Meet 80-year-old George Pinnington – the longest-serving member of the Greater Manchester Police (GMP) band.
After a remarkable 42 years playing in the GMP band, band veteran George gives us an insight into his fascinating music career and his time serving as an officer with GMP.
George grew up in Halifax, where at an early age he discovered that he had a voice for the stage;
“I would sing a lot as a youngster; a long time before I ever touched a microphone. I took inspiration from singers such as Matt Monroe – he’s still my favourite singer. I sing still like him now, as I can emulate his voice and sing in the same pitch.” (George Pinnington)
George is a man of many talents, not only can he sing, but he can also play a variety of instruments including; bass clarinet, ordinary clarinet, saxophone and harmonica but insists hos favourite instrument to play is the saxophone.
At 19 George enrolled in the police training at Harrogate and starting his policing career as part of the West Yorkshire Police (WYP) in Halifax where he stayed for eight years. He left WYP to follow his dreams of becoming a professional entertainer, travelling across Europe with a band.
George rejoined the police, first at Hyde and then Ashton-Under-Lyne, as part of the traffic unit. This is where he bumped into a former colleague who knew of George’s musical past. As luck would have the GMP band were looking for a frontman.
Soon after, George put his officer duties on hold and became a fully-fledged member of the band, joining on a full-time basis; he said;
“When I was asked to join the band I had my reservations as I couldn’t play an instrument, which was a requirement, so they lent me a clarinet and the tutor books. From that point, I wholeheartedly spent the next three years teaching myself to play.
It was then around 1978 when I was eventually accepted into the band on a full-time basis, taking the role of lead singer. From that point on we were out and about most days, performing in schools or within the community and when we weren’t out, we were rehearsing.”
Despite being full-time members of the band, George and his bandmates were often called into action on the frontline and in the early 80’s George recalls when the Band were at the Royal Show;
“Around about halfway through our week-long stay in Warwickshire, we were called back to Manchester as riots had broken out, and with us still being police officers – who had received full riot training – we were sent straight back.”
It was around this time that the band and its members were dealt a severe blow, as the band practically overnight came to a halt, due to internal organisational matters. With this, the band’s members were posted back to their divisions and George went to Hyde to work as Coroner’s Officer.
Around two years later, George and a select number of members, decided to resurrect the band;
“That’s how the band started in the format that it is now – a volunteer band. Unfortunately, a lot of the original members didn’t want to re-join the band, so it was opened up to volunteer musicians, in order to perform at police and community events far and wide.
The criteria that volunteers have to meet are; be competent musicians, pass GMP’s vetting process and be able to march. The band has been rebuilding since we reformed it and it’s now as close to a full-time band as it could be.”
Since then, the band has grown into an acclaimed 50-strong Symphonic Wind Band, coupled with a Marching Band that undertakes many high profile concerts, parades and public ceremonies.
Emergency Services Day
Trafford Centre
In 2005 a Big Band was formed in order to expand the repertoire and appeal to new audiences. There is also a Dixie Band, Saxophone Quartet, Fanfare Brass Ensemble and Jazz Group.
When asked the reason behind his dedicated service to the band, George puts it down to one simple thing: “Music is my life!”
