The war years
At the outbreak of war, Eddie aged seventeen and a TA member, was called up for Tank and Searchlight training with the Royal Artillery. He eventually became a motorcycle dispatch rider, but his love of speed led to several accidents resulting finally in a lenghty hospital stay at Eaton Hall near Chester. A medical board was arranged and a sympathetic chairman decided that though Eddie was not totally unfit, his musical ability would be put to better use in civilian life helping to maintain the morale of the workers.
In the summer of 1942 he was discharged and joined the band leader Julian Niman at the Plaza Ballroom, Manchester. After earning six shillings a week, his seven pounds a week was a small fortune, and he felt he had made the big time.
A short time later the Oscar Rabin band appeared at the Manchester Palace. On hearing that their trumpeter Flash Shields was leaving, Eddie asked for an audition. Oscar liked his playing and after serving his two weeks notice, joined the band at the Glasgow Empire for a weeks rehearsal. However things did not quite go to plan.
On being asked what he thought of the bands performance on a radio show the week before, Eddie was less than
complimentary. "I am afraid we shall have to part company" said Oscar, "The way you are behaving one would think you were "Harry James" ."Harry James" queried the twenty year old, "Who's he?" And so with that he lost the job without blowing a note in public.
His next move was to the Birmingam Grand Casino with a new band led by Jimmy McMurray, but news of Eddie had reached Bangor,North Wales, where Billy Ternent was leading the BBC Dance Orchestra. An audition was arranged and after playing Harry James 'Trumpet Rhapsody', which he had now learnt and a chorus of 'Dinah', he was offered the job. "Not bad" said Bill, "A bit corny, but I think we can knock you into shape"
It was under Billys guidance that Eddie learnt what the dance band business was really all about. As Eddie admitted later, "Billys encouragement
was invaluable." He joined the band in London, replacing Stan roderick, and was now earning fifteen pounds a week. However always ambitious he soon
had his eyes on the more lucrative West End nightclubs, and after an introduction to Don Marino and his Rumba Band, faced the decision of quitting
Billys Band for them. With his love for Latin music and the offer of a fatter paycheck he was soon playing with Don at the Embassy Club, and doubling
in the early evening with Reggie Dare at the Princess and Potomac Restuarants.
It was at the Potomac restuarant in Piccadilly in 1944 that eddie first met a young eighteen year cinema usherette called Josie Gilbert. "I liked him but didn't expect anything to come of it" she later said. " When we met again in the street some time later, he told me that he had lost his job for talking to me. When it was pointed out by the manager that he should not talk to customers, He had lost his temper and walked out. I could not refuse him dinner." After a bit of a whirlwind romance lasting four months they were married on August 8th at Hackney register office.
With Eddie's reputation growing, in May 1945 he was offered an ENSA tour with the famous Geraldo Band. He stayed for two years touring Europe and America and eventually became a featured soloist with them.
He had what many people refer to as the 'common touch', and could wow audiences where ever he went. However he nearly lost his job again when after some drunken tomfoolery on the crew bus, he pulled what appeared to be a gun on a fellow player.
On their return home he played so well on a recording he was duly forgiven. In later interviews he admitted that he was a perfectionist and prone to losing his temper over silly things, and it was probably such an argument that caused him to leave the band at the end of 1947 and return to the bright lights of London.