When the British Invasion started in February of 1964, I was on the front lines. My girlfriends and I ate, breathed, slept, and lived for anything and anyone English.We were desperately in love with the Beatles, The Dave Clark Five, Gerry and the Pacemakers, and all the other musicians from Merry Olde. By the Summer of 1967, I had seen the Beatles on their last(1966) tour, and was awaiting the arrival of the Dave Clark Five in Portland, Maine. They had been to Portland before, and I , with the rest of the Devotedly Faithful, had gone to their concert. This, then, would be the second time I had seen and heard them.
Somehow, the Angels of the Adolescent smiled on me that night.
I LOVED Mike Smith. He was, foremost, a wonderful singer; but he was also completely adorable and sexy and charming. I honestly cannot remember the details of how I got there, but the photo above proves that it happened. Yes, that is actually ME and Mike Smith. In some miraculous unfolding of events, I got backstage and was with Mike Smith. It was more than a dream come true for a sixteen-year-old Anglophile girl!
My friends and I loved the music. The performances were solid, and we went home happily dreaming of our future with the Dave Clark Five. (I am not sure how many times I wrote “Mrs. Michael Smith” in my notebook).
Mike Smith went on to live his life and secure his spot in Rock and Roll History. He lived, and loved, without ever knowing the girl in the photo. I never saw him again, and others wore the crown of Mrs. Smith. Mike died, too young, at 64, in 2008.
Blessedly, considering all we forget as we age, there are some memories that stand out in our minds. I will never forget the incredible excitement of meeting Mike:it was some kind of Magic! Whenever I am riding along and a Dave Clark Five song comes on the radio, I am always transported back in time. I listen, above all else, to the strong, unmistakable voice of Mike Smith….and I remember.
BarbaraBeardsley.com 
Two beautiful souls! Both with great voices!
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