The Crowd (band)
| Company type | Charity supergroup |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music, Charity |
| Founded | 1985 |
| Founder | Gerry Marsden |
| Defunct | 1985 |
Area served | United Kingdom, Ireland |
| Products | Charity single "You'll Never Walk Alone" |
The Crowd was a charity supergroup created specifically to record a charity record in response to the Bradford City stadium fire, which tragically resulted in 56 fatalities on 11 May 1985. This collective featured a variety of performers including vocalists, actors, television figures, and other public personalities.
The initiative for the charity single was led by Gerry Marsden of Gerry and the Pacemakers, aiming to raise funds for those affected via the Bradford City Disaster Fund. The project involved re-recording the 1963 chart-topping song "You'll Never Walk Alone"—a well-known anthem among Liverpool fans. Upon release, it debuted at number 52 on the UK Singles Chart, climbed to number 4 the following week, and ultimately secured the top position on 15 June 1985. Additionally, the single achieved the number one spot on the Irish Singles Chart. This success distinguished Gerry Marsden as the first artist to reach number one in the UK with two separate versions of the same track.
Contributing musicians and celebrities
The group featured an array of prominent individuals such as Bruce Forsyth, Denny Laine, Jim Diamond, Tony Christie, Rick Wakeman, John Conteh, The Barron Knights, Kiki Dee, Rolf Harris, Graham Gouldman, Kenny Lynch, Keith Chegwin, Tony Hicks, Colin Blunstone, Johnny Logan, Zak Starkey, Girlschool, Black Lace, John Otway, Gary Holton, Peter Cook, the Nolans, John Entwistle of The Who, members of Motörhead, Dave Lee Travis, Phil Lynott, artists from Smokie, Joe Fagin, Eddie Hardin, Gerard Kenny, actor Tim Healy, vocalist Chris Norman, along with members of The Searchers.
Additionally, the B-side track titled "Messages" featured lyrics contributed by Paul McCartney.