cliff richard
THE SHADOWS
The Shadows started out under the name The Drifters before changing it to avoid confusion with the similarly labelled American group. Original members were Hank Marvin and Bruce Welch on guitars with Jet Harris (bass) and Tony Meehan (drums).
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Initially, The Shadows were the backing band for the Cliff Richard Show but achieved fame on their own with the instrumental hit, Apache. More UK #1 hits followed with Kontiki, Atlantis, Wonderful Land, Foot Tapper and Dance On. Harris and Meehan left the band and were replaced by John Rostill and Brian Bennett respectively. The band continued on the coattails of Cliff Richard’s success providing music and vocals to his tracks.
The Shadows’ famous sound is attributed to guitarist Marvin’s novel and often imitated use of echo, muting and reverb techniques. They also are well-known for developing what is termed “The Shadows’ Walk” which is a series of movements the band would incorporate during live performances using their guitars in synchronised poses that would accentuate the tempo of the music. This type of movement has been copied by many bands including Showaddywaddy.
Outside of the 60s decade, The Shadows have reunited for special occasions like 1975’s Eurovision Song Contest, compilation albums and most recently a Cliff Richard anniversary tour.
Albums:
Sources: Juanita Appleby; Carol Brennan
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Cliff Richard
Cliff Richards is one of the longest-running and most famous British artists around today, and still filling major venues with an audience consisting of both his 'older fans' and their children and even grandchildren.
Cliff was born Harry Roger Webb on the 14th October 1940. His father bought Webb a guitar when he was 16, and it took only two years for success to come his way. Before a gig in 1958, Webb and his backing band changed their name to “Cliff Richard and the Drifters”, which would later become – after some legal wrangling with US band The Drifters – “Cliff Richard and the Shadows”. The Shadows, in fact, had a whole independent career of their own. They would frequently perform as the support act for Cliff Richard, and then go on to be his backing band later in the show.
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Richard’s success was almost instant. His debut single release was “Move It” – originally intended to be the B-Side on a cover of Bobby Helm’s “Schoolboy Crush” – which reached number 2 in the UK charts and received glowing references from critics. Richard’s first few records were rock ‘n’ roll, but, in part influenced by his decision to embrace his Christian faith over his previous rocker credentials, much of his later work became fluffy, inoffensive pop. No matter what the genre, Cliff Richard’s releases have usually performed well in Britain, but the same is not true in the US, where he was, and is, largely unknown, despite having three US top ten singles in the latter half of the 1970s and several low-level chart hits throughout his career.
Cliff has had a great deal of success in the UK, with hits including: 'The Young Ones', 'Its All in the Game', 'Summer Holiday', 'Congratulations', and 'Mistletoe and Wine'. and has sold over 260 million records, placing him in the top 10 best selling artists of all time. He has reached the top 20 in the UK charts with over 130 different releases over the course of five decades, winning three Brit awards in the process.
This information is provided as a brief overview and not as a definitive guide, there are other sources on the net for that. If however you have a story or information that is not generally known we would love to hear from you. Content@rokpool.com.
Why Not Check Out:
The Shadows
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TOMMY STEELE
Tommy Steele OBE has been labelled Britain’s first Rock ‘n’ Roll star. Tommy was one of the first artist’s, alongside Cliff Richard, Hank Marvin amongst others, to emerge from the now legendary 2i’s Coffee Bar on Old Compton Street London, quoted as being “The birthplace of British Rock ‘n’ Roll and the popular music industry”.
These humble beginnings would propel Tommy Steele to superstardom and ultimately, he would be recognised as one of the pioneers of the British Rock ‘n’ Roll sound of the 50’s and 60’s. Tommy is also famous for claiming to have met Elvis Presley and reportedly gave him a guided tour of London, although there is no firm evidence to prove that Steeles claim is true. The general consensus is that Elvis never visited the UK.
Tommy Steele, was born Tommy W. Hicks on December 1936 in the working class area of Bermondsey, South East London. Steele was extremely proud of his working class background; he talks in detail in his autobiography (Bermondsey Boy: memoirs of a lost world) about his love for the working class culture he grew up in during the Second World War. Aged 15, Steele joined the merchant navy and it was here, that he first indulged in the art of singing, the reaction to Steele’s singing voice was always positive even at the elementary stage. While on voyages across the Atlantic in America, Tommy would for the first time hear the sounds of Rock ‘n’ Roll; he would never forget those rebellious sounds.
