Dave Glover
Showband
(1952-1970)
Photo Gallery -
Band Lineups -
Discography
- Audio samples -
Where Are They Now?
The Story
Dave Glover is credited with
coining the term "showband" even though the Clipper Carlton are
generally regarded as the band that popularized
this uniquely Irish form of entertainment.
Growing up in Belfast, he first took a job as a
fitter in the Harland shipyards and learned a trade, before setting
off for a career in music. In 1945, he played trumpet for the summer
in the Queens Ballroom and in 1946 he was in Milanos Ballroom with
Jimmy Montague. In 1947, he turned 21 and started his professional
career
as the trumpet player with the Bob Robinson Orchestra which was the
resident band in the Floral Hall in Belfast.
However, in
1948 he left the orchestra and formed a four piece group which
played functions and dinner dances in Belfast. Dave took the big
plunge in 1952 when he formed his own 14 piece orchestra and was the
resident band in the newly built Arcadia ballroom in Portrush. This
was a relationship he would maintain for over a decade, performing
there as the resident band every summer. In 1955, Dave added a 20
minute "show" to the act and changed the name of the band to the
Dave Glover Showband, the first band to use the term in their name.
In a 1989 interview he said the showband term grew out of "Crazy
Night" in which he let the band smoke and drink on stage, as long as
they dressed up and were willing to do a skit or two. From that came
the idea of the cabaret "show" in the middle of the dance.
The original Dave Glover Showband
included Dave (trumpet), Gerry Rice (sax), Andy Wilson (trombone),
Joe Clarke (vocals), Alex Burns (guitar), Harry Hamilton (bass),
Davy Martin (drums) and Harry Mitchell (keyboards). The band would
play the summer seasons in Portrush and spend the rest of the year
touring the ballrooms of Ireland.
Strangely enough, the band split
in 1963, just as the showband era was in full swing. Everyone but
drummer Davy Martin left and formed the Witnesses Showband, who
recruited George Mullen on trumpet to replace Dave. The Witnesses
would go on to their own fame and fortune, touring extensively
outside Ireland and gaining a reputation for one of Ireland's most
musical bands. Dave recruited a whole new lineup which included
Muriel Day (vocals), Jim Gunner (guitar), Jackie Flavelle (bass),
Dessie McCarthy (drums), Mike Monroe (vocals), Jim McDermott (sax)
and Johnny Anderson (trombone).
The new lineup clicked with the
dancing public and really took off. They were one of the first to
feature both a male and female lead vocalist which gave them great
range when covering the hits of the day. Throughout the 1960's the
band continued to be one of the major draws across the country and
toured extensively in England, playing the irish clubs abroad.
In 1969, Muriel was selected to
represent Ireland in the Eurovision song contest, a major break for
the band.
More to come.....
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