EDDIE GRASSHAM - BILLED AS ALMA COGAN'S TEENAGE PROTÉGÉ

During a lengthy spell in hospital in the 50s Eddie passed much of his time on by listening to the
radio. This was the first time he heard the singing voice of the lady who would be such an
influence on the rest of his life.

Eddie began to buy Alma's recordings starting with Alma's current single 'Fabulous' and then
obtaining backcopies of all the previous singles on 78s. Eddie then saw Alma on TV for the first
time and was totally hooked. He collected any snippet of information from magazines, Melody
Makers and New Musical Expresses and other publications of the day relating to Alma. Eddie
always made sure that he had his reel to reel tape recorder ready in time to capture Alma's live
appearances on TV' and radio. It wasn't long before he had several scrapbooks bursting with
clippings from many sources.

The next step in Eddie's plans was to meet Alma in person. With his friend Brian and gifts in
hand, he set off to Scarborough to see Alma in performance. At the end of the show Alma came
on stage to sign autographs. Eddie and Brian presented their gifts of a pair of bookends and a
lucky black cat trinket and Alma asked them to step aside until she had finished signing
autographs. Alma was delighted with her gifts and told them that she would call one bookend
Eddie and one Brian. Eddie still has the theatre tickets from that day.

Eddie's next meeting with Alma was in Scarborough again. The streets were lined for a mile
with eager crowds and the traffic was at a standstill with the anticipation of Alma's arrival.
Alma arrived in her red Hudson Rambler Convertible and by the time she returned to it after the
show it was covered in lipstick with messages from the fans 'We love Alma'!

That week Eddie saw Alma's show 3 times at the theatre. One afternoon he was watching Alma
rehearse through a glass partition and Alma noticed him and beckoned Eddie over to watch
Alma rehearse her numbers. Alma arranged for Eddie to go backstage after the evening
performance and left a message at the stage door with permission for him to visit. Eddie thought
that Alma looked very different close up with her orange pancake stage make up. Eddie
remembers the dressing room packed solid with vivid coloured dresses hanging from every
available space and the aroma of Alma's favourite perfume Este Lauder Private Collection.

In 1958 Eddie travelled to Blackpool to see Alma in 'The Big Show of '58'. Unfortunately Alma
was off with jaundice for 3 nights and was replaced by Edna Savage. Alma did appear for the
two remaining nights that week and Eddie went to see both performances with backstage visits
each time.

In the 1960 Blackpool show Alma was indisposed for a second time when Eddie visited, she had
broken her toe and returned to London for a week. Alma returned the following week and Eddie
once again got to go backstage to visit Alma. At this particular meeting Alma gave Eddie her
telephone number.

Eddie and Brian travelled to London and rang Alma from their hotel (after half an hour plucking
up courage to dial). Alma was in and invited them to visit immediately and Eddie took along his
4 scrapbooks for Alma to look at. Alma's aunt who was dusting at the time, answered the door
and showed them in to the lounge and they sat on the settee. Alma came in to the lounge and
poured each a glass of coke but Alma unfortunately missed the glass making quite a mess
on the glass coffee table.

Alma looked briefly at Eddie's scrapbooks and asked if he would leave them for a while so she
could look at them properly. As they were leaving Cliff Richard and Russ Conway were arriving
for a rehearsal for a TV show.

Alma asked Eddie to phone the next day to make an appointment to collect the scraphooks which
he did and she said come over in 10 minutes. There was a phone call after a couple of minutes to
the hotel from Alma saying something had come up and could they call in an hour. Eddie was
delighted that the receptionist couldn't believe that she had just put a call through from the great
Alma Cogan!

After arriving at Stafford Court Brian mentioned his liking for Teresa Brewer and Alma brought
out her collection of Teresa Brewer LPs, many which Brian hadn't seen before. Several of
Alma's Teresa albums have since found pride of place in fan's collections and the 'ALMA-holics'
collection contains a full set of Teresa's recordings who was of course a great inspiration to
Alma's singing style.

Alma then brought out a box of records and miscellaneous items including, demos and acetates
and spools of recording tapes. Alma and Eddie sat on the floor playing the records, the first of
which was 'To be loved by you' and Alma commented that she didn't like the record and how on
earth did she agree to record such a song! One of the acetates was 'Southbound Train' when
this was played Alma said that she didn't even remember recording it! Alma asked Eddie if he
would like to take them away with him to tape. Sandra arrived at this time popped her head
around the door and with pony tail swaying said Hi!

A few moments later Fay arrived loaded with shopping bags and parcels and seeing that it was
getting dark in the room proceeded to switch on every lamp. Fay asked if the guys would like a
cigarette and before they could answer Alma said 'No, don't encourage them mother!' Then
they were asked if they would like a drink and Alma chirped in 'Tea or coffee no alcohol!' Fay
asked if they would like something to eat and it was sandwiches all round.

Aunt Bea and Uncle Alt were next to arrive and they talked about Teresa Brewer and Alma
made the comment that they've come all this way to see me and all we've talked about is Teresa
-Brewer! Alma then returned Eddie's scrapbooks and virtually every other page was
autographed and several comments were written by Alma. The scrapbooks are now preserved in
the 'ALMA-holics' collection. Amongst the items which were in the box given to Eddie was the
cover to Alma's hit 78 single "Bell bottom blues 'on which Alma had written across it in a
message to Sandra 'We're in the money now kid, lots of dosh in the bank - I think we've made
it!' They then had to leave as the doctor was due to call, Eddie noticed that on each visit there
were many bottles of medicine and tablets on the table with Alma's name on them.

