Green Plaque Unveiled For Ealing Musician

Childhood home of keyboard player and session musician Nicky Hopkins recognised

(photos courtesy Roger Green)

Moira Hopkins, the wife of keyboard player Nicky Hopkins has unveiled a commemorative plaque in Perivale for her late husband.

The Ealing Civic Society plaque ceremony was attended by Mrs Hopkins (above) along with (l-r) John Wood who had led the campaign for recognition of Hopkins' life and work; The Mayor of Ealing, Dr Councillor Abdullah Gulaid; and local councillor Tariq Mahmood.

Hopkins (1944-94) was a noted session player whose work appeared on recordings by The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Kinks, Jefferson Airplane, Jeff Beck, Steve Miller, Donovan and many more.

Early in his career, he was a regular performer at the Ealing Blues Club and played with such British beat pioneers as Cyril Davies, Screaming Lord Sutch and Cliff Bennett.

Just some of his credits are:  Cyril Davies and  His Rhythm & Blues All Stars(Country Line Special), Screaming Lord Sutch (Jack The Ripper), The Who (Anyway Anyhow Anywhere, Getting In Tune), PP Arnold (The First Cut Is The Deepest), The Kinks (Sunny Afternoon, Days), The Beatles (Hey Jude, Revolution), The Rolling Stones (Sympathy for the Devil, Angie, Street Fighting Man), Donovan (Barabajagal), Jefferson Airplane (Volunteers), John Lennon (Happy Xmas (War Is Over), Jealous Guy), Joe Cocker (You Are So Beautiful) , Art Garfunkel (I Only Have Eyes For You) and Spinal Tap (Break Like The Sun).

Following his recovery in 1963 from a long illness Hopkins became a sought-after session player.

Perivale Celebrates Nicky Hopkins

Just a few of the crowd of fans, friends and neighbours who attended the unveiling on 19 October 2019 of the  commemorative plaque on the wall of 38 Jordan Road, Perivale, Middlesex UB6 7BX to mark the childhood home of the keyboard player Nicky Hopkins (1944-94). .

Nicky Hopkins Commemorative Plaque

Classically-trained Hopkins is already remembered in nearby Perivale Park with a memorial bench commissioned by Wood in September 2018. The next stage in his campaign is to have Hopkins admitted to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame

21st October 2019