Gerry and the Pacemakers were an English beat group prominent in the 1960s Merseybeat scene. In common with the Beatles, they came from Liverpool, were managed by Brian Epstein and recorded by George Martin. Their early successes helped make popular the Merseybeat sound and launch the wider British beat boom of the mid-1960s.
They were the first act to reach number one in the UK Singles Chart with its first three single releases: "How Do You Do It?", "I Like It" and "You'll Never Walk Alone" from Carousel. This record was not equalled for 20 years, until the mid-1980s success of fellow Liverpool band Frankie Goes to Hollywood. Another of their most famous songs, "Ferry Cross the Mersey", refers to the River Mersey, which flows past Liverpool and was the title song for the film of the same name. The group also enjoyed some success in North America as part of the British Invasion, with seven of their singles reaching the US top 40, the most popular being "Don't Let the Sun Catch You Crying".
Gerry Marsden led the group on and off through the years until his retirement in 2018. Since his death in 2021 his bandmates, from his final lineup of the band, have returned to touring as Gerry's Pacemakers, as Marsden requested before he retired.
