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Brian Harkin Band Story (1977-1980)

Photo Gallery - Band Lineups - Discography - Audio samples - Where Are They Now?

The Story

Brian Harkin first seemed to appear on the scene in August 1972 when Gene Stuart had to leave the band and was in the hospital. Reports at the time said Gene would be back within a month, but in September, Brian cut a record called Shelley's Winter Love while with the Avons. By October, it became obvious Gene would be gone longer than expected and an article (see below) reported that Brian was still in the lineup and was expected to remain so until Christmas, when it was hoped Gene would return. In the meantime, the Avons had switched managers.

In January of 1973, Donal K. O'Boyle reported in the Donegal News that Brian was saying his farewells after five months from the band. He also said that although Brian had several offers from other bands, his manager Peter Smith said Brian "...had not made up his mind yet." In March Donal reported that Brian would be fronting a new band from the Release Organisation on Easter Sunday and that Denis Ryan would be managing the yet un-named act.

The "new act" would actually be Dermot Hegarty's Plainsmen and the advert (see below) had Brian's first night also as Dermot's last. Dermot, it was reported, was leaving the band to join the lucrative (and growing) cabaret scene. As an interesting aside, Donal O'Boyle reported in the April 21st edition of the Donegal News that Brian's "new band" would be called Harkansas. In the end, Brian would front the Plainsmen, but there is more to the story...

In an article in the February 15, 1973 issue of Spotlight, Pascal Mooney reported a split in the Plainsmen. At the time, he said Frank McKenna had left to go to the States and Vinnie Sommers left the band reportedly to team up with Brian Harkin's new band, Harkansas. Tony Farrell was also reported to be leaving the band to go into the boutique business. We will try to find out what happened because two months later, Brian Harkin was the lead singer with the Plainsmen and it was Dermot Hegarty who was gone from the band.  

In the April 26, 1973 issue of Spotlight, Pascal Mooney was once again highlighting the band, this time reporting that he had received word from their Manager, Peter Sheridan, that Dermot Hegarty was leaving the band to move into the cabaret scene. It was also reported that Brian Harkin (who had recently finished standing in for Gene Stuart in the Mighty Avons) was joining the band which helps explain the earlier confusion. They also added as new bass player at the time, Barry O'Mahony. Newspaper reports at the time put the date of the changeover from Hegarty to Harkin as May 11th. Around this time Vinnie Sommers did leave the band as well as Tony Farrell. Vinnie would briefly join the Sligo-based Powermen in late 1973.

In December, 1973, Pascal Mooney reported that Roger Farrell had also left the band leaving Seamus Roddy and Francie Middleton as the only original members of the lineup.

Roger would form a group called the Roger Farrell Sound. Dermot formed his own trio with Frank McKenna (guitar) and Brendan Kearney (drums) and hit the cabaret circuit.

When the dust finally settled, the new lineup of the band was Brian Harkin (vocals), Vinny Baker (RIP- guitar), Francie Canning (keyboards), Barry O'Mahony (bass), Seamus Roddy (drums), Barry McCusker (sax) and Francie Middleton (trumpet). The following summer (August, 1974) an article in Spotlight reported that Dermot was doing quite well with his trio on the cabaret scene, including stints in the United States where he toured for six weeks.

Meanwhile, the Plainsmen, fronted by Brian Harkin, continued to do well on the ballroom scene. Their singles, Forgive Me For Calling You Darling (number 12) and Walk On By (number 18), both made the Irish charts, firmly establish Brian as the new front man with the band. 

In April, 1977, a front page article in the Longford Lead newspaper reported the band had split up over playing gigs in the North of Ireland. It was reported that only Brian Harkin and keyboard player Francie Canning remained. What followed was a period of confusion as it was announced that a new set of musicians was recruited and the band would now be called the Brian Harkin Band. In June, the new band was unveiled with the promise of a single soon from manager Peter Sheridan. In late June, it was reported in the Donegal News that the Plainsmen were still looking for a singer to replace Brian. Ex-Plainsmen Tony McDermott and Barney McCusker would join up with Dermot Hegarty's group after the split in late July 1977. 

Even though the new band was announced and cards with the new name printed (see below), it appears that within just a couple of months, the band was being referred to one again as the Plainsmen, and would continue to be known as the Plainsmen until they split up in 1980. Around this time, adverts started to appear for Brian Harkin and his "new cabaret act." The last advert we found for the "Brian Harkin Band" was December 27th, 1980 while last advert for Brian and The Plainsmen was in July, 1980. 

A decade later, the history of the band would be remembered for the wrong reason when Brian Harkin suddenly died on January 28, 1991 after a short illness, he was only 47.       

More to come.....

Photo Gallery

click on thumbnails for full image

Brian Harkin - 1972 Brian Harkin - 1972 Brian Harkin - 1972 Brian Harkin - 1973 Brian Harkin
Brian Harkin Band (RF) Brian Harkin Brian Harkin's Band (PH) Brian Harkin Band (RF) Brian Harkin Band (RF)
   
Brian Harkin Band (RF) Brian Harkin Band (RF) Brian Harkin - 1980 Coming Soon Coming Soon
Years Vocals Guitar Bass Drums Keyboards Sax Trumpet
               
April
1977
    Donnach
Woods
       
               
               

Discography

When My Blue Moon Turns To Gold
Unknown Records- Unknown - March, 1979

Audio Clips

         
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Coming Soon

Where Are They Now?  

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In Loving Memory of Grant Gallagher: Sept. 21, 1990 - Nov. 18, 2006