Early career/The Escorts Sylvester grew up in
Allerton, Liverpool, and attended school with future
Badfinger guitarist,
Joey Molland. At the age of 14, Sylvester was employed for a time as a
panel beater by
George Harrison's brother. The group he co-founded, the Escorts, appeared with
the Beatles in the early 1960s. The Escorts recorded their
cover of "
Dizzy Miss Lizzy" on
Fontana Records in 1964. A
compilation album of the Escorts,
From the Blue Angel, was issued on LP and then, in 1995, on CD.
The Swinging Blue Jeans In 1966, Sylvester began a three-year stint with the Swinging Blue Jeans, replacing guitarist/vocalist Ralph Ellis. In the mid-1990s, Sylvester teamed up with Griffin again as the duo 'Griffin & Sylvester', touring the UK and Canada as a part of the 'Soft Rock Cafe'. Their 1982 album was re-issued on
compact disc with three bonus songs in 1999.
Later releases, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame A double album of Sylvester's recordings with the Hollies (mostly Sylvester lead vocal tracks), the Alan Parsons Project, solo, and Griffin & Sylvester entitled
The Complete Works: 1969–1982, was issued in France on Magic Records in 2001. In 2010, as a member of the Hollies, Sylvester was inducted into the
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame along with
Graham Nash,
Allan Clarke,
Tony Hicks,
Bobby Elliott,
Bernie Calvert and
Eric Haydock. == Discography ==