Country music fans will say a final farewell tomorrow to one of the men who brought it to Southampton.

Never before had the city had a club dedicated to country music but Reginald Lodge, who has died aged 74, changed all that.

The former president of the Wildwood South Country Music Club was first bitten by the country bug when he visited America as a merchant sailor in the 1950s.

Country stars Hank Williams and George Jones were always the his heroes and their songs, Pan American and Walk Though This World, will be playing at his funeral tomorrow, to give Reg the send-off he would have wanted.

Fellow member of Wildwood South and friend for more than 35 years, Peter Toy, said: "For the last six years we have been taking tours in America, visiting the homeland of country music.

"We shared our love for country, it was how we first came to be friends, and I'll always be thankful for that."

The friends first met after Peter replied to an advert which Reg, of Seacombe Green, Millbrook, Southampton, had put in the Daily Echo asking for people to help him form a country music club.

Wildwood South Country Music Club, the first of its kind in Southampton, was formed in 1968 and Reg became president.

Its first event was held in January 1969 at the Warren Social Club in Shirley, Southampton, where 222 people turned up for the party.

Peter, 61, also of Seacombe Green, added: "Reg gave many country and western bands their first chance to play to audiences at the club."

The grandfather-of-six remained president of the club until 1996.

Reg leaves a widow, Letty, and two sons, Frank and Vincent.

The funeral service will be held tomorrow at Southampton Crema-torium East Chapel at 12.20pm.