Fontwell Park Festival

ABOUT THE SHOW'S PRODUCER...

It's back to the scene of his big break for renowned Theatre Show Producer ~ Michael Taylor

Famous theatre show producer Michael Taylor returns to where it all began for him with the Fontwell Park Festival 2008, on Saturday 12th July.

Here he recalls how a trip to Butlins changed his life forever . . .

Butlins, Bognor, has provided welcome breaks for millions of people over the years.

However, the holiday resort has never been responsible for supplying a bigger break than the one it gave to theatre show producer Michael Taylor, the man behind the forthcoming Fontwell Park music festival.

“Back in the mid-Eighties I visited South Coast World Butlins and was amazed that the facilities lay dormant during the winter,” says Michael. “It really got me thinking.”

Within weeks Michael, who ran his own entertainment agency, had arranged to bring Tamla Motown legends the Four Tops and Temptations in from the States to headline a weekend of live music at the famous Bognor holiday centre.
The resulting Giants of Motown Weekender attracted 5,500 music fans. It spawned scores of other Michael Taylor-produced weekend festivals at not only the Bognor centre but at Butlins resorts throughout the UK.

“The weekender developed legendary status with Motown stars like the Isley Brothers, Martha Reeves and the Vandellas, Junior Walker, Edwin Starr and the Supremes flying in to appear at Motown weekenders in Bognor,” says Michael.

Spin-off weekenders featuring stars of the Seventies, Sixties and Fifties saw a succession of famous pop acts packed in to the South Coast holiday centre: Rose Royce, Billy Paul, Tavares, Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes, KC and the Sunshine Band, The Real Thing, Heatwave, George McCrae, Johnny Preston, The Manfreds, The Searchers, Marmalade, Marty Wilde, Gerry and the Pacemakers, The Fortunes, Mud, The Bay City Rollers, Suzi Quatro, Mungo Jerry and the Tremeloes all included.

“It was a crazy time. We’d present shows by 40 star names every weekend. Different stages within the venue presented these world-famous artists at the same time so we could fit it all in,” says Michael.

“I was fortunate that the man responsible for bringing new business to Butlins at the time, Roger Billington, was a former redcoat. He recognised the potential of my idea immediately and I owe him a huge debt for helping to make it happen,” says Michael.

“His expertise brought the weekenders to life. I’m sure his endeavours will be remembered as treasured music memories for tens of thousands of music fans from Southern England.”

“My fondest memory from the time was bringing Tony Bennett in for an exclusive Butlins appearance.”Michael progressed to even bigger events – he was responsible for Wembley Arena concerts by the Four Tops, Temptations, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Little Richard. Today he is a renowned producer, presenting hundreds of successful theatre shows and festivals each year.

“I’d dearly love to still be able to work with the stars we presented back in the Eighties at Butlins,” says Mike. “Sadly, many are no longer with us and time has moved on. Today, I present famous live concert shows that pay tribute to the legends of yesteryear. With the lead roles taken by a cast of young talented signers and experienced musicians faithfully recreating the original sound, we are able to authentically bring to life the stars and their songs as they were originally performed.”

Fontwell Park Festival was first time Michael has returned to the area with one of his productions since presenting the Butlins weekenders. “I’m still in contact with Roger – he’s now a very successful artist living in Felpham with exhibitions of his work featured nationwide. I hope he will be my guest of honour for the festival,” says Michael.“I’d never be where I am today if it wasn’t for him giving me an extra-special Butlins break back then.”