Eddie rang Alma on several occasions and it was around this time that their friendship really
began to develop and Alma no longer regarded Eddie as just a fan. Eddie was beginning to make
a name for himself as a vocalist and his agent requested that he asked Alma if he could bill
himself as 'Alma Cogan's teenage protege', to which she readily agreed. Eddie was on the bill in
Manchester as Eddie Keen along with Jess Conrad and several other up and coming names and
by the time Alma's name was mentioned in the advertising Eddie had shot to the top of the bill
and his three week contract had extended to 18 months and he never went home during this
period. Eddie couldn't carry on with his teenage protege title because even at the beginning he
was already 20!

Eddie didn't get to see Alma throughout this period as he was fully booked all the time.

Eddie booked to see Anna at the Pigalle but Alma had to cancel due to a throat infection so he
rang Alma and she said 'Not again, I'm always ill when you book to see me.' He was duly invited
round to Stafford Court and noticed that there was even more medication around. Alma said to
make up for missing her performance again she would invite him as her guest to a broadcasting
of 'Startime', but due to his own bookings he had to turn the offer down.

On another occasion Eddie returned Alma's box of recordings to her but she insisted that he kept
them with the intriguing comment 'No, you keep them Eddie you'll need them much more than I
will?'

On his next trip to London with his friend Howerd. he rang Alma to say he was in town. Alma
invited them to the Palladium where she was due to do Sunday Night at the London Palladium
show for a live transmission. This was the night of the famous Beatles performance. (ED we are
fortunate to have Alma's performance from this historic event in our archives).

The crowds were unbelievable but they managed to battle their way to the stage door where
Alma had left a message for them to be able to get in, which they did. After a few minutes Alma
came from the dressing room in a stressed state. The specially made dress for the performance
had been rejected as unsuitable for the cameras and Alma had to send out for another at short
notice, which hadn't been seen on TV before. She had a constant stream of phone calls from the
press asking her for comments on the Beatles and she was getting really agitated.

The replacement dress arrived and was unfinished and had a split in the seam which had to be
covered with boa feathers. Howerd had told Alma how much she looked like Elizabeth Taylor in
close up and commented that he thought her hair was quite a mess for a live TV show. Alma
almost at explosion point replied that 'If you can do it any better, then do it.'

Eddie explained that Howerd was a professional hairdresser and she agreed to let him style it for
her. Howerd gently removed all the false pieces and styled Alma's hair in to a magnificent
creation to complement the gown. Alma absolutely adored it and you can see the finished effect
on Alma's famous photo taken with the Beatles at Stafford Court after the show. Alma's mood
had changed instantly and with the addition of a floor length feather cloak Alma was then ready
to make her entrance.

Alma then gave Eddie and Howerd two tickets to the show and asked them to treat them like
gold dust. Too late to go to the front entrance of the Palladium they were shown to their seats
from the stage door and were first in their seats waiting for the historic performance to
commence. Unfortunately, they couldn't get anywhere near the stage door after the show and
Alma had already left with the Beatles for Stafford Court.

Eddie's next encounter with Alma was at the Prince of Wales, due to his working commitments
he turned up late and couldn't get in. So he went to the stage door and asked to let Alma know
that Eddie was here, she sent back a message to say that she would be there in a moment. She
explained that she couldn't chat as she had a recording date to do. There had been a last minute
recording session at Abbey Road as Shirley Bassey was about to put out 'There's never been a
night' and the powers that be wanted Alma to put out a version also. She asked Eddie to follow
on behind in a taxi to be present at the recording. Eddie watched Alma from behind the control
booth glass. She recorded 'There's never been a night' in one take, at one o'clock in the morning
barely having time to take her fur coat off. The session included the full orchestra and backing
group which were all in position when Alma arrived. Alma was very tired and said her goodbyes
and left for home as she was due to fly off on tour next day.

Alma was the first person to use a radio mike at the newly opened Stockton Fiesta. Mike and
Bernie Winters were the first act to appear on the Wednesday evening then Alma took over on
the Saturday for a week's engagement. Eddie booked the front seat for every performance. The
set opened with an empty stage as Stan and the session musicians were behind the curtains on the
stage. Alma's voice could be heard from the speakers on the stage but she made her entrance
from the rear floating through the audience in white feathers to rapturous applause. Alma had a
different gown every performance and was packed to capacity every evening. Alma asked Eddie
to sing with her every night and they performed 'Do ya mind' as a duet. Alma stayed at the
Queens Hotel in Saltburn that week. It was around this time that Alma suggested that Eddie
changed his stage name to Eddie Sands - which he did.

Later Alma would do the Baily's circuit which all the artists were contracted to perform at 4
clubs within a 50 mile radius. On one occasion at the La Bamba club in Darlington Alma was ill
for two nights and when she returned the pianist from the Musician's Union played Alma's
opening number of 'Tell him' with the music upside down and she couldn't get in to it! Alma
was not well, she had no Stan with her and to top it all she had all of her jewellery stolen from her
dressing room.

On a second visit to the La Bamba Alma was so ill that she couldn't make the stairs to the
dressing room and had to change off stage in the cleaner's cupboard. After this performance
Eddie dined with Alma and Brain Morris and Alma ordered steak and mushrooms. Alma took
one bite and couldn't eat her steak and put it on Eddie's plate. Alma picked up the bill that
evening for dinner. At this time they couldn't find a room for Brian so he had to sleep in the
hotel lounge. After the meal Brian and Alma on leaving turned round to wave goodbye to Eddie
and this was the last time he ever saw Alma.