Yvonne and the Path

Yvonne Kelly worked as managing director of the studios from 1981 to 1989 and says Sir George “changed the world of music, as well as my world and my life”. “I was working for Doncaster Council [in Yorkshire, England] when I read about him opening the studios,” she says. ” I decided right then and there that I’d leave my job and move to Montserrat to work at his studios. I had spent some time there when I was younger, so I knew the island. Yvonne Kelly worked at Sir George Martin’s AIR Studios throughout the 1980s “I opened a restaurant at first when I got there, but when he came to the restaurant, I met him and got the job managing the studios.”

The Police, Dire Straits, Elton John, Eric Clapton and Stevie Wonder were among just a few of the names who recorded albums there. “It was an incredible experience,” says Ms Kelly. “We had some great times. I was afforded a fantastic opportunity by George. “I met a lot of stars and road crew, but most importantly, some fantastic people. “It was a really nice environment to work and record in and it was all down to George.”

“She was the Daughter of a Famous Local Musician, unknown to some but yes she had good connections with us.”

Now I was currently working at Air Studio as a handyman, and on the weekends I would go to this bar, on a street called Harney Street in the town of Plymouth Montserrat. This bar was a bar I worked at when I was 16 years old which after that had many owners. It was a place with nice music, and many local bands and neighbouring islands band performed there. It was owned by a syrian family who was living in the country for years. So one weekend I went to this bar and I saw this woman (Yvonne) and I fell for her in the sense that I began to frequent this place on weekends, with respect she was already married but as a man when there is a woman behind the bar you tend to spend more especially, if they are kind and beautiful and cheerful. Then the shock of seeing her come to Air Studio to work who later became my sudden change of circumstances. 

The Crossed Path of Destiny

There were 2 managers before (Yvonne Kelly) both were male. They were good in their own way. Being just a handyman things started like on a domestic scale like hanging curtains, scrubbing where the dog slept, washing the protective screens used to prevent mosquitoes from entering the building also preparing ingredients for the chef (George “Tappy” Morgan)and making beds. Everytime I was given a raise I got some extra jobs to do. They gave me job to clean and wash the vehicles, clean the glass windows clean the studio windows and other things. Now the leisure time was chatting and playing pool with the musicians I also had a passion for music. So I was just an odd job guy after being a carpenter. Then this woman, (Yvonne Kelly) who I visited at the bar came as the new manager. She immediately just changed my everything very open very kind and businesslike, A rock pond was built with goldfish in it and there was beehive setup also on the estate, there was farmers and botanists and others to maintain the property. She wasnt afraid of doing the gardening not that it was part of her job she had her own little hobbies. Now that she was working with us, I would pick flowers and place it on her desk, draw portraits of her (small drawings) and she appreciated everything. Anyway as the manager her form of economizing was to get me to fill some positions, which was all quite very good. I have her to thank everyday for every position I held, that swimming pool so blue and nice was the first responsibility. then I was sent to learn to drive. I learnt in three months lessons was everyday by a local instructor. After receiving my license I was given the job to drive the staff, on the first day no one wanted to drive with me, then afterwards their confidence arose and it became a norm, so I was driving the staff, taking the vehicles to be serviced, wash the vehicles clean the pool buying the deisel for the backup generator. I didnt handle the cash it was bring back the receipt, which a good thing then there was this man named Keith Dover who came to tune the Bosendorfer grand piano. I would pick him up from the airport and take him back every Thursday. And concerning the musicians some opted for rental cars and some I pick up from their villas. Soon I was given the chance to drive the vehicles anytime even keep it at home First it was the Ford Cortina then the Ford Starlet then a Volkswagen then a white Toyota wagon back and the last I drove was the blue double cab 4wd Toyota Hilux. And one of the best gifts was to do the electronics course under the management of Yvonne Kelly. I got on well with everyone at that time as we were not exposed to people and of stardom we just listen to the music and thats all. But radio had exposed me to a lot of places and music.