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All the band members had day jobs so playing was more of a hobby. Any money earned was used to buy new equipment and a van etc. They bought a large PA from Blackfoot Sue the rock band that had a No 4 hit with Standing In The Road in 1972. During his time with the band, Mervyn was still improving his guitar technique and he gradually also did more singing.
Barnaby eventually signed deal with R & B Promotions in Loddon (Norfolk) but as the disco scene began to flourish in the mid 1970s, bookings diminished. Nigel Owen left the band with Brian Everitt coming in on drums but when Steve Partyka also left the enthusiasm for playing had gone and without him Barnaby soon folded.
By the end of the decade, Mervyn and Barnaby’s lead guitarist Pete Griggs formed a new 4-piece band called Spring Fever.  The line up was Mervyn Futter (vocals and rhythm guitar), Pete Griggs (Vocals and lead guitar), Philip Chilvers (Vocals and bass) and Ian Panks (drums). After a while they became a 5-piece with the arrival of Irwin Durrance (keyboards).
They played a variety of musical styles and even auditioned for New Faces at the London Palladium. They didn’t get beyond the auditions but at least they got to play at the Palladium.  It was always a struggle to compete with the demand for discos and in an attempt to get more bookings, they widened their repertoire and became a function band playing at dinner dances, weddings etc.  They regularly played at US Air Force bases in East Anglia and even passed an audition for Opportunity Knocks. Hughie Green was nice to them but they didn’t make it onto the show. Although the band was relatively successful, they only lasted for about three years and when they realised the fun had gone they knew it was time to throw in the towel.
Mervyn’s next project was a 4-piece band called Mosaic (Mervyn Futter (vocals and rhythm guitar), Tim Nesbitt (Vocals and bass), Irwin Durrance (keyboards) and Kevin Kayhill (Drums). It soon proved difficult to combine band work with his day job as an electrician and Mosaic only lasted for nine months.
By now, Mervyn was quite disillusioned with playing and he hardly ever picked up a guitar in the next two years.  Eventually he met up with a fellow musician Ian Wells who was into acoustic and folk music. Mervyn also liked folk music and after chatting they teamed up with some friends to open a Folk Club in King’s Lynn. Ian and Mervyn also formed a duo called Wellie. The club quickly became popular booking established folk singers like John Betmead and Derek Brimstone. It was at this time, with the help of his good friend Eddie Reed, that Mervyn started to learn and develop the finger picking guitar style that he later adapted to Country and still uses today.
After two years away from the music scene and an excursion into folk, Mervyn got in touch the other Spring Fever band members and they decided to reform the band in an attempt to recapture their earlier success. Mervyn always had a love of Country music and tried to get the band to include some Country material in their programme.  Unfortunately Spring Fever was unable to recapture their earlier popularity and after a year they decided to call it a day.
Mervyn was now working as a soloist in pubs but it wasn’t Country and he hated it. After two years on the pub circuit it was time for a change and if he knew if he wanted to only play Country he had to relaunch on the Country scene.
In the early 1980s he began his solo Country career as Mervyn J Futter, John being his middle name. In 1985 Mervyn bought a Tokai Telecaster guitar and quickly fell in love with it. He has been playing the same instrument ever since and he told me in 2018 “She’s a dear friend and I love her”.
Mervyn’s first album Turning Back The Pages was released in cassette form only in 1985. In 1986 he released a fund raising vinyl single, Jamie’s Song b/w Is There Anybody There? Mervyn wrote Jamie’s song for a family from Wisbech who were struggling to have a special room equipped for Jamie Fitt who was very badly disabled. All money from sales went to his appeal which certainly helped the family to complete the room. His first and only 12 track vinyl album From Me To You was released in 1987. It got a lot of local radio play and Roy Waller (BBC Radio Norfolk) featured it as Album Of The Month.
Another cassette album 40 Shades Of Green followed. A vinyl EP Dearest Mother was released in 1989. This had four original songs, two of which (Dearest Mother and Blue Eyes) were produced by Irish Country singer Bill Conlon at a London Studio.  
Merv built his own recording studio called The Oasis at his home. He was doing a lot of songwriting at this time and having his own studio allowed him to take as much time as needed to get songs how he wanted them. He recorded all his own releases plus over the years many other artists including a couple of CD’s for George Moody, Circuit Judge and Speed Limit  and numerous CDs for Steve Travis. Irish star Ann Breen recorded one album at the studio which was produced by Wayne Golden.
In 1991 Mervyn gave up his job as an electrician at Queen Elizabeth Hospital and turned fully pro. His first pro gig was supporting Poacher in concert at a local club. Later that year he formed Merv and Eddie duo with Eddie Reed (lead guitar and vocals). In 1992 Merv released one cassette album Merv & Eddie Vol 1. Later that year the duo expanded into a 5-piece band, Mervyn J Futter and his All Star Country Band. The line up was Mervyn J Futter (vocals, rhythm guitar and bass guitar), Sue Wright (vocals), Les Wright (bass guitar, pedal steel guitar and vocals), Eddie Reed (vocals and lead guitar) and Billy Key (drums). When Les played pedal steel, Mervyn switched to bass. Sue and Les Wright were married and had been performing together as The Wrights (duo) since the late 1980s.
