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Coventry pays tribute to Terry Hall of The Specials

Universal Music/PA Wire Terry HallUniversal Music/PA Wire
Terry Hall grew up in Coventry and joined The Specials in 1977

Tributes have been paid to ska legend Terry Hall, with calls for a permanent memorial in Coventry, where he was born.

The Specials front man, who died on Monday, grew up in the city, where the band formed in the late 1970s.

The Two Tone music movement he helped pioneer is embedded in Coventry's musical heritage.

Overhead gantries on the city's ring road were changed to read "too much, too young, RIP Terry Hall".

Coventry's HMV Empire with tribute on billboard to Terry Hall
Coventry's HMV Empire posted a tribute to the legendary front man

"Thank you for the memories", was also posted on a promotional sign outside music venue HMV Empire.

Singer-songwriter Hall lived in Hillfields and went to Sidney Stringer school before joining The Specials in 1977.

Phil Rooney, HMV Empire manager, said there should be a permanent tribute to hall in the city, such as a statue.

"Terry was a very important part of Coventry's music history, world music history possibly," he added. "I think we genuinely need to have a Specials day in Coventry, they have one in LA."

A gantry paying tribute to Terry Hall
The gantry tributes on Coventry's ring road brought "a tear" to the eyes of passing motorists, some social media posts said

"I saw your Terry Hall message on the ring road yesterday and it gave me a tear in my eye," wrote one Facebook user in response to the city council's post about the gantries. "Beautiful touch to our Cov kid," said another.

Bandmate Horace Panter confirmed his friend had been diagnosed with cancer shortly before his death - with pancreatic cancer spreading to his liver.

Dean of Coventry Cathedral, the Very Reverend John Witcombe, said he had "such warm memories of Terry" from the band's homecoming gigs in the Cathedral ruins three years ago.

A tribute on the cathedral's Facebook page said the shows captured "the very essence of Coventry, and will not be forgotten".

Jim Bennett/Getty Images Terry Hall performing in Coventry Cathedral ruinsJim Bennett/Getty Images
In 2019, Hall performed during the band's 40th anniversary tour in Coventry Cathedral's ruins

John Dawkins, manager of Tom Grennan, tweeted that the Coventry City team should wear its Two Tone kit for tonight's fixture against West Brom as a sign of respect to the "icon".

The team responded to say it was unable to wear the kit, but would be playing music from The Specials and putting pictures on the big screen at Wednesday's game against West Brom.

"I always talk [to my artists] about trying to affect popular culture in a positive way and I don't think anyone's done it quite as well as Terry has," he said.

Coventry Libraries and Information Service A tribute to Terry Hall on display at Coventry LibraryCoventry Libraries and Information Service
A tribute to Terry Hall is on display at Coventry Library

Pete Chambers from Coventry Music Museum, meanwhile, described Hall as "unique".

"There wouldn't be a Coventry Music Museum if we didn't have The Specials and the Two Tone movement in the city," he said. "The Two Tone movement really resonated and still does to this day and Terry was a huge part of that."

Drapers Hall Tribute sign to Terry Hall in CoventryDrapers Hall
A sign outside Drapers Hall, Coventry showing the words reputed to be Terry Hall's last

Coventry's Lord Mayor Councillor Kevin Maton called Hall a "true Coventrian".

"Not only was he a talented songwriter and inspiring performer who undertook a number of musical projects, he was a leading light for many in the fight for equality and justice," he said.

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