Margo O'Donnell Feature (1968-present)
Photo Gallery -
Band Lineups -
Discography
- Audio samples -
Where Are They Now?
The Story
Keynotes Showband - Country
Folk - Margo & Co. - Country Pride - Country Blue Boys - Blue Ridge Boys -
Born Margaret O'Donnell in Kincasslagh, Co.
Donegal Margo is one of the real enigmas of the Irish entertainment
scene. She started her career with local band, The Keynotes and her
debut disc, Bonny Irish Boy, actually cracked the Irish Top 20, no
mean feat for a newcomer to the scene. Her second record, Road By
The River made it to number two, establishing her as a bona fide
star with the "Country and Irish" set.
In the November 21st, 1969 issue of Spotlight, the
Insight column announced that promoters Johnny Kelly (formerly of
the Capitol) and Johnny McNally (who ran the Airlines dance in
Dublin's Crystal Ballroom) had signed Margo to front a new band,
which we soon find out was The Country Folk. The
new band debuted on St. Stephen's Night, 1969. The Keynotes
replaced Margo with a new female vocalist, Patricia (although we are not sure
of her last name or how long they stayed on the road).
The new band was made up of: Mick Bagnall
(bass), Paul Mitchell (steel guitar), Aidan Graham (drums), Colm
Graham (guitar), Roy Butterfield (guitar) and Owin St. John
(fiddle). In August, 1970, Owin left the band and was replaced by a
sax player in the band, according to a Spotlight article in
August, 1970.
Fronting the Country Folk, Margo
continued to build on her success and popularity with more hit
singles including a number one--I'll Forgive and I'll Try to Forget.
In the Spotlight National Show business Poll (whose results
were published in the January 16th, 1971 issue of the magazine),
Margo was voted top female artist, beating out Eurovision winner,
Dana (2nd), Kelley (3rd), and Sandie Jones (4th). The result
consolidated her position as one of the top acts on the ballroom
circuit.
In late 1972, the band underwent several
changes and when the dust settled, only Margo, Dave Traynor and
Frank McCaffrey were left in the band. According to Julie Boyd's
column in the December 14, 1972 issue of Spotlight, the new lineup
was: Frank McCaffrey (bass), Ray Doherty (guitar), Paddy Higgins
(drums), Joe Murray (keyboards), Jim Malone (sax), Dave Traynor
(sax) and Margo (vocals).
In 1973, Margo left the Country Folk and formed
Margo and Co., however this band would be short lived as in August, 1974,
the singer was involved in a
serious car accident and was off the road for a while.
After a four month recuperation, she joined with Mattie Fox (who had
previously been with the Country Blue Boys and the Grassroots) and
they headed up a revamped lineup of the Grassroots, with the new name, Country Pride.
The new band made their debut on Christmas Night, 1974.
Margo faced another setback as in the October
20, 1975 issue of Spotlight, the "Release Round Up" reported
Margo had been "ordered to rest" by her doctors. Release Manager
Mick Clerkin was quoted as saying, "she has had a very strenuous
year between ballroom dates, tours, television appearances and
recording. All of this, so soon after her accident, has been too
much and she needs rest." He went on to say Margo was still under a
doctor's care and would only be recxording "at a relaxed pace"
before perhaps coming back to do some cabaret appearances.
The following month, November, 1975 Margo announced that she was
moving from the ballrooms to cabaret, following the lead of many
other stars of the showband era. However, a few weeks later,
in the December 4th, 1975 issue of Spotlight, a blurb in the
Release Round-Up page revealed that Margo was joining Larry
Cunningham and his Country Blue Boys.
Click on thumbnails for full images
More to come.....
click on thumbnails for full image
Discography
Margo and the
Keynotes
Bonny Irish Boy / Dear God -
#18 Irish Charts
Target/Pye Records - Unknown - September, 1968
Road By The River / Through The Eyes of a Child -
#2 Irish Charts
Target/Pye Records - 7N.17677 - 1969
Once A Day /
Target/Pye Records - 7N.17758 - 1969
Road By The River / Bonny Irish Boy / Dear God / Through The
Eyes of a Child
Target/Pye Records - PIMM 603 - April, 1972 (Re-release EP)
Margo and the
Country Folk
Gradh Mo Chroi / Mama Say A Prayer -
#6 Irish Charts
Ruby Records - RUB 102 - March, 1970
I'll Forgive and I'll Try To Forget / Satisfied Mind -
#1 Irish Charts
Ruby Records - RUB 113 - September, 1970
Deep Sheep Haven Bay / If I Kiss You (Double A Side)
Ara Records - ARA 001 - February, 1971
Don't Read The Letter / Time Changes Everything -
#1 Irish Charts
Ara Records - ARA 002 - June, 1971
Margo and Co.
Shamrock From Glanore / Cliffs of Dooneen -
#2 Irish Charts
Ara Records - ARA 004 - February, 1973
Deepening Snow /
Ara Records - ARA 005 - November, 1973
Margo, Mattie
Fox and Country Pride
Girl From Donegal / Connemara Rose (Mattie Fox) -
#6 Irish Charts
Release Records - IRL.224 - November, 1974
Margo (Solo?)
Irish Eyes / Let's Go All The Way -
#2 Irish Charts
Release Records - RL.838 - September, 1976
Good Evening Henry / -
#19 Irish Charts
Release Records - Unknown - November, 1979
Thank You For The Roses /
Release Records - Unknown - October, 1980
Albums:
Unknown Title Album
Ruby Records - RLB 1003 - 1970
From
Margo With Love