Mervyn Conn

{{short description|British music executive}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{infobox person | name = Mervyn Conn | image = Mervyn_Conn.jpg | birth_date = {{birth_date and age|5 February 1934}} | occupation = Concert promoter | known_for = {{bulleted|Managing pop music tours in the United Kingdom of famous artists|Director of the Melody Maker Wembley Arena Shows|Launching the "International Festivals of Country Music" Tours|Touring theatre productions}} }}

'''Mervyn Conn''' (born 5 February 1934)<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.arcmusic.org/data/today/feb/feb5.htm|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110722190050/http://www.arcmusic.org/data/today/feb/feb5.htm|url-status=dead|title=The ARChive of Contemporary Music|archivedate=22 July 2011|accessdate=12 January 2020}}</ref><ref name="KT"/> is a British music promoter and entrepreneur.

==Biography== ===Early life and career=== Conn born in 1934 started work in the fashion industry, but by the early 1960s, with the help of his cousin, the comedian Bernie Winters, he had begun running a club, ''Romano's'', in Gerrard Street in Soho, London. He worked closely with agent Joe Collins (the father of Joan and Jackie Collins), and staged the first ''Beatles Christmas Shows'' in 1963.

==Management career== He then managed many of the major pop music touring shows in the UK, including those headlined by such bands and musicians as P.J. Proby, The Byrds, Johnny Cash, Billie Jo Spears, Chubby Checker, Marlene Dietrich, Sarah Vaughan, Chuck Berry, Peggy Lee, the Red Army Ensemble and many more. He also directed the ''Melody Maker'' Pop Shows held at Wembley Arena in the 1960s.

He then launched the annual ''International Festivals of Country Music'' held at the same venue between 1969 and 1991. The shows were later taken into Europe, and featured such stars as Johnny Cash, Dolly Parton, Tammy Wynette, Billie Jo Spears, and Jerry Lee Lewis.

More recently he has been responsible for major touring shows including ''Annie'' starring his own daughter, and ''Three Steps To Heaven''.<ref name=laundon>{{Cite web|url=http://www.stanlaundon.com/wembley.html|title=THE INTERNATIONAL FESTIVALS OF COUNTRY MUSIC AT WEMBLEY|website=www.stanlaundon.com|accessdate=12 January 2020}}</ref>

== Artists featured at Mervyn Conn concerts == {{Inc-musong|date=October 2021}} <gallery mode=packed heights=300px style="text-align:left"> </gallery> {{div col|colwidth=22em}} * Molly Bee * Philomena Begley * Chuck Berry * Gary U.S. Bonds * The Byrds * Johnny Carver * Johnny Cash * Chubby Checker * Bo Diddley * Marlene Dietrich * The Dillards * Country Fever * Country Gazette * Bill Haley and the Comets * George Hamilton IV * John Hartford * Wanda Jackson * George Jones * Peggy Lee * Jerry Lee Lewis * Ray Lynam * Miki & Griff * Rick Nelson & The Stone Canyon Band * Vernon Oxford * The Ozark Mountain Daredevils * Carl Perkins * P.J. Proby * Red Army Ensemble * Marty Robbins * The Shirelles * Billie Jo Spears * Spirit of John Morgan * Tumbleweeds * Sarah Vaughan * Boxcar Willie * Mac Wiseman {{div col end}}

== Mervyn Conn concerts == '''1950's Rock & Roll Revival''' {| class="wikitable"

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! colspan="7"|1950's Rock & Roll Revival

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! width=100| Date

! width=200| Artists

! width=200| Venue

! width=200| Tour |- |June 2, 1970 | *Bill Haley & The Comets *Chuck Berry *Bo Diddley *The Shirelles *Gary U.S. Bonds *Spirit of John Morgan |Belle Vue, Manchester |1950's Rock & Roll Revival |- |June 3, 1970 | *Bill Haley & The Comets *Chuck Berry *Bo Diddley *The Shirelles *Gary U.S. Bonds *Spirit of John Morgan |Wembley Empire Pool, London |1950's Rock & Roll Revival |}

'''International Festival of Country Music''' {| class="wikitable"

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! colspan="7"|International Festival of Country Music

