‘It is going to be emotional especially as it is a hometown concert’

A North East music legend will be remembered in a poignant show planned for this year.

Tickets went on sale to the general public today for the concert titled John Miles: 'Music Was My First Love' which will be held at The Customs House in South Shields on Sunday, November 1, from 8pm.

John Miles senior pictured performing with his son John. John junior has announced plans for a tribute show to his dad. | ugc

placeholder image — John Miles senior pictured performing with his son John. John junior has announced plans for a tribute show to his dad. | ugc

It will be a poignant tribute to the work of John Miles, who produced the mega hit song Music 50 years ago, especially as his son John Miles junior will lead the show.

John junior said: “It is going to be emotional especially as it is a hometown concert. The first half will be my dad’s singles. The second half will be the work of some of the people he played with such as Joe Cocker and Tina Turner.”

John Miles Jnr plays a tune in memory of his dad whose song Music Was My First Love was released 50 years ago. | nw

John Miles senior was born in South Tyneside and later lived in Offerton near Penshaw Monument. He played at venues across the North East including the Locarno in Sunderland, and City Hall in Newcastle.

He had an incredible life. He played with Tina Turner’s band from 1987 to 2009, as well as Led Zeppelin founder Jimmy Page, the late Joe Cocker and opera tenor Andrea Bocelli.

Musician John Miles Jnr reminiscing tribute about his father John Miles, whose song Music Was My First Love was released 50 years ago. | nw

But his biggest success was his song Music which rocketed to number 3 in the UK music charts and was top of the pile in Belgium and Holland, as well as being a top 10 hit in Argentina, Ireland, Italy, Switzerland and Germany.

It also became the anthem for the annual Night of the Proms concert series. John senior died in 2021 in Newcastle after a short illness.

Now, on the 50th anniversary of his biggest hit, son John is paying his own tribute through the show which will be held at the Customs House in South Shields on Sunday, November 1, from 8pm.

It will also feature musicians who shared the stage with John senior, including Paul Thompson (Roxy Music) and Terry Slesser (Beckett / Back Street Crawler).

John junior said it was a ‘one-off’ production but it may become something more depending on how it goes in South Shields.

Tickets cost from £30 and anyone wanting to book should visit https://fave.co/4weLK8J