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Cajun Sound Feature (1970-1976)

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

The Story

Editor's note: This feature has been compiled from researching newspaper archives and although every care has been taken to present only factual information about the band if you can add anything or correct info in this story, please email us and let us know.

The Cajun Sound was formed on the 5th of September, 1970 after singer Tommy Fee (who had been with the Maurice Mulcahy Band for five years), returned to his native Fermanagh to front the new outfit. The band came on the scene just as the notion of the "showband" (which played every kind of music) was being split into pop or country bands. Cajun music, which was described at the time as "an up-tempo type of country and western music deriving its origins from the early French settler in America" was proving popular with dancers. Tommy was described as having a "Jim Reeves" type of voice (as did many of the country singers of that time including Larry Cunningham and others).

The band's original lineup included: Johnny Robinson (guitar), Bobby Robinson (bass), John McElroy (trumpet), Danny Keane (ex-Maurice Mulcahy-sax), Pat Meehan (drums), Jimmy McCombs (keyboards), and Tommy who also doubled on trombone. The band was being managed by Sean McGrade who had previously managed Philomena and the Dawnbreakers. As an aside, an article in the Leitrim Observer reporting on the band named R.J. Catterson as the drummer, but all other articles listed Pat Joe Meehan, we will try to research this. There is also a little confusion over the bass player as some articles named him as Bobby Robinson, while a little later he was named as Bobby Kennedy.

The first dance advert we could find them playing was in Cliffoney Hall, Co. Sligo on October 14th, 1970. Within weeks they were playing up and down the country from their native Fermanagh to County Limerick and beyond. A glance at their Christmas diary (see below) show them playing everywhere from Kerry to Donegal. 

In March, 1971, the band released its first single, "The Engineer's Child" which was also the first single on the new Velvet record label managed by Jimmy Smith of the Mighty Avons. The label's records were being distributed by EMI at the time. As with most singles released at the time, it did not make the charts, but provided enough airplay on RTE radio to help the band's reputation and increase their audience.

Throughout the following year, the band did steady business (based on newspaper adverts we have found) although they never reached the heights of the top bands like Big Tom, Larry Cunningham and Philomena Begley. They were basically playing a standard country and Irish programme with some pop numbers thrown in for good measure (as most bands did at the time). In December, 1971, the band released it second single, the Conway Twitty hit, "I'll Have Another Cup of Coffee, Then I'll Go" which was written and recorded by Claude Gray in 1960. It was on the Release label, so the band had changed record labels As before the record didn't make the charts, but the release continued to help them build their business in the ballrooms.

It wasn't long before the band was in the studio again and in May, 1972 they released their third single on their third label, Flame Records. The song was Tom T. Hall's "He Built The Church" (aka the Ballad of Billy Crump from 1970).

Not only did the band have a new record, but a new line-up as Pat Joe Meehan, John McElroy and Danny Keane were gone and were replaced by Liam Keenan (drums), Johnny Stinson (who doubled on fiddle and sax) and Aidan McCarron (sax). Throughout 1972, the band continued to do well on the road. Sean McGrade also continued to publicise the band in local papers across the country and on a radio show which played their records on a regular basis. The "sponsored show" was a staple of the entertainment industry back then allowing promoters to ensure their bands would be heard by the punters.

In December, 1972 the band announced a short tour of the Irish ballrooms in England and also revealed that they had added a new rhythm guitarist, Noel Corrigan from Enniskillen, to the line-up, but we do not know who he may have replaced. The band kicked off 1973 by releasing their fourth single, Charley Pride's 1972 hit "Seven Years With A Wonderful Woman" and the band was back on the Velvet Record label. An article in June 1973, announced Patsy Carroll had joined the band on sax and he had previously played with the Swingtime Aces.

The band would release one more single in February, 1974, the Don William's classic "Amanda" on the Release label. At some point in 1974, Ally Harron from Derrylin replaced Johnny Robinson on guitar. Based on the number of newspaper advert we could find for the band, their business started to slow in 1975, but they were still holding their own.

In January, 1976, Sean McGrade launched a new band around American Pie singer Ronnie Griffiths called Driftwood. It is important to the story of the Cajun Sound as Bobby Kennedy (bass) and Ally Harron (guitar) were members of the new band's line-up and we are not sure who replaced them.     

Although we don't know who replaced Ally and Bobby in the band, we do know that the summer of 1976 would be their last as we found the last gig advertised on October 1st, 1976. Interestingly, we know that Tommy would use the name Cajun Sound for gigs as recently as 1993, but are pretty sure there was no band as he was playing in a two piece act in 1992 called Easy Listenin'.

More to come.....

Photo Gallery

click on thumbnails for full image

Cajun Sound - 1970 Cajun Sound - 1970 Cajun Sound - 1970 Cajun Sound - 1970 (RF) Cajun Sound - 1970
Cajun Sound-1970 (RF) Cajun Sound-1970 (RF) Cajun Sound - 1971 Cajun Sound - 1971 Cajun Sound - 1971
Cajun Sound - 1971 Cajun Sound - 1971 Cajun Sound (RF) Cajun Sound (RF)

Cajun Sound (KS)

Cajun Sound - 1972 Cajun Sound - 1972 (RF) Cajun Sound - 1972 Tommy Fee - 1972 (RF) Cajun Sound (RF)
Cajun Sound (RF) Cajun Sound - 1973 (RF) Cajun Sound - 1973 Cajun Sound - 1974 Cajun Sound - 1974
Driftwood - 1976 Cajun Sound (RF) Tommy Fee - 1992 Cajun Sound - 1993 Cajun Sound (TF)
       
Cajun Sound (TF) Coming Soon Coming Soon Coming Soon Coming Soon
Years Vocals Guitar Bass Drums Keyboards Misc Sax

Sept
1970

Tommy
Fee
Johnny
Robinson
Bobby
Robinson

Pat Joe
Meehan

Jimmy
McCombs
John (trumpet)
McElroy
Danny
Keane

1972

Tommy
Fee
Johnny
Robinson
Bobby
Kennedy

Liam
Keenan

Jimmy
McCombs
Johnny (fiddle)
Stinson
Aiden
McCarron
1973 Tommy
Fee
Johnny
Robinson
Bobby
Kennedy
Liam
Keenan
Jimmy
McCombs
Noel
Corrigan
Patsy
Carroll
1974 Tommy
Fee
Ally
Harron
Bobby
Kennedy
Liam
Keenan
Jimmy
McCombs
Noel
Corrigan
Patsy
Carroll
Jan
1976
Tommy
Fee
Unknown Unknown Liam
Keenan
Jimmy
McCombs
Noel
Corrigan
Patsy
Carroll

Discography

Singles:

The Engineer's Child / Home Sweet Home
Velvet Records - VE 001 - March, 1971
I'll Have a Cup of Coffee, Then I'll Go / No Use To Try Anymore
Release Records - RL 602 - December, 1971

He Built The Church / Miller's Cave

Flame Records - FLM 002 - May, 1972
Seven Years With A Wonderful Woman / House Without Love
Velvet Records - VE 027 - January, 1973
Amanda / Broad Minded Man
Release Records - RL 716 - 1974

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