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! width=100| Date

! width=200| Artists

! width=200| Venue

! width=200| Tour |- |April 13, 1974 | *Bill Anderson *Bill Monroe & The Bluegrass Boys *Jeanne Pruett *Kathie Kay *Kitty Wells *Philomena Begley *Ray Lynam *Terry Stafford *Tompall Glaser *Wanda Jackson |Wembley Empire Pool, London |International Festival of Country Music |- |April 14, 1974 | *Bill Anderson *Mary Lou Turner *David Rodgers *Johnny Rodriguez *Larry Cunningham *Mac Wiseman & The Country Boys *Miki & Griff *The Oak Ridge Boys |Wembley Empire Pool, London |International Festival of Country Music |- |March 29, 1975 | *Country Fever *Tumbleweeds *Vernon Oxford *Marty Robbins *Ray Lynam *Philomena Begley *Johnny Carver *Mac Wiseman *Molly Bee *George Hamilton IV *Miki & Griff |Wembley Empire Pool, London |International Festival of Country Music |- |April 19, 1976 | *Country Gazette *The Dillards *John Hartford *Carl Perkins *The Ozark Mountain Daredevils *Rick Nelson & The Stone Canyon Band |Wembley Empire Pool, London |International Festival of Country Music |- |April 9, 1977 | *Carl Perkins *Eagles *Loretta Lynn *The Oak Ridge Boys |Wembley Empire Pool, London |International Festival of Country Music |- |April 10, 1977 | *Billie Jo Spears *Don Williams |Wembley Empire Pool, London |International Festival of Country Music |- |April 11, 1977 | *Emmylou Harris *The Hot Band |Wembley Empire Pool, London |International Festival of Country Music |}

== Richard Nader concerts == '''1950's Rock & Roll Revival''' {| class="wikitable"

|-

! colspan="7"|1950's Rock & Roll Revival

|-

! width=100| Date

! width=200| Artists

! width=200| Venue

! width=200| Tour |- |October 18, 1969 | *Chuck Berry *The Platters *Bill Haley & The Comets *The Shirelles *The Coasters *Jimmy Clanton *Sha Na Na |Felt Forum at Madison Square Garden, New York City, NY |1950's Rock & Roll Revival |- |February 27, 1970 | *Bill Haley & The Comets *Bo Diddley *Jackie Wilson *The Coasters *The Drifters *The Shirelles |Detroit Olympia, Detroit, MI |1950's Rock & Roll Revival |- |March 20, 1970 | *Little Richard *Gene Vincent *Bo Diddley *Timi Yuro *The Five Satins *The Drifters *Ruby & the Romantics |Felt Forum at Madison Square Garden, New York City, NY |1950's Rock & Roll Revival |- |October 10, 1971 | *Chuck Berry *The Shirelles *The Coasters *Gary U.S. Bonds *Bo Diddley *Joey Dee & The Starliters |Richmond Coliseum, Richmond, VA |1950's Rock & Roll Revival |- |November 18, 1971 | *Bill Haley & The Comets *Chuck Berry *Bo Diddley *Gary U.S. Bonds *Bobby Comstock *The Dovells *The Shirelles |Spokane Coliseum, Spokane, WA |1950's Rock & Roll Revival |- |November 24, 1971 | *Bill Haley & The Comets *Chuck Berry *Bo Diddley *Gary U.S. Bonds *Bobby Comstock *The Dovells *The Shirelles |Sacramento Memorial Auditorium, Sacramento, CA |1950's Rock & Roll Revival |- |April 22, 1972 | *The Chiffons *Danny & The Juniors *The Crystals *Chuck Berry |State University of New York at Binghamton, Vestal, NY |1950's Rock & Roll Revival |- |July 14, 1972 | *Bill Haley & The Comets *Chubby Checker *Freddy Cannon *The Coasters |Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville, IL |1950's Rock & Roll Revival |- |October 22, 1972 | *Chuck Berry *Bo Diddley *The Coasters *The Chiffons *The Dovells *Freddy Cannon *Lloyd Price *Bobby Comstock |Cobo Arena, Detroit, MI |1950's Rock & Roll Revival |- |December 27, 1972 | *Jerry Lee Lewis *Lloyd Price *The Shirelles *The Drifters *The Skyliners *The Clovers *Bobby Comstock *Chubby Checker |Providence Civic Center, Providence, RI |1950's Rock & Roll Revival |- |March 2, 1973 | *Little Richard *Wilson Pickett *Chuck Jackson *The Chantels *The Flamingos *The Orlons *Bobby Day *Billy Vera *The Cleftones |Madison Square Garden, New York, NY |1950's Rock & Roll Revival |- |April 14, 1973 | *Chuck Berry *Bill Haley & The Comets *Bo Diddley *The Five Satins *The Flamingos *The Dovells *Bobby Comstock *The Coasters |The Spectrum, Philadelphia, PA |1950's Rock & Roll Revival |- |May 6, 1973 | *Little Richard *Chubby Checker *Bill Haley & The Comets *Bo Diddley *The Five Satins *Danny & The Juniors *Bobby Comstock |Buffalo Memorial Auditorium, Buffalo, NY |1950's Rock & Roll Revival |- |May 11, 1973 | *Bill Haley & The Comets *Little Richard *Bo Diddley *Chuck Berry *Chubby Checker *The Coasters *Danny & The Juniors *Dion & The Belmonts *Brenda Lee *The Shirelles |Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Uniondale, NY |1950's Rock & Roll Revival |- |May 13, 1973 | *Bill Haley & The Comets *Little Richard *Bobby Comstock *Bo Diddley *Danny & The Juniors *The Crystals |Utica Memorial Auditorium, Utica, NY |1950's Rock & Roll Revival |- |May 18, 1973 | *Bill Haley & The Comets *Little Richard *Bo Diddley *Chuck Berry *Chubby Checker *The Coasters *Danny & The Juniors *Dion & The Belmonts *Brenda Lee *The Shirelles |Cobo Arena, Detroit, MI |1950's Rock & Roll Revival |- |June 24, 1973 | *Bill Haley & The Comets *Bo Diddley *Chuck Berry *The Coasters *Danny & The Juniors |Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway, Nashville, TN |1950's Rock & Roll Revival |- |September 30, 1973 | *Chuck Berry *Jerry Lee Lewis *The Shirelles *The Platters *The Dovells *Shirley & Lee *The Moonglows *Bobby Comstock |The Spectrum, Philadelphia, PA |1950's Rock & Roll Revival |- |March 23, 1974 | *Chuck Berry *Jackie Wilson *The Coasters *The Angels *Johnny Maestro *Chubby Checker |Civic Arena, Pittsburgh, PA |1950's Rock & Roll Revival |- |May 11, 1974 | *Chuck Berry *Little Anthony & The Imperials *Bobby Comstock *Wolfman Jack |Rockland Community College, Suffern, NY |1950's Rock & Roll Revival |- |May 24, 1975 | *Chuck Berry *The Drifters *The Belmonts *Danny & The Juniors *Bobby Comstock |Providence Civic Center, Providence, RI |1950's Rock & Roll Revival |} '''Rock & Roll Revival/Spectacular Vol.''' {| class="wikitable"

