RIP member drew - Andrew Bone

[Joe]

Dear all,

I have learned today that our good friend and member Andrew Bone passed away last February.  I was friends on Facebook with him, and saw that today would have been his birthday. His wife Gini had replied to posts there to those just finding out this sad news. 

As HWI member “drew” Andrew was a wonderful and prolific poster, having made a little over a thousand posts in just five years.  Long-standing forum members may remember Andrew introducing us to the Hayley Westenra Rose back in 2006. 

I plan to send the link of this thread to Gini, so kindly reply to this post if you would like to leave a kind memory of Andrew. 

Thank you.

This link will take you to his posts…hwi.proboards.com/user/58/recent

[Dave]

I am so sorry to learn of this sad news, which I did not know of until yesterday. 'drew was not only one of our 'regulars' in Hayley's touring days but also attended many of her concerts and some of us met him at quite a few of them.

Andrew often made video recordings from the audience, many of them featured on his Youtube channel which is, unsurprisingly for those who knew him, called 'rosegrower' ( www.youtube.com/c/rosegrower/featured ) . Included among his many uploads is an excellent collection of Hayley performances.

I particularly remember one occasion when I was sat with him on the balcony of St James's Church in London, it was 7th. August 2008, while he enthusiastically but with great care filmed a very special and unique performance by Hayley. During a concert of the Choir of Christchurch Cathedral New Zealand, Hayley performed a duet of 'Barcarolle' with Dame Malvina Major, on stage and without any microphone or amplification. I dared not move or make a sound, his camera was perched right in front of us on the balcony rail! Andrew kindly provided a copy for us to upload to our HWI Youtube channel and it is thanks entirely to him that we have a permanent record of this marvellous performance, so here it is: www.youtube.com/watch?v=-nmpCq7L3ss

That is but one special memory I have of Andrew but as Joe suggested, anyone who wishes to share their own memories of him is most welcome to do so here.

Dave

[Jeff]

Such sad news. May he rest in peace.

[comet]

I had "notifications On" for Andrew's YouTube channel over the years so I would see the videos he was posting. This one made me smile at the time as Andrew is in it 15 seconds in, most unusual as he was generally behind the camera.




We met and chatted at a few Hayley Westenra concerts over the years, Shepherds' Bush and The Waterfront Hall in Belfast come to mind, always a pleasure, he had a slightly mischievous and amusing demeanor which I suppose was necessary for doing what he did, discreetly filming in places where the signs said "NO CAMERAS or recording devices permitted". But many of us were grateful that he did, he captured hundreds of unique moments of the careers of many musicians and singers that would not have been captured otherwise, for that, I for one am very grateful.




This set of 18 videos of Alive and singing are just wonderful, so many faces, mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, granddads, grannies, aunties, uncles. People who will never all be in the one place at the same time again. A unique moment in time.

[Paddy]

A sad farewell to a sincere and charming friend.
I really enjoyed Drew's witty and fun-loving company at many of Hayley's concerts.
Sleep on, sleep on, sleep deep and sleep strong.

[Steve H]

Such sad news, I have like Dave many fond memories of time spent with Drew whilst taking photos of Hayley.

Drew had a wonderful sense of humor and a sparkling personality. Our thoughts are with his family at this time.

Rest In Peace Drew I will toast you memory tonight with a fine single malt whisky.

Steve H

[Andrew]

Hi All,

I am also extremely sad to learn of the news of Andrew. I last met Andrew at the Hayley Concert in Glasgow, 2009.

Andrew had a lot of charisma. He had the gift of getting right alongside everyone he met and making each person feel valued.

Rest In Peace Andrew 🙏🙏🙏

[comet]

Drew and Hayley Belfast Waterfront Hall 2008

[John H]

Rosegrower's videos of Hayley, All Angels and others were always a joy to watch.
I first met Drew when Fiona Pears came to London in 2011, and thereafter he would often seek me out at concerts for a chat and to ask how things were going.
I think the last time I met him was probably at the All Angels reunion event in December 2018.
He was a genuinely nice person, and will be sadly missed.

[natalie]

I not been on the forum for ages .
Please pass on my condulences