Billy Key only stayed with the band for a year and when he left they became a 4-piece and carried on with the drum machine that Merv used for his solo act. Following the formation of the duo and then the band, Merv continued to take solo bookings. The band recorded one cassette album, Good Time Thank You in 1995. The band folded in 1996 after which Les and Sue Wright continued to perform as The Wrights until 2012 while Mervyn carried on as a soloist.
Mervyn’s daughter Maria was born in 1978. She grew up with a love of Country music and began her journey by learning the bass guitar at the age of 13, she used to practice in her room until her fingers were sore!  Mervyn used to help run the Hayloft club, in King’s Lynn on Wednesday night and every other week she would play guitar there and build up her confidence. One year, a band failed to arrive at the Norfolk Festival which was stage managed by Mervyn. He put a scratch band together to fill the gap and as they were short of a bass player Maria got the gig at the age of 14. She admits to being “a nervous wreck” having to get on stage in front of 1000’s of people. It wasn’t long before her confidence grew and she started to sing a couple of songs the first song she learnt was The Judds’ Grandpa.
By the time she was 16, all the nerves had gone and she would beg her dad to take her with him to his gigs. He always said “yes” and she would get up and sing a couple of songs. She quickly went from a couple of songs to six and then a whole set. At that time it was still considered a hobby as she was at college. It wasn’t until she finished college and was thinking of a career that her dad asked if she would like to sing full time. She jumped at the opportunity although initially she was working during the week and singing at weekends. She soon tired of getting in at 3am and having to be at work by 7.30 so she decided to go fully pro and Merv & Maria Duo took to the road in 2000.
With his own studio always available there was plenty of recorded output to sell at gigs. Cassette albums were Blue Wing (1996) and Circle Of Life (1996). Both were later combined into a single CD. CD albums were: You Are No Angel (1998), I Ride A Horse EP (1999).
Merv & Maria CD albums were: Forever In Blue Jeans (2000),  Life Is Just A Journey – all original songs (2001), Partners In Time (2001), Chasing Rainbows (2002) Live Vol 1 (2004) and Rolling Along (2005).
In 2008 Merv & Maria put together a 5-piece band to play behind Ollie Austin. Ollie Austin And His All Star Country Band comprised Ollie Austin (lead vocals), Andy James (drums), Les Wright (vocals and pedal steel guitar), Debbie Allen (vocals and keyboards), Maria Futter (vocals and bass) and Merv Futter (vocals and lead guitar). They stayed together for a couple of years playing concerts and including many theatre shows. They recorded one CD album, Ollie Austin & The All Stars Vol 1 in 2008.
Merv and Maria diversified into promoting Country & Irish music weekend events at holiday camps and leisure resorts and also one off dances. They ran very successful weekends at Potters Holiday resort for many years, and also ran popular weekends at Richardsons Holiday Village in Mundsley (Norfolk) and when Richardsons sold that resort they moved to Seacroft at Hemsby (Norfolk) where they continue to run very popular weekends although it’s now called Hemsby Holiday Beach Park.
Other weekend breaks have included Lakeside Holiday Village, Hayling Island, Bracklesham Bay and Pontins Pakefield which was always very well attended. The last Pontins event will be December 2024 after that, Pontins Pakefield is closing its doors to holiday makers. Merv and Maria also ran two week long holidays in Benidorm and currently also run a weekend for Irish star Stephen Smyth at the Savoy Hotel in Blackpool.
Merv was overwhelmed when given the honour of being inducted into The British Country Music Hall Of Fame in July 2019. It’s one of his proudest moments as he is alongside people he looked up to, loved and respected; it’s a truly great honour that he’s very proud of.
Merv and Maria have no plans to stop and are carrying on with their Country & Irish Party events which will be running three times a year at Richardsons Hemsby Beach Holiday Park. These events feature many of the Irish stars and British acts. It’s a real family affair and the whole family are involved in running these events including Maria’s two girls.
Maria has now retired from singing sadly because of ongoing vocal problems but she does still sing on all the Merv & Maria weekends. She misses gigging but her involvement is very important to the success of their weekends. She comperes and plays a major part in the organisation, booking of acts, presenting the raffle in her own very cheeky style and is vital to the success of the weekends. She is also in charge of all social media. You can see all that Merv and Maria are up to on their website www.mervandmaria.com
Merv still loves to perform, sing and entertain and has teamed up with a good friend of his, singer Steve Layne. Together, they have formed a duo called Margaritaville (named after the Jimmy Buffet song). They play a wide variety of music which includes Country, Irish, Sixties and Rock & Roll. They have a wealth of experience and are happy to work at festivals, concerts or dances and are available for bookings at CMCs.