|-

! colspan="7"|Rock & Roll Revival/Spectacular Vol.

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! width=100| Date

! width=200| Artists

! width=200| Venue

! width=200| Tour |- |February 7, 1971 | *Jerry Lee Lewis *Bill Haley & The Comets *Jay & The Americans *The Five Satins *The Skyliners *Freddy Cannon *The Dovells *Carl Perkins *The Angels *Ruby & The Romantics *Bobby Comstock |Madison Square Garden, New York City, NY |Rock & Roll Revival Vol. V |- |June 11, 1971 | *Jerry Lee Lewis *Bo Diddley *The Drifters *Duane Eddy *Little Eva *The Four Seasons *Jay & the Americans *The Crystals *Bobby Lewis *Bobby Comstock *The Del-Vikings |Madison Square Garden, New York City, NY |Rock & Roll Revival Vol. VI |- |October 15, 1971 | *Bo Diddley *Rick Nelson *Chuck Berry *Bobby Comstock *Bobby Rydell *The Shirelles *The Coasters *The Chiffons *Gary U.S. Bonds |Madison Square Garden, New York City, NY |Rock & Roll Revival Vol. VII |- |June 2, 1972 | *The Cleftones *Little Richard *Lloyd Price *Danny & The Juniors *Dion & The Belmonts *The Exciters *Shirley & Lee |Madison Square Garden, New York City, NY |Rock & Roll Spectacular Vol. IX |- |December 29, 1972 | *Jerry Lee Lewis *Lloyd Price *The Drifters *The Shirelles *Johnny Maestro *The Skyliners *The Clovers *Roy Orbison |Madison Square Garden, New York City, NY |Rock & Roll Spectacular Vol. XI |- |June 1, 1973 | *Chuck Berry *Bo Diddley *Chubby Checker *The Shirelles *The Five Satins *Danny & The Juniors *Brenda Lee |Madison Square Garden, New York City, NY |Rock & Roll Spectacular Vol. XIII |- |January 5, 1974 | *Little Richard *Danny & The Juniors |Madison Square Garden, New York City, NY |Rock & Roll Spectacular Vol. XIV |- |March 14, 1975 | *Jerry Lee Lewis *Lesley Gore *The Belmonts *The Drifters *Bo Diddley |Madison Square Garden, New York City, NY |Rock & Roll Spectacular Vol. XVIII |- |October 3, 1975 | *Bobby Comstock *Bobby Rydell *Chuck Berry *Jay & The Americans *Jerry Lee Lewis *Lloyd Price *Sha Na Na *The Coasters *The Five Satins |Madison Square Garden, New York City, NY |Rock & Roll Spectacular Vol. XIX |- |March 12, 1976 | *Fats Domino *Little Anthony & The Imperials *Lesley Gore *Jay & The Americans *Johnny Maestro *Sha Na Na |Madison Square Garden, New York City, NY |Rock & Roll Spectacular Vol. XX |- |March 3, 1978 | *Sha Na Na *Jay & The Americans *The Four Tops *Tommy James & The Shondells |Madison Square Garden, New York City, NY |Rock & Roll Spectacular Vol. 24 |} '''The 1960's British Rock Invasion Revisited''' {| class="wikitable"

