Renowned Northallerton 'jazz man' Mike Naylor dies aged 80

James Michael Naylor was a man who just loved music. Born in Northallerton in 1942, Mike enjoyed a love of theatre and music his whole life with the drum-kit his instrument of choice.

As a young boy the family would go to the Lyric cinema on a weekend night to see the latest films to be released. Being a prominent business family in the town, Naylors Garage, they had seats on the front row reserved to enjoy big screen showings. His reason for going however wasn’t to watch what was going on up on the big screen, he was in fact focused on the small orchestra in 'the pit'.

The orchestra would provide the backing music for films and also play in the intervals. During the intervals he would go and lean over the surround of the pit just to watch the drummer playing. He was fascinated by the sound of the drums and the dexterity of the drummer and this is where Mike’s love of music, which was to last a lifetime, began.

When he got his first set of drums as a young teenager he taught himself to play just by using his musical ear and remembering everything he had seen and heard from the drummer at the Lyric. He never read or studied music-sheets.

By day he worked in the family garage business, Naylor’s, with his father, grandfather and two brothers, but by night he was a musician.

In the late 1950s at the age of about 16 he joined up with Bobby Young and Andrew Bramley to form a Skiffle band, The Harmoniums. They played in and around the Northallerton area and helped raise funds for the swimming baths and the Friarage Hospital.

When the 60s music scene exploded in Britain they expanded the group to include Bill Hutchinson and Roy Shyvers and re-invented themselves as Sound Five, a local band of young musicians caught up in the excitement of the "Swinging 60s". They would play the music of that era at local venues for a few shillings a night.

Mike’s life turned full circle as a young man as the band would now regularly play on stage at the Lyric, the place where music first captivated him. During one of his many sessions playing there he was seen on stage by a local girl, Kath Willis, who watched him performing on stage and thought she would like to get to know him better.

Her wish came true, and they were married in 1963 with Mike’s best friend, the band’s bass guitarist Bobby Young, being his best man. They went on to have three girls and brought their family up in Northallerton.

As time went on the band members got older, married and started families which led to the group disbanding. Mike continued working in the family business as the company's car sales manager full-time, but he also continued to pursue his love of playing the drums at venues in Darlington on a weekend.

He played in a backing band that performed for stars such as Lulu, Joe Brown and Matt Monroe. He was also often asked to play at local nursing homes where he would take along his two eldest girls to sing with him. When the family business ceased trading in the early 1980s, Mike and Kath moved out of town and bought a shop in Sowerby where they stayed for several years.

They then moved to Knaresborough where they bought a shop on a caravan site until they retired. On their retirement they moved to the Thirsk area to be close to their daughters and their families. His retirement now allowed him to get back involved with his first love of music. He was invited around this time to join the long-established group, the Swale Valley Stompers, a local traditional jazz band who were in need of a drummer.

Apart from his drum playing skills Mike had a beautiful voice. Due to popular demand the band privately recorded and released an album of the favourite tunes that people had grown to love. The band continued playing over the years at private and charity functions and were also invited to play overseas at jazz festivals in France and Bulgaria.

They played every week at the Pied Piper and then the Queen Catherine at Osmotherley for nearly 30 years. All through this time they were regular fund-raisers for Macmillan Cancer Support. They would play in Northallerton High Street or Barkers Arcade and would also have an annual run-out on the Wensleydale Railway. The band raised thousands over the past 40 years for this worthwhile charity.

Sadly, a decision was taken last year to cease playing as a group with their last function in July 2022 on the Wensleydale Railway raising £3,375.

Mike and Kath celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary with family and friends on March 28 this year. A special card was received from Buckingham Palace congratulating them on their diamond anniversary from King Charles, and Queen Camilla. They were surrounded at the celebration by their three daughters, Annette, Sandra and Louise plus all their extended family including grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Mike’s best friend, Bobby was guest of honour on the day. His girls never picked up on his instrumental talent but they did inherit his love of music and all of them have fine voices. His instrumental talent did however skip a generation and resurfaced in some of his grandchildren. Charlotte plays the violin, clarinet and guitar and Rowan plays the saxophone.

The Naylor family have been in Northallerton since the early 1840s when Mike's great grandfather James Hewson Naylor arrived and learnt his trade as a silversmith. Naylors Garage had its petrol pumps beside the pavement as it fronted onto the High Street next door to what is now Maxwells Electricals. The family traded there for approximately 70 years.

Apart from running a successful garage the Naylor family were deeply involved in Northallerton life. Along with running the family business his father and grandfather also played a major part in the running of the Northallerton Fire Service from its early formation in the late 1800s through to the mid-1950s when the service was no longer operated by the council. One of the many yards in Northallerton was named after the family as Naylor's Yard. 

Mike is sadly missed by his family and all those who knew him. His family said one thing is certain though. "If they are looking for anyone to organise some musical function 'up there' we are sure he will be front and centre of stage. Like many people who left Northallerton, Mike always considered himself a Northallerton lad and would travel from Boroughbridge most Wednesdays to take a stroll around the market and greet people from his earlier days."

His funeral will be held on May 24 at 4pm at the Maple Park Crematorium at Skipton Bridge. Family Flowers only but donations on the day will be distributed to MacMillan and St Michael’s Hospice.