MUSICIANS staged the concert of a lifetime in Milngavie last Saturday to raise cash for the late Erne Parkin's favourite charity — The Suzy Fund.
Milngavie Town Hall was packed to capacity for the tribute concert which friends said would have made Erne glad and mad — glad so many turned out to remember him and raise cash for his favourite charity — but mad because he wasn't there to be part of
it.
Members of the many bands with whom Erne played were there as well his son Michael's rock band Viking Galaxy which among other numbers raised the roof with a unique version of Whisky in the Jar — helping raise almost £5,000 for Suzy, a charity which sponsors feeding stations for starving orphans in Africa.
The community was stunned at the sudden death of the larger than life Erne last summer after a major heart operation.
At his funeral in St Joseph's Church the service had to be relayed to the two halls such was the number attending and tributes poured into the Herald.
Friend and fellow musician Joe Murray made a moving DVD entitled Glimpses which portrayed the vivacious Erne at various gigs from his late teens to some of the more recent ventures which saw him dubbed Mr Milngavie — due to his Gala Week capers and international music extravaganzas at Mugdock Country Park.
Most of the musicians who featured in Glimpses from bands like The Healy's, Dirtwater Fox and the Crossborder Band took to the stage on Saturday night at the gig, attended by Provost Eric Gotts and MSP Des McNulty who both paid tribute to Erne's lasting contribution to the community.
Ian Reekie and John McNamara from Doghouse who regularly play at Corbie Ha were helped by wives Marianne and Heather and some of the Parkin's many friends in staging the much acclaimed concert.
Erne's wife Dorothy said: "My heartfelt thanks go to Joe, Helen, Marianne and all the other friends who helped them stage such a fantastic night.
"Thanks as well to everyone who donated prizes for the fund raising raffle, those who just turned up and the many, many people who tried but couldn't get tickets.
"Erne would have been absolutely thrilled at the turnout and the enthusiasm of everyone who attended to raise as much as possible for Suzy.
"On behalf of my sons George, Tony, Richard and Michael thanks to everyone who contributed to making the concert such a memorable night."
