Derek JamesThe man who turned down the chance to front rock band Led Zeppelin to stay with Norfolk's own Peter Jay & The Jaywalkers is 'coming home'.He is one of the most underrated singers and guitarists this country has ever produced, an original rock 'n' roll rebel by the name of Terry Reid.Derek James

The man who turned down the chance to front rock band Led Zeppelin to stay with Norfolk's own Peter Jay & The Jaywalkers is 'coming home'.

He is one of the most underrated singers and guitarists this country has ever produced, an original rock 'n' roll rebel by the name of Terry Reid.

Now based in the USA, Terry is over in Britain to play the Glastonbury Festival with the likes of Bruce Springsteen and Neil Young, but before that he is heading Great Yarmouth way to meet up with his old mate Peter Jay and play his club, The Residence.

'It is a real honour to have Terry appearing at my club,' said Peter. 'He is one of the great unrecognised music legends with no less than seven albums to his name - hearing him sing takes me back in an instant to those amazing days in the 1960s,' added Peter.

Formed at Norwich City College with the likes of guitarist Pete 'Big Boy' Miller, Peter Jay & The Jaywalkers became the biggest band to come out of Norfolk, with a top twenty hit in 1962.

They were an instrumental outfit until Terry joined in 1966 and went on tour with them, supporting The Rolling Stones.

What an adventure that turned to be, with not only the Stones but Ike and Tina Turner and The Yardbirds with Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page.

'The compare, Long John Baldry, didn't even get to sing,' recalled Peter.

It was during that crazy tour that Jimmy Page asked Terry to front his new band, but Terry recommended another young singer called Robert Plant. The rest is history.

Terry also turned down a request from Spencer Davis to take over when Steve Winwood left the band, but he stayed with The Jaywalkers until the band spilt up in 1969 and he then moved to America.

'Since moving to the States in the early 1970s Terry has written and recorded more than 100 of his own songs,' added Peter. Artists from as far apart as Marianne Faithful and White Stripes have recorded his songs.

'Terry has always remained true to his own songwriting and singing principles and has never tried to be 'commercial' - now at long last he is being picked up by many of the new pop elite as one of rock's great unsung heroes,' he said.

Tickets for Terry Reid and Friends at The Residence in Great Yarmouth on Friday June 26 are available in advance at �15 from the Hippodrome's online booking system www.hippodromecircus.co.uk, or by calling 01493 844172. Showtime is 9pm. Up and coming local blues band Secondhand Blues will also be

playing.