Deceased blues fan’s collection donated for charity sale

A substantial assortment of blues memorabilia, contributed by a devoted enthusiast, is set to be sold for charitable purposes. The compilation belonged to Alan Newman, who passed away in August at the age of 75, and his family has given it to St John’s Church, located in Highbridge, Burnham-on-Sea, Somerset. Mr. Newman, a musician who performed with various local bands, accumulated 500 items including CDs, DVDs, books, and magazines. A selection of these items, notably an electric guitar, is scheduled for auction on 14 December during the church’s regular monthly Blues event. His wife, Eileen Newman, stated, “He was playing bass until the day before he went into hospital.” She further remarked, “He had a lifelong love of music, mainly blues, since he was a very young man.” “The Rolling Stones were the thing that kicked it off.” She informed BBC Radio Somerset, “Every week he would record The Blues Show with Paul Jones from the radio.” According to an initial report by Burnham-on-Sea.com, Mr. Newman, a resident of Rooksbridge, “developed an encyclopaedic knowledge of the genre” over many decades and continued to perform until recently with the Delta River Blues Band. Prior to his passing, he engaged in conversations with his wife and his two sons, Tim and Ray, regarding the disposition of his collection. His wife commented, “In the end it was an easy decision to make once we’d made our minds up.” Reverend Martin Little, who serves as the vicar of St John’s and organizes the church’s monthly Blues in the Pews events, expressed that the donation of the collection serves as an appropriate homage to Mr. Newman. Reverend Little stated, “This collection represented Alan. It was such a part of who he was and he’d built it up over so many years. “It’s very painful to deal with a loved ones things, especially when they meant so much to them, but it will ensure that the collection goes to where it will be truly appreciated,” he added. Proceeds generated from the auction are designated for donation to Highbridge’s YMCA. Readers can follow BBC Somerset on Facebook and X, or submit story ideas via email or WhatsApp at 0800 313 4630. This content is © 2024 BBC. All rights are reserved. The BBC bears no responsibility for material found on external websites. Information regarding our policy on external links is available.