Brian Bookbinder (Manchester)

Brian Bookbinder (b. Brian Gerald Bookbinder, Monday, January 15, 1940, Manchester, Lancashire, England d. Saturday, August 28, 2004, Stockport, Greater Manchester, England of cancer) was a sax player, singer and comedian.

He was a well-known personality on the Manchester music scene.

Bookbinder was the son of Nat Bookbinder (b. Nathan Bookbinder, Monday, April 13, 1908, St. George, East London, England d. Monday, November 18, 1963, Crumpsall Hospital, Delaunays Road, Crumpsall, Manchester 8, Lancashire, England) and Mrs. Sadie Bookbinder (b. Miss Sarah Tomlinson, Friday, May 21, 1909, Lancashire, England d. Tuesday, January 11, 1994, Prestwich, Greater Manchester, England). He had one older brother bandleader Alan Bookbinder (b. Alan Harvey Bookbinder, Tuesday, October 1, 1935, Manchester, Lancashire, England d. Sunday, September 5, 2004, Manchester, Greater Manchester, England).

He was the cousin of famous 70's singer Elkie Brooks (b. Elaine Bookbinder, Sunday, February 25, 1945, 1 Castleton Road, Broughton, Salford, Lancashire, England), was a famous 70's singer, who was in Blues Rock fusion group Dada (from 1970) and made her name in Vinegar Joe (Late 1971 - Mar 1973). Before that she had released a number of singles starting in 1964. She also had two older brother's Ray Bookbinder (b. Raymond Bookbinder, Thursday, August 18, 1938, 1 Castleton Road, Broughton, Salford, Lancashire, England) and drummer Tony Mansfield (b. Anthony Bookbinder, Friday, May 28, 1943, 1 Castleton Road, Broughton, Salford, Lancashire, England), who made his name in Billy J. Kramer and the Dakotas. Elkie Brooks was the daughter of Brian Bookbinder's uncle bandleader Charlie Bookbinder (b. Karlmon Charles Bookbinder, Thursday, May 14, 1914, Yorkshire, England d. June 1993, Manchester, Lancashire, England) and Mrs. Vi Bookbinder (b. Miss Marjorie Violet Newton, Saturday, August 29, 1913, Salford, Lancashire, England d. September 1989, Manchester, Greater Manchester, England), a Catholic lady, who converted to Judaism and who both married in 1937 in Salford, Lancashire.

Brian Bookbinder was a gifted musician, who made his début playing sax at 17 in his father's band Nat Bookbinder and the Six Chapters in 1957. He also ran The Bookbinder's Club in Bloom Street, Manchester 1 (1989 - 2004). 

Info courtesy John H Warburg May 2025