North East Mayor Kim McGuness is planning a tourism drive to honor Tyneside musicians

The North East’s new mayor, Kim McGuinness, is planning an ambitious tourism drive that will celebrate Tyneside musicians.

Sting, Mark Knopfler, Jimmy Nail, The Animals, Hank Marvin and Sam Fender will be among those appearing in a Tyneside version of Liverpool’s Beatles attractions. They will be a crucial part of the drive to create jobs through music and the arts.

The idea is the brainchild of new Labor mayor Kim McGuinness, who wants to take power from Westminster “and hand it to the people”. She defeated former Labor independent Jamie Driscoll by 58,399 votes, representing around two million voters.

She praised the successful investment attracted by the new ‘Hollywood-style’ studios on Wearside. Now she wants arts to inspire skilled jobs in theater, music and film production. “My reason for wanting to be mayor is the pride I feel for the North East,” she said. “It’s a very important identifiable part of who we are.

“I think this is woven into our art and culture, it’s part of the fabric of the place. So there is an emotional element. But economically it makes a lot of sense for us. We need to stop treating art and culture as an added value.” on.”

Liverpool has a statue of the Fab Four at the city’s ferry port, tourist routes and a museum. Visitors from all over the world want to see sights like Strawberry Fields and John Lennon’s birthplace. Tyneside was due to celebrate 82-year-old Hank Marvin, former guitarist of The Shadows, born Brian Robson Rankin at 138 Stanhope Street in Newcastle. His father was an army officer. Sting, real name Gordon Sumner, 71, is from Wallsend, North Tyneside.

Mark and younger brother David Knopfler grew up in Blyth, Northumberland. Knopfler spoke of his love for Tyneside and his pride in his song ‘Local Hero’ being played at St James Park before Newcastle United matches earlier this year. He feels his love for his hometown every time he crosses the Tyne Bridge on the train heading north or south. And the River Tyne plays an important role on his own upcoming album.

Young star Sam Fender, from North Shields, has been recording at Knopfler’s studio. Hailed as one of the greatest guitarists of all time, Knopfler is known for his solos on songs such as Sultans of Swing and Telegraph Road.