him by Tommy Gibson, of Middlesbrough – founder of The Midnighters
Picture Stockton Archive 
I’m Tommy Gibson’s great niece. It’s so lovely to read these comments and to see that Tommy made quite a mark! It’s probably a long shot but I’d love to hear The Midnighters if anyone has any recordings.
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What happened to the Crawdaddies, who were the main group playing at the Kirk (The Kirkleavington Country Club)?
They came down to London in 1965 and played at the Chelsea Students Union Dance, which was one of e most important venues for new bands in London. I am sorry to say that it was not a very good effort, far inferior to what I knew they could do.
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Great band the Midnighters. Teessides first super group – Grenville Leacy on lead guitar. He was the first guy in the area to buy a Fender Stratocaster. He was a great inspiration for guys like Tommy Harbron, Howard Rayners, Roy Smith and Roland Taylor who all soon followed suit within weeks. That’s when the “Beat Boom” started on Teesside by 1964 , between the Tyne and the Tees it was estimated at least 3, 000+ beat groups had started up.The music shops certainly flourished and talents shone.
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Hi Janette, nice to hear from a fan of The old Zephyrs!!!!!
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Thanks for that, Stan, I hope Tommy gets well soon. I am on facebook – ‘Mick Sticks Walker’.
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Does anybody have any information on the repertoire of The Midnighters, the songs that they used to perform?
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Ray Hudson (my Grandad) Bass Guitar sadly passed away a month before I was born (1-8-1994) and I was born not long after (23-9-1994). From stories I’ve heard and been told about Grandad and the midnighters have been brilliant to hear about, and so very very proud of them. Although I didn’t get the chance to meet Grandad, growing up around the songs and stories is what keeps his soul still living in our hearts. He inspires me, and learning how to play guitar on his Les Paul that’s passed down to me. I always think what it would be like to meet him.
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Your grandad was a nice guy, his band The Midnighters played with us at Guisbrough church hall in the 60s. He lent me his Fender bass to try it out before I bought one and we are still around playing to this day as the Delmonts. I went to see Tommy before he passed away as the last of the best band on Teesside.
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Hello Mick, how are you doing. This is a nice site for people and musicians in the area, a bit of nostalgia never hurt anyone. You say you never got anywhere with Highway 61! But surely you miss the the point of all of this local music. Isn’t the making of entertainment and the precious memories of all the gigs and people involved such as the Stan and his band the main thing. Most of the local bands folded or kept going regardless of any commercial success. 61 are still going strong by the way twenty years after your departure. 21 years of great fun. 24/11/2011 08:41:04
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Hey Mick and Mick, If you still have a kit, Sticky, get yourself over to Oz, good Rock n Roll drummers are hard to come by. Mick C has it right, its all about the fun and mateship, its about calling round to pick up the drummer for a gig when he hasn’t had his tea yet and lots of other great memories. King Bees, Highway 61, The Blues Crew and now The Score the fun and memories just keep coming. Tom Bosson Sydney Australia P.S Still cant beat the Dead Cert’s.
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Ray Hudson – Bass Guitar – Ray is my father. My Mother has this picture along with a few others from the Band. Dad would often mention his days in The Midnighters and the people with great affection… He said one of the reasons the name came about was that many a night they would be practicing sometimes well into the early hours way past Midnight, hence The Midnighters. He still played Clubs/pubs all over the North East Singing and playing guitar to hits from the 50’s/60’s, in particular Roy Orbison – on most weekends and sometimes midweek too, as well as working during the day on his regular job. Sadly Dad passed away after a short illness in August 1994 aged just 54. For those who knew him – everytime an Orbison plays he’s never too far from your thoughts.
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I don’t visit this site as often as I should otherwise I would have seen that last note from Mick Walker. Mick, Tommy is not well these days but I don’t want to give all the detials on this page. I can be contacted through my own website.
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Where is Tommy Gibson these days? I used to drink with him in the Western Club, Union St and Stan Laundon. ex member of the Hurricanes rock and roll band…1976-80. We became The Dead cers 1980-82, then the King Bees. I left to form the Roadrunners with Mick Crimmins, then Highway 61 rhythm and blues band and got nowhere.
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Johnny Rocco, The lead vocalist with the midnighters – I’m Roccos son, Dean Porter. My dad had a lot of names like Poly, Johnny, Rocco, His real name was Ronauld Orten Porter, not many people knew that. When he was a teenager growing up in the 50s/60s he was in other bands such as The Rockavons and The Denvors. He worked for himself in the sixties, laying paving slabs round the local area, thornaby/stockton, then going to sing in clubs all over the north east. He wouldnt get in till early hours then he would go straight back to work only catching a few hours sleep. He met Hughie Green when he went on Opportunity Knocks. Then he went to work for Northumbrian Water here in Thornby and retired at 50. He sadly passed away on July 9th 2004, aged 62. People pull me up now in the street and still say what a great singer he was, which makes me feel proud, he would have been over the moon to see so many pictures of him from years ago. A big thanks to Stan Laundon and Eric White from the Blue Caps.
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Granville(Grant) Leacy, the guitarist in the midnighters was my father. He did join the army and served for 25 years, meeting my mother while based near Blackpool. He played guitar all his life, always ready with a tune, later in his life he got into country pickin guitar, his big hero being Chet Atkins. After a few drinks he often talked about his time in the midnighters and “what may have been”. Dad passed away suddenly a few years ago, for those who remember him I can say he was a careing, wonderfull man who loved his guitar, and loved his family. Those that have posted here thanks for the nice comments about him, he would have been very happy.
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Great guitarist Granville, I remember him well. Tommy Harbron (The Zephyrs).
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Nice to see your comment here Tommy. I remember you and the band very well indeed. I spent many a happy evening following you to the many venues you played in and around Teesside. Janette Outhwaite (Bates).
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The Midnighters – one of Teesside”s most popular bands during the late 50″s and early 60″s – with Ray Hudson on bass guitar, Tommy Gibson on rhythm, Barry Thompson on drums, Johnny Rocco the lead vocalist with Granville Blair Leacy on lead guitar. Granville was the envy of many guitarists as he was the first person in the area to own a red Fender Stratocaster – the same as Hank B. Marvin used in The Shadows. The Midnighters was formed by Tommy Gibson who recruited the services of Ray Hudson and then later, Granville Leacy. Ray and Johnny, sadly, are no longer with us. Barry and Tommy are in Middlesbrough and the last we heard Granville joined the Marines! Left to right – Ray Hudson, Tommy Gibson, Barry Thompson, Johnny Rocco and Granville Blair Leacy.
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