The video will start in 8 Cancel

The latest on shopping, restaurant news and more Subscribe Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Invalid Email

Musicians Simon Fowler and Scott Matthews paid tribute to Nick Drake in a special ceremony to mark his contribution to music today (June 15).

Ocean Colour Scene’s lead singer Simon Fowler and fellow singer songwriter Scott Matthews from Wolverhampton performed at The Bell pub in Tanworth-in-Arden near to the former home of the folk musician.

A blue plaque was unveiled at the house where the singer songwriter spent most of his childhood.

Far Leys in Tanworth-in-Arden was also the place where Nick died – aged just 26 in 1974.

Even though he died more than 40 years ago, Drake has been recognised as being one of the most important artists of the last 20 years.

The plaque was one of several unveiled as part of BBC Music Day.

Other plaques commemorating David Bowie , Abba , Alfie Boe , Rick Parfitt , John Lennon and Paul McCartney were unveiled.

In Stoke-on-Trent, Black Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi unveiled a plaque to Motorhead's frontman Lemmy, who died in January 2016.

Speaking about Drake, Simon Fowler said Drake was a key musical influence on Moseley band Ocean Colour Scene and revealed the band used to visit the singer's grave in Tanworth-in-Arden near Solihull to raise a glass to him.

The artists Nicholas Rodney ‘Nick’ Drake has influenced range from Paul Weller and Kate Bush to REM.

Rolling Stone magazine includes all three of his albums – Five Leaves Left, Bryter Layter and Pink Moon – on its “greatest LPs of all time” list.

(Image: Birmingham Mail)

Nick’s sister Gabrielle Drake said: “I think it’s a fantastic honour and I’m very grateful to everyone who made this possible and I think he would have been delighted too.”

Gabrielle was eight-years-old and Nick, four, when the family moved into their home Far Leys.

Now based in Much Wenlock , Shropshire, the former star of TV series UFO and Crossroads added: “It was very much a loved house and it was a stable background for us and we had a lot of fun and a lot of laughter, a lot of friends would come round. It was a good place.”

(Image: Janet Lee)

BBC WM’s Louise Brierley, presenter of the station’s Introducing music show, said: “Nick’s a musician who has influenced so many incredible artists since his death.

“Every year fans across the globe come to Tanworth-in-Arden to visit his home.

“BBC WM is proud to be celebrating a local lad who has had such an impact on the music world.”

(Image: Birmingham Mail)

Controller of BBC English Regions David Holdsworth, said: “It is hugely prestigious to receive a British Plaque Trust Blue Plaque, usually only around two are awarded each year."

Created to celebrate all types of music from around the UK and the Channel Islands, the third annual BBC Music Day’s theme is ‘the power of music’.

(Image: Birmingham Mail)

“The British Plaque Trust commemorates notable people from all walks of life who have made an important contribution to the history of our nation.

"We are delighted to have worked with the BBC towards Music Day 2017 for the last six months, making it possible to add deserving local music legends to the footprint of British history.”

More about Nick Drake

Born in Burma where father Rodney was a Bombay Burmah Trading Corporation, Nick Drake was a 6ft 3in former public schoolboy who won a place at Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge to study English.

He was found dead on his bed at Far Leys, the Tanworth-in-Arden, Warwickshire home of his parents on November 25, 1974.

Having battled depression, later diagnosed as schizophrenia, Nick died from an overdose of amitriptyline, a prescribed antidepressant.

Whether his death was an accident or suicide has never been resolved.

A book called Nick Drake: Remembered For A While by Gabrielle Drake (John Murray, £35) was published in November 2014 to commemorate the 40th anniversary of Nick’s passing.

It includes details of Nick’s last ten days, as detailed in diary entries made by their father, Rodney.

The entry for Monday, November 25 includes: “The worst day of our lives... so ends in tragedy our three-year struggle”.

Consultant psychotherapist Gerald Dickens later wrote to Rodney and Nick’s mother Molly to say: “I have but little doubt that you, as his parents did all that you possible could to encourage Nick to seek the help he required.

"I believe also that the doctors concerned did their best in the circumstances.

“I am afraid that we must all accept that Nick posed an insoluble problem.”

Buried at the local village Church of St Mary Magdalene, Nick recorded 31 songs but none sold more than 10,000 copies in his lifetime.

Other music plaques

Birmingham's existing

include one at the University of Birmingham which says: 'Sir Edward Elgar composer became the University's first Professor or Music in 1905.

A plaque on the side of the Hare & Hounds in Kings Heath, commemorating the first gig by UB40 on February 9, 1979, is a PRS for Music Heritage Award.

(Image: BPM)

PRS for Music manages the common activities of The Mechanical-Copyright Protection Society Limited and The Performing Right Society Limited, services both societies and is jointly owned by them.

One of the acts Nick Drake influenced was Blur , whose guitarist Graham Coxon played in an English Originals tribute concert to Drake held at Birmingham Town Hall in May, 2009.

Blur's first gig in 1989 led to the first PRS For Music Heritage Award Plaque being unveiled in their honour at the East Anglian Railway Music on November 30, 2009. For more details visit the website here

In 2013, the Erdington Town Centre Partnership created its own blue-coloured plaque saying ' Mothers 1968-1971 voted world's best rock venue 1969 & 1970'.

The club was only open for three years but it played host to the likes of Pink Floyd, who recorded a live album there, Elton John , Black Sabbath , Led Zeppelin , The Who and Rod Stewart .