Trevor Sandford from Water Into Wine Band dies

Trevor Sandford, lead singer of the 70's Christian folk band Water Into Wine Band died in Kent on 28th March. Water Into Wine Band operated between 1971 and 1976, consisting of Sandford (vocals guitar, bass), Peter McMunn (guitar), Ray Wright (guitar, bass, bongos) and Bill Thorp (violin, piano). The band met at Cambridge University where they had mutual interests in theology and music. They performed at various gigs and released the album, 'Hill Climbing For Beginners' released on the Myrrh label, a subsidiary of Word UK. Such was the interest in the album by US Word's manager Billy Ray Hearn that he arranged for a re-recording of the album to be made in London with John Pantry producing for the American market. In 1976 WIWB recorded another album 'Harvest Time' independently with almost the entire pressing of 1000 copies being sold at the bands final concert at the Greenbelt Arts Festival. Over the next few decades vinyl copies of the UK version of 'Hill Climbing For Beginners' and 'Harvest Time' began to change hands for ever increasing amounts. 'Hill Climbing For Beginners' was even bootlegged by a Korean company in 1999.

After stepping away from folk music Trevor became a successful businessman and was a county officer with Kent County Council while finding time to sing with the Kent Chamber Choir.

Describing Trevor Sandford, a former university friend of his, Jon Garvey said, "Trevor was a gentle and quietly spoken guy with a soft Cookstown brogue, a steady faith and a self-deprecating on-stage manner that included telling Irish jokes ("Did you hear about the Irish parachutist who missed the world?"). In a band of contrasting personalities and gifts he was, perhaps, the steady foundation."