THIS week the Telegraph & Argus reported on former Bradford DJ Derek Lister’s memories of meeting rock ‘n’ roll legend Little Richard in the city back in 1964 - then again in 2005.

Little Richard, who recently died aged 87, was on a UK tour with Bo Diddly and was playing at the Gaumont, where Derek was disc jockey Dal Stevens (he was at both the Gaumont and Majestic from 1959-65).

Derek met the influential singer, renowned for hits such as Tutti Frutti and Lucille, backstage and came away not just with his autograph, but also the singer’s California address, in case he could ever help him make it in the States.

Derek met Little Richard again in 2005, at Bradford’s Great Victoria Hotel, where the star was staying following a concert in Halifax. “I went along and there he was in reception; we ended up chatting for 35 minutes while waiting for his Limo to arrive,” recalled Derek. “I told him we’d met back in 1964 and he said he remembered. He’d written his autograph to ‘Dale’ instead of Dal, when I pointed it out he gave me another autograph, spelling Dal correctly. So I got two autographs, 41 years apart!

Now Derek has shared his recollection of meeting another entertainment great who recently passed away - Millie Small.

He will never forget the day he took her, and her mum, to Lister Park in his Mini...

Millie, who died last week aged 72, reached No.2 with 1964 hit My Boy Lollipop. The Jamaican singer and songwriter, who was the Caribbean’s first international recording star, was appearing at the Gaumont as part of a ‘package show’ when she and Derek crossed paths.

“As I was the local Top Rank DJ, I could attend these package shows and go backstage, and I had the privilege of meeting this delightful young lady in 1964,” says Derek. “While being chaperoned by both her manager and a family member, she also had an element of freedom in as much she asked me to lunch the next day, as the show was in town for a two-day stop-over.

“During our conversation that first evening, Millie was particularly proud of a gold bracelet in which was mounted a rather large pearl that had been given to her by the then President of Jamaica.

“Next day I joined her at the Victoria Hotel for lunch with her, plus her manager and chaperone, who I think was her mother. Later, with the chaperone, I took her to Lister Park and Cartwright Hall in my Mini. As it was a hot day we spent most of the time sat on a park bench eating ice-creams, which was my treat.

“Later when we returned to the hotel, a dainty kiss on the cheek brought this rather sweet episode to a close. A few weeks later I received a huge envelope containing six photographs, all autographed ‘With all my love Millie’ x.

It was always to me, a nice day to remember. RIP Millie.”

Derek - who also met Laurel and Hardy in Bradford on their 1950s UK theatre tour after talking his way into their suite at Bradford's Midland Hotel - recalls his date with Millie Small in his book Bradford's Rock 'n' Roll: The Golden Years (1959-1965).