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! colspan="7"|The 1960's British Rock Invasion Revisited

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! width=100| Date

! width=200| Artists

! width=200| Venue

! width=200| Tour |- |June 25, 1973 | *The Searchers *Gerry and the Pacemakers *Herman’s Hermits *The Mindbenders *The Dakotas |Saratoga Performing Arts Center, Saratoga Springs, NY |The 1960's British Rock Invasion Revisited |- |June 27, 1973 | *The Searchers *Gerry and the Pacemakers *Herman’s Hermits *The Mindbenders *The Dakotas |Madison Square Garden, New York, NY |The 1960's British Rock Invasion Revisited |- |June 28, 1973 | *The Searchers *Gerry and the Pacemakers *Herman’s Hermits *The Mindbenders *The Dakotas |Maple Leaf Gardens, Toronto, ON |The 1960's British Rock Invasion Revisited |- |June 29, 1973 | *The Searchers *Gerry and the Pacemakers *Herman’s Hermits *The Mindbenders *The Dakotas |Springfield Civic Center, Springfield, MA |The 1960's British Rock Invasion Revisited |- |June 30, 1973 | *The Searchers *Gerry and the Pacemakers *Herman’s Hermits *The Mindbenders *The Dakotas |Providence Civic Center, Providence, RI |The 1960's British Rock Invasion Revisited |- |July 1, 1973 | *The Searchers *Gerry and the Pacemakers *Herman’s Hermits *The Mindbenders *The Dakotas |Cape Cod Coliseum, South Yarmouth, MA |The 1960's British Rock Invasion Revisited |- |July 3, 1973 | *The Searchers *Gerry and the Pacemakers *Herman’s Hermits *The Mindbenders *The Dakotas |Steel Pier, Atlantic City, NJ |The 1960's British Rock Invasion Revisited |- |July 6, 1973 | *The Searchers *Gerry and the Pacemakers *Herman’s Hermits *The Mindbenders *The Dakotas |Merriweather Post Pavilion, Columbia, MD |The 1960's British Rock Invasion Revisited |- |July 7, 1973 | *The Searchers *Gerry and the Pacemakers *Herman’s Hermits *The Mindbenders *The Dakotas |Yale Bowl, New Haven, CT |The 1960's British Rock Invasion Revisited |- |July 9, 1973 | *Herman’s Hermits *Gerry & The Pacemakers *Billy J. Kramer *Wayne Fontana & The Mindbenders *The Searchers |Pine Knob Music Theatre, Clarkston, MI |The 1960's British Rock Invasion Revisited |- |July 10, 1973 | *The Searchers *Gerry and the Pacemakers *Herman’s Hermits *The Mindbenders *The Dakotas |Kansas City Municipal Auditorium, Kansas City, KS |The 1960's British Rock Invasion Revisited |- |July 11, 1973 | *The Searchers *Gerry and the Pacemakers *Herman’s Hermits *The Mindbenders *The Dakotas |Minneapolis, MN |The 1960's British Rock Invasion Revisited |- |July 12, 1973 | *The Searchers *Gerry and the Pacemakers *Herman’s Hermits *The Mindbenders *The Dakotas |Sioux Falls, SD |The 1960's British Rock Invasion Revisited |- |July 13, 1973 | *The Searchers *Gerry and the Pacemakers *Herman’s Hermits *The Mindbenders *The Dakotas |Los Angeles Forum, Inglewood, CA |The 1960's British Rock Invasion Revisited |- |July 15, 1973 | *The Searchers *Gerry and the Pacemakers *Herman’s Hermits *The Mindbenders *The Dakotas |Cow Palace, Daly City, CA |The 1960's British Rock Invasion Revisited |- |July 16, 1973 | *The Searchers *Gerry and the Pacemakers *Herman’s Hermits *The Mindbenders *The Dakotas |Winnipeg Arena, Winnipeg, MB |The 1960's British Rock Invasion Revisited |- |July 17, 1973 | *The Searchers *Gerry and the Pacemakers *Herman’s Hermits *The Mindbenders *The Dakotas |Bismarck Civic Center, Bismarck, ND |The 1960's British Rock Invasion Revisited |- |July 18, 1973 | *The Searchers *Gerry and the Pacemakers *Herman’s Hermits *The Mindbenders *The Dakotas |Blossom Music Center, Cuyahoga Falls, OH |The 1960's British Rock Invasion Revisited |- |July 19, 1973 | *The Searchers *Gerry and the Pacemakers *Herman’s Hermits *The Mindbenders *The Dakotas |Summerfest Grounds, Milwaukee, WI |The 1960's British Rock Invasion Revisited |- |July 20, 1973 | *The Searchers *Gerry and the Pacemakers *Herman’s Hermits *The Mindbenders *The Dakotas |Columbus, OH |The 1960's British Rock Invasion Revisited |- |July 21, 1973 | *The Searchers *Gerry and the Pacemakers *Herman’s Hermits *The Mindbenders *The Dakotas |Cedar Rapids, IA |The 1960's British Rock Invasion Revisited |- |July 22, 1973 | *The Searchers *Gerry and the Pacemakers *Herman’s Hermits *The Mindbenders *The Dakotas |St. Louis, MO |The 1960's British Rock Invasion Revisited |} '''Richard Nader's Summer Rock & Roll Spectacular''' {| class="wikitable"

|-

! colspan="7"|Richard Nader's Summer Rock & Roll Spectacular

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! width=100| Date

! width=200| Artists

! width=200| Venue

! width=200| Tour |- |July 20, 1982 | *Rick Nelson *Bo Diddley *Danny & The Juniors *The Chiffons *Junior Walker |Cobo Arena, Detroit, MI |Richard Nader's Summer Rock & Roll Spectacular |- |July 7, 1984 | *Lesley Gore *Del Shannon *Lou Christie *Danny & The Juniors *The Chiffons |Meadow Brook Amphitheatre, Rochester Hills, MI |Richard Nader's Rock & Roll Summer Spectacular |}

==Personal life== In 1989, Conn was convicted of a serious sexual assault on his 19-year-old receptionist and was sentenced to eight weeks in prison.{{citation needed|date=August 2021}} In July 2014, he was arrested at Gatwick airport in connection with an alleged historic rape and sexual assault.<ref>[http://www.wimbledonguardian.co.uk/news/11382303.Celebrity_music_mogul_Mervyn_Conn_arrested_in_connection_with_historic_rape_and_sexual_assault_allegations/ "Celebrity music mogul Mervyn Conn arrested in connection with historic rape and sexual assault allegations"],''The Wimbledon Guardian'', Friday 1 August 2014</ref>

In October 2016 Mervyn Conn, then 82, was convicted of historic offences of 2 rapes and 1 sexual assault, and was sentenced to 15 years imprisonment with a minimum of 7 years before parole can be considered .<ref name="KT">{{Cite web|url=https://www.kilburntimes.co.uk/news/crime-court/music-promoter-mervyn-conn-82-convicted-of-historic-rape-of-girl-15-in-wembley-1-4741270|title=Music promoter Mervyn Conn, 82, convicted of historic rape of girl, 15, in Wembley|first=Lorraine|last=King|website=Kilburn Times|accessdate=12 January 2020}}</ref>

==Memoirs== In 2010 Conn published an autobiography, ''Mr Music Man: My Life in Showbiz''.

==References== {{Reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Conn, Mervyn}} Category:1935 births Category:Living people Category:British music industry executives