John McNally (born 30 August 1941) is an English guitarist.^[1] He was a member of The Searchers, a band he formed in 1959, who were a big part of the Mersey sound in the early 1960s. He was the longest serving member of the group, touring in the band from 1957, until their retirement in 2019, as well as their 2023 farewell tour.

McNally was born in Walton, Liverpool. His love for music first came as a child, when his older brother, Frank, would bring back records from the United States, whilst working out at sea in the Navy:^[2]

First of all he’d bring country stuff like Eddy Arnold and Hank Williams, the next minute it was Johnny Cash, then Gene Vincent, Elvis, and Eddie Cochran.

John first learned guitar as a child when Georgie McGee, a friend of his older brother, taught him a few guitar chords.

In 1957, after being suggested to do so by friend Tony West (1937-2010), McNally formed a band. The band started off playing skiffle and, after an everlasting line-up which resulted in just McNally as the sole founding member still in the band, broke off into a new band in 1959, containing McNally, Mike Pendergast (Mike Pender), Tony Jackson, Chris Crummey (Chris Curtis), and William Francis Beck (Johnny Sandon). The new band was named the Searchers, named after the 1956 film of the same name. Sandon left in 1960, and the four remaining members proceeded to tour in Hamburg, Germany.

The band signed to Pye Records in 1963:^[2]

Everyone was being signed up (to a record label) and we didn’t want to miss the boat. We wanted to make a demo at the Iron Door (club), organising a company to nip in with all the gear. So we did 11 tracks and he sent them all around the companies, and luckily Tony Hatch at Pye Records picked up on it. We were on our way back to the Star-Club to do another stint when he asked us to come and record Sweets for my Sweet, which we did ahead of the ferry.

Their first single, a cover of The Drifters 1961 song "Sweets for My Sweet", went to number one.

Their debut album, Meet The Searchers, was released in August 1963. The album primarily consisted of covers. Their cover of The Clovers "Love Potion No. 9" went to number two on the U.S Cash Box and their version of Pete Seeger's modern folk-style song "Where Have All the Flowers Gone?" went to No. 22 and stayed for 21 weeks.^[3] Other hits by the group included "Needles and Pins", "Don't Throw Your Love Away" and "When You Walk in the Room". The Searchers became one of the first successful Beat music bands and were one of the most popular groups in the British Invasion in the early 1960s. The band's last album released during their 1960s era was Take Me for What I'm Worth, released in November 1965. In total, the Searchers released nine albums between 1963 and 1988.

In the bands earlier years, McNally rarely sang lead or co-lead on their releases or performances, with singing mainly done by guitarist Mike Pender, bassists Tony Jackson and Frank Allen, or drummer Chris Curtis, however, John did slightly contribute, singing the line "Now looky here" in their version of Don and Dewey's Farmer John, from their debut album Meet The Searchers. In the following years going into the 20th century, John has since contributed to lead vocals on stage, such as singing lead on their live performances of Mr. Tambourine Man.

Unlike the other members of The Searchers who played in bands, and even formed one of their own, McNally has never recorded with any other act, than the Searchers.

Following the departures of Tony Jackson in August 1964, Chris Curtis in mid 1966, and Mike Pender in December 1985, McNally was the last original member of the classic 1960s line-up who remained in the band. Shortly before the band were set to perform in the Sixties Gold Tour in September 2017, McNally suffered a stroke and took a three-month break from touring.^[4]

McNally remained with the band over 60 years, touring alongside Frank Allen, who replaced Tony Jackson in August 1964, until their last concert on 31 March 2019.^[5] It was announced on the band's website in 2021 that they would undertake a further farewell tour in 2023.^[6] The tour contained McNally, Allen, Spencer James (who had replaced Pender in 1985), and new member Richie Burns, and started on 13 April, at the Wimborne Tivoli in Wimborne, Dorset, and is set to end on 17 June 2023, at the Philharmonic Hall in Liverpool, Merseyside, where the band originated from.^[7]

In November 2008,^[8] McNally sold a grand piano he bought some time in the 1960s, who the likes of Gerry Marsden and Billy Butler had played on, for a Charitable organization.^[9] The auctioning of the piano was shot and aired on Dickinson’s Real Deal, and was sold at Dunes Leisure Centre, in Southport.^[9] The piano was sold for £520 to a family living in Preston, Lancashire, for family member Bob Young, who had been a member of the band Sweeney Todd.^[9]

In March 2009, John organised a Gala Moulin Rouge Ball to raise money for Wirral Autistic Society.

McNally has used a wide range of guitars during his career. John has been known to use a Rickenbacker 360/12,^[10] a Hofner Club 60, and a Fender Stratocaster.^[10]

McNally has said that he was first influenced by country singers like Hank Williams, Johnny Cash, and Hank Snow^[11] but after playing at the Star-Club in Hamburg, Germany, and specifically, playing with Fats Domino at the club, his music took a different course towards soul and rhythm & blues.

In his late teens, Buddy Holly was a great influence on John, and when Holly performed at the Philharmonic Hall in Liverpool on 29 March 1958, McNally had plans on going to see him, but was unable to due to his job; Mike Pender stated that he saw Holly at the performance, but does not remember a lot about it.^[2] Bert Weedon's Play in a Day Guide to Modern Guitar Playing book has also been said to be an influence on John.^[11]

In 2006, McNally received a telephone call from a band in Manchester, who asked him to meet him; upon going to see the band, he was surprised by the likes of Bruce Springsteen and Nils Lofgren, who had all claimed that McNally and the Searchers had inspired and influenced them.^[12]

McNally attended St Mary's College. John McNally has been married to Mary McNally since 1964.^[13] Prior to working full time as a musician, McNally worked at the Alfred Holt’s Blue Funnel line, where his brother also worked, doing office work and delivering mail.^[2] Since he was a child, John has enjoyed watching and playing football.^[2]

McNally still resides in his hometown of Liverpool, but lives in the area of Blundellsands, instead of his birth area of Walton:^[11][9][12]

I never felt the need to move out of Merseyside, I didn't like the London scene in the 1960s so I never stayed. A couple of the lads (Searchers members) did like it and went the wrong way. They got involved with drugs and stuff.