The Harrogate family dynasty that's worked with everyone from Paul McCartney to Yungblud
A prestigious event at Bettys in Harrogate has finally shone a light on the link between one of the town’s most famous family businesses and the biggest names in rock and roll.
Established in 1970, Bradleys has been renowned for more than 50 years for working with world class brands in jewellery at its store at 6 Prospect Crescent.
While not quite a secret, it’s not been known generally that the Bradley family also holds a unique connection to rock-and-roll history.
The other side of this distinguished family’s life was revealed in the Imperial Rooms at Bettys in Parliament Street recently when Peter Bradley Jnr stood up to introduce modern-day rock stars Richard Hawley and Chris Difford of Squeeze at an exclusive event to launch a new book about the legendary Buddy Holly.
As well as being Sales Director at Bradleys, it also emerged that he is a Board Director of The Buddy Holly Educational Foundation, which not only promotes the legacy of the 1950s rock n roll star but is also one of the driving forces, along with Difford, behind world famous songwriting retreats for the music stars of tomorrow.
Such is his status in the rock industry, internationally, in 2023, Peter Bradley Jnr was elected the first and only European Trustee of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame based in the USA.
Never one to feel the need to blow his own trumpet, he is, nonetheless, pleased that the cat is finally out of the bag about his family’s other life.
"The Bettys event was fantastic, it was very well received” said Peter, a former musician whose brother Robert Edward Bradley is a Grammy Award winning composer and producer who works from his own recording studio in Leeds
"It was nice to establish the connection in public between Bradleys the jewellers and all the work the family has done to keep the name of Buddy Holly alive and all our philanthropic work for young musicians over the years.
"It also helped answer a question that comes up a lot “why is Peter always in America?”"
The family’s unique connection to the highest echelons of the rock music world began with his father Peter who launched the first Bradley store with his wife Janet at the dawn of the Seventies.
A Buddy Holly fan ever since he heard songs like That’ll Be The Day, Peggy Sue and Everyday at his grandfather’s b&b in Scarborough as a boy, Peter Bradley Snr was too young to meet the rock legend the day he had lunch at Bettys in Harrogate in 1958 during a break from his only UK tour.
Years later, however, he did meet Buddy Holly’s widow, María Elena Holly, at a major concert devoted to the late star in Hollywood in 2011.
It was the day where it all began.
“My dad and Maria really connected as people,” said Peter Bradley Jnr.
"She was enthused by his enthusiasm for Buddy Holly.
"She became a life-long friend to our family.
“She proposed creating a not for profit legacy for Buddy Holly and the Crickets.”
It would be a couple of years before the son would follow the dad in dedicating much of his spare time to the The Buddy Holly Educational Foundation.
This brilliant organisation’s operations have spread far and wide ever since, including being partners with Genesis Publications in the stunning new book Words of Love: Buddy Holly which led to that memorable launch night at Bettys in Harrogate, following similar events in London, LA and New York.
Over the years it has recruited 80 Buddy Holly ambassadors from the biggest living names in rock music to promote Holly’s memory.
Working as hard as ever for both the family business and his musical passions, Peter Bradley Jnr now moves in the circles that involve people like Sir Paul McCartney, Yungblud and music promoter Harvey Goldsmith CBE.
One thing he is particularly proud of is the role of The Buddy Holly Educational Foundation in supporting future talent.
Next up a new series of songwriting retreats in Yorkshire.
The legacy goes on.
"Each of the Buddy Holly Ambassadors are gifted a unique, custom-made replica of Buddy Holly’s own 1943 Gibson J-45 acoustic guitar.
"Sadly, as the years go on, some pass away.
"But they are always passed on to the next generation of stars.
"The one held by The Beach Boys' Brian Wilson is going to be gifted next to Taylor Swift.”