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After a brief stint in the compulsory national service, Tommy, at the age of eighteen joined a Skiffle band (Skiffle: a type of music originating from the American south, using homemade instrument). After becoming bored with Skiffle, Steele began playing Rock ‘n’ Roll at the 2i’s coffee bar, after a short while he was discovered by photographer John Kennedy who believed that Tommy could be the UK’s answer to Elvis Presley.
Steele, as the front man for the Steelmen shot to fame in 1956 with the single, ‘Rock With The Cavemen’ and later in the same year with the chart topping single ‘Singing the Blues’. Tommy Steele would continue to have hits throughout the rest of the 50’s and into the early sixties. Like many of his contemporaries at the time such as Cliff Richard and Adam Smith, Tommy ventured into film on both the silver screen and on stage in London’s West end.
In 1980 he was awarded an OBE for his services to entertainment, Tommy Steele continues to perform at the ripe old age of 72 and continues to display his true love and enthusiasm for entertaining the public.
Albums:
Source: Segun Murray Ogunsheye
This information is provided as a brief overview and not as a definitive guide, there are other sources on the net for that. If however you have a story or information that is not generally known we would love to hear from you. Content@rokpool.com
Why Not Check Out:
Cliff Richard
Elvis Presley
Marty Wilde
Lonnie Donegan Putting On The Style
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Marty Wilde
Marty Wilde born on 15th April, 1939 is an English singer/songwriter Orginially born Reginald Leonard Smith he was one among the first generation of British pop stars to imitate American Rock ‘n’ Roll. He is the father of pop singer, Kim Wilde.
He was first noticed by impresario Larry Parnes while performing at The Condor Club in 1957. Parnes gave him the name Wilde and Marty came from the 1955 film of the same name. Wilde was popular in 1958-59 and performed with the likes of Cliff Richard and Tommy Steele. He made frequent appearances on '6.5 special' and 'Oh Boy!'. He had success with records including 'Endless Sleep', 'Donna', 'A Teenager In Love' and 'Sea of Love'.
After marrying Joyce Baker of The Vernon Girls his teen idol image declined. In 1970 he re-invented himself as Glam Rocker, Zappo, but had little success. As a record producer and songwriter he directed a chain of hits in the 1980s for his daughter, Kim Wilde.
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This information is provided as a brief overview and not as a definitive guide, there are other sources on the net for that. If however you have a story or information that is not generally known we would love to hear from you. Content@rokpool.com.
Why Not Check Out:
Tommy Steele
Cliff Richard
Elton John
Marty Wilde Video
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Craig Douglas
Craig Douglas, nicknamed 'The Singing Milkman', was born on 12th August 1941 on the Isle of Wight. Douglas. He got his break on television programme Six – Five Special where he performed alongside Cliff Richard and Joe Brown.
He still managed to create an impression and a few days later he was presented with a sack full of fan mail and signed a recording contract. Manager Bunny Lewis thought it appropriate to change his name as their were a number of 'Terry's' around at the time and he had seen the name Craig Douglas outside a house in Scotland.
Douglas was voted ‘Best New Singer’ in 1959 and went on to record 8 covers of past American hit records and reached number 1 with "Only Sixteen", recorded at EMI's Abbey Road Studios and released by Top Rank records, easily outselling Sam Cooke's original in the UK. He had a string of top 10 hits and reached number 9 with four consecutive songs.
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Douglas wasn't really a rock & roll singer, his diction being too good and his delivery too straight-ahead for that designation. His early records call up images of Ricky Nelson but, like a lot of young British singers of his era, he quickly aimed for a more mature audience. His singing was very emotive but also very clean. He was obviously more comfortable with dignified pop music, such as "Time," than with the more rocking numbers like "Ring-A-Ding" that he was occasionally called upon to record, with its slurred lyrics, honking saxes, and loud electric guitars (although Douglas acquitted himself well in that setting).
1961 saw Douglas enter 'A Song for Europe' in which his song, "The Girl Next Door" fared badly as it went joint bottom with The Allisons 'Are you Sure'. Craig Douglas had a clean cut image which was mirrored in future US stars such as Pat Boone and Ricky Nelson. In 1963 he topped the bill on The Beatles first major stage show which was also the year of his last top 40 hit with "Town Crier" reaching number 36. After the rise of the Liverpool sound, the demand of Craig Douglas's work declined and his major recording career came to an end.
Still touring today Craig can be found on cruise ships or doing cabaret across the UK.
This information is provided as a brief overview and not as a definitive guide, there are other sources on the net for that. If however you have a story or information that is not generally known we would love to hear from you. Content@rokpool.com.
