Tribute to late James (Jimmy) Campbell - one of Derry’s greatest ever singers

Tribute has been paid to well-known Derry man James Campbell who died last month. Jimmy (pictured), as he was affectionately known, passed away peacefully in Altnagelvin Hospital on May 11 after a long battle with illness. He was aged 80.. James (Jimmy) Campbell was born February 13, 1936 at Bishop Street in Derry. Born in Bishop Street, Jimmy worked in the BSR in his early years and sang with the showbands during the dance hall era in the 1960’s, when he performed with numerous showbands, including the well-known Johnny and the Jokers and The Wood Choppers. He played in a vast amount of dance halls all over Ireland and England, and even enjoyed playing a short stint in Germany with Johnny and the Jokers in a nightclub shortly after The Beatles before they became famous. Jimmy finished his singing days with the Fortunes Band, singing at many a wedding and local bars. It was a running joke that his children couldn’t go out the town with him without getting stopped every five minutes by someone telling them that their father was the best singer in the town. Jimmy performed Frank Sinatra and Solomon King like no one else could, and BBC Radio Foyle’s Sean Coyle often comments that there was no one who could sing ‘She Wears My Ring’ by Solomon King like Jimmy could. He is sadly missed by his wife Dorothy, sons John and Jason, daughter Dorothy-May and his beloved grandchildren Brandon, Emma, Ryan, Sophie and James. Jimmy’s funeral took place from his Academy Road home and following Requiem Mass in St Eugene’s Cathedral he was laid to rest in the City Cemetery.