Skip to main content

Brian Hibbard, actor and singer from Ebbw Vale, Monmouthshire

  • Person's Name: Brian Hibbard
  • Fame as?: Actor & Singer from Ebbw Vale
  • Fame Hilite: Welsh actor and singer, lead vocalist of The Flying Pickets, later known for Coronation Street and the film Twin Town.
  • Death info: Brian died on the 17th of June 2012, Cardiff, aged 65.
  • Birth info: Born 26 November 1946, Ebbw Vale, Monmouthshire, Wales
  • Body Text 2:

    Hibbard remained closely associated with Wales throughout his career, appearing in the Welsh-language soap 'Pobol y Cwm' and the youth drama 'Pam Fi, Duw?' alongside his English-language television work.
  • Career Highlights:
    • Career Highlight: Lead vocalist of The Flying Pickets, whose a cappella cover of Only You was the UK Christmas number one single in 1983
    • Career Highlight: Played Doug Murray in Coronation Street and Dai Rees, the Karaoke King, in Twin Town (1997)
    • Career Highlight: Appeared in Doctor Who, EastEnders, Emmerdale and the Welsh-language soap Pobol y Cwm
  • Show Comment Form: No, don't show form
  • Connection: Born and raised in the Ebbw Vale area of Gwent; educated at Ebbw Vale Grammar School.
  • Related Material:
  • Location String: Ebbw Vale, Gwent, Wales
  • Connection Place Map: 51.7854,-3.1975
  • Comments:
    • Comment By: joannagoanna , This Comment: Plus I've been sat on the train opposite him between Manchester and Abergavenny and have seen him about numerous times!
    • Comment By: joannagoanna , This Comment: He's also in Emmerdale as a travelling fair worker. He hasn't had many lines but it's nice to see him on TV again.
    • Comment By: duffmanbrown , This Comment: Brian Hibbard is a legend in my book. When you're young and in love, when you're young and in love!
    • Comment By: welshboytony , This Comment: Hey everyone. Brian Hibbard is helping out in a school in his home town of Cardiff now and spending a lot of time with his kids, I see him every week. We are going out for a drink soon with him, he's really funny.
    • Comment By: janice , This Comment: I am related to Brian Hibbard but I doubt very much if he knows I exist.
    • Comment By: towser , This Comment: Brian was not brought up in Cwm. He lived with his mother, father and sister Janet in Furnace Street in the Glan-Yr-Avon area and went to Ebbw Vale Grammar School.
    • Comment By: RobWill220465 , This Comment: Brian is not from Cwm, he's from Glan Ar Avon.
    • Comment By: hubahuba66 , This Comment: I worked on Coronation Street as a Granada freelance floor manager, Brian is a nice, nice man. My brother Tony Annis was a floor manager on the Granada permanent staff and worked on Corrie as floor manager for many years and liked him a lot. Glad he is happy.
Brian Hibbard was born on 26 November 1946 in Ebbw Vale, Monmouthshire, and was educated at Ebbw Vale Grammar School. Before turning to performing he worked as a teacher, steelworker, barman and chimney sweep. Some sources describe his birthplace more specifically as Cwm, near Ebbw Vale, though people who knew him locally recall him growing up in the Glan-yr-Afon area of Ebbw Vale itself, near Furnace Street. Hibbard first found fame as the lead vocalist of The Flying Pickets, an a cappella group formed by a circle of...

Henry Spinetti, session drummer born in Cwm, Ebbw Vale, Wales

  • Person's Name: Henry Spinetti
  • Fame as?: Drummer
  • Fame Hilite: Renowned session drummer for Eric Clapton, George Harrison, Bob Dylan and Gerry Rafferty's "Baker Street".
  • Birth info: Born 31 March 1951 in Cwm, near Ebbw Vale, Monmouthshire, Wales.
  • Body Text 2:

    Spinetti is the younger brother of Welsh actor Victor Spinetti, who found fame alongside The Beatles on screen. Henry played on Eric Clapton's Another Ticket, August, Old Sock and I Still Do, and was part of the all-star band at the 2002 Concert For George tribute to George Harrison.
  • Career Highlights:
    • Career Highlight: Played drums on Gerry Rafferty's City to City, including "Baker Street", 1978
    • Career Highlight: Joined Eric Clapton's touring band, 1980s and 2010s
    • Career Highlight: Performed at The Concert For George, Royal Albert Hall, 2002
  • Show Comment Form: No, don't show form
  • Connection: Born and raised in Cwm, near Ebbw Vale, South Wales; younger brother of Welsh actor Victor Spinetti.
  • Related Material:
  • Location String: Cwm, Ebbw Vale, Monmouthshire, Wales
  • Connection Place Map: 51.7756,-3.2054
Henry Anthony George Spinetti was born on 31 March 1951 in Cwm, a small village near Ebbw Vale in what was then Monmouthshire, South Wales. He is the younger brother of the Welsh actor Victor Spinetti, best known for his roles alongside The Beatles in A Hard Day's Night, Help! and Magical Mystery Tour. Henry took a different path into showbusiness, picking up drums as a boy and playing in local bands around the Ebbw Vale and Tredegar area before moving on to groups in Cardiff and eventually London. Spinetti became one...

Marcus Russell, Music Manager born in Ebbw Vale, Wales

  • Person's Name: Marcus Russell
  • Fame as?: Music Manager
  • Fame Hilite: The music manager who signed Oasis in 1993 and steered them to become the defining band of Britpop
  • Birth info: Born 22 May 1953 in Ebbw Vale, South Wales
  • Body Text 2:

    Russell also co-owns Ignition Records, which has released chart-topping albums from acts including Stereophonics and Courteeners, and in 2016 he co-invested in the ticket resale platform Twickets. Cardiff University later made him an honorary profile subject in recognition of his contribution to the music industry.
  • Career Highlights:
    • Career Highlight: Founded artist management company Ignition in 1984
    • Career Highlight: Signed and managed Oasis from 1993 until their split in 2009
    • Career Highlight: Owner and major benefactor of Ebbw Vale Rugby Club, 1996-2004
  • Show Comment Form: No, don't show form
  • Connection: Born and raised in Ebbw Vale, South Wales, where he worked in the steel and coal industries before entering the music business
  • Related Material:
  • Location String: Ebbw Vale
  • Connection Place Map: 51.7778,-3.2028
Marcus Russell was born in Ebbw Vale, South Wales, on 22 May 1953 and educated at Ebbw Vale County Grammar School. Before ever entering the music business he worked with his hands in the industries that built the town, spending three years as a blast furnace operative for British Steel at the Ebbw Vale Works and at the Waun-y-Pound open cast coal mine. In 1974 he left Wales to study at Middlesex Polytechnic, later teaching economics in Essex schools and rising to Head of Economics at Royal Liberty School in Romford. In...

Victor Spinetti, actor with a connection to Wales (Cwm, South Wales)

  • Show Comment Form: No, don't show form
Victor Spinetti Actor from Ebbw Vale. Victor was born on September 2, 1929, in Cwm, Ebbw Vale, Wales, left an indelible mark on the world of theater and film. Hailing from a Welsh background, Spinetti's heritage played a significant role in shaping his artistic sensibilities. Raised in a working-class family, he developed a passion for the arts early in life. Spinetti's journey into the world of entertainment began with local theatre productions in Wales before he made his way to London to pursue his dreams. His...