ROCK musicians, friends and family gathered for a fitting farewell to bass guitarist Trevor Bolder.
About 600 people packed into St Mary's Church in Beverley for a celebration and thanksgiving of the Hull-born musician's life.
The bass guitarist died last month, aged 62, after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.
Those who attended yesterday included Woody Woodmansey, who, along with the Bolder and the late Mick Ronson, played with David Bowie as The Spiders From Mars in the early 1970s.
Mr Woodmansey said: "I am honoured to have known him as a friend.
"He was one of the few friends you might not see for a few years and yet meeting up with him again it was if you had only seen him yesterday.
"He was a world-class bass player. You have just got to read the list of who he played with – David Bowie, Wishbone Ash and Uriah Heep.
"He did what he wanted to do and he made a difference. I am going to miss him."
Uriah Heep guitarist Mick Box, who was moved to tears during the service, said: "I very much respected Trevor as a bass player, a singer, a songwriter and as a friend.
"He was never one to go on about his previous success. "He was modest to the core and was very quiet – unless he had a few brandies inside him.
"He was a deep thinker, really quite spiritual. He loved his family and they loved him."
Mr Box said the bassist would always refuse his invitations to stay at his home in London when returning from the UK after completing a world tour with the band.
Instead, he would insist on driving back to his family home in Little Weighton.
"He never once accepted my invitation to stay over. Even though he was probably jet-lagged, he would always get in his car and drive that extra 300 miles to get home. Home was his castle," said Mr Box.
Uriah Heep singer Bernie Shaw said: "He was my wingman for 27 years and I am going to miss him."
Hull singer Tony Gallagher performed a duet with Mr Box after delivering his own tribute at the service.
He said the musician helped support his own career over the years.
"He produced some of our demos and we got to know each other well," said Mr Gallagher.
"Over the last seven years we became close. He was Uncle Trev to my kids and I always called him Boss.
"He leaves a huge musical legacy but that is overshadowed by the size of his heart."
Other friends and neighbours from Little Weighton also paid their own tributes.
Steve Jennings recalled his support for youngsters who were keen on music.
"He once took a group of us to see Def Leppard at Sheffield Arena and got us into the backstage VIP area because he knew the band," said Mr Jennings.
"He always remained humble and treated everyone the same, whether he was with the rich or famous or down the pub playing pool or darts.
"He never forgot his roots. All he wanted to do was play rock'n'roll the best he could."
