Wolverhampton Grand gears up for a slice of 50s nostalgia

The UK's number one Buddy Holly tribute, Marc Robinson, will give a one-off performance at Wolverhampton's Grand Theatre.

Buddy Holly: A Legend Reborn will play out at the venue on Sunday.

Robinson will be joined by singer Jess Conrad OBE and The Connie Francis revue. They will be backed by a band reminiscent of the Crickets in their Fifties heyday.

Grand Theatre spokeswoman Kate Evans said: "This authentic slice of rock 'n' roll nostalgia features non-stop classic hits including Who's Sorry Now, Stupid Cupid, Mystery Girl, Cherry Pie, Lipstick On Your Collar and a host of Buddy Holly classics too."

Robinson's interests with music started early in his high school days. Hating the uniformed curriculum of music lessons of the day, at home he preferred the excitement of rock 'n' roll, which led him to a varied career, part of which is playing Tribute to Buddy Holly.

After leaving school, like Buddy Holly himself, Marc studied to be a draughtsman. He formed a band and started performing vintage rock 'n' roll songs, all of which he had listened to as he grew up.

As Marc played more and more of Buddy Holly, his audiences remarked on the similarities between himself and the iconic star.

He acquired the tailor made Holly suits, horned rimmed glasses and of course the Stratocaster guitar before deciding to create his own tribute show.

He took to the road, taking Buddy Holly's music and character to the people of Britain, Europe and the Middle East.

Marc had hit upon the idea of a tribute band while drinking at his local pub. He had been standing with friends watching a band perform when he turned to the landlord and said: "We can do that." The landlord booked him to play the following week. The performer had seven days to develop an act and against all odds he played – and was paid a tenner. They were re-booked on the spot.

From such humble beginnings, the performer has become one of the UK's number one tribute acts and has played at the Brit Awards, Glastonbury Festival, the London Palladium and headlined gigs across the world.

Buddy Holly lived a tragically short life and was a pioneer of rock'n'roll. His success lasted for just 18 months before his death in an airplane crash.

However, his legacy was already secured. He was described by critic Bruce Eder as 'the single most influential creative force in early rock and roll' and his works influenced The Beatles, Elvis Costello, The Rolling Stones and Bob Dylan.