George Hunter chats with Jazz legend and radio host Paddy Cole.

From his first performance in his native Castleblayney at 12, to meeting Elvis, and good friends with the singing cowboy Roy Rogers, to appearing on stages all over the world, including a sell-out concert at the London Palladium, Paddy Cole, the King of the Swingers, relates his personal and professional life in this warm and engaging chat with his long-time friends and fellow entertainer George Hunter.

Paddy talks affectionally of his early days with the Maurice Lynch band, to joining the Capital Showband and the Big 8, before playing for years in Las Vegas.

He pay tribute to Helen his wife of more than 50 years who, as he say, has kept him on the straight and narrow. He reminds us that grumpy Vincent Brown remarked when he learned he was marrying Helen: ‘How have you stolen best looking girl in Limerick’!.

Paddy is still as active as ever playing gigs whenever he can and has a hugely successful radio programme on Sunshine Radio every Sunday. Next year he’s organsing a national tour of many of the theatres where he and other showband legends appeared in the glory days.

Golf is his main passion after music and he’s been a member of Lahinch and the Castle in Dublin for years as well as regularly featuring in the legendary Sean Skehan golf and entertainment tours.

So reminisce and reflect on the life and times of one of Ireland’s best loved entertainers in this podcast brought to you by sponsors Doro Phones, Expressway and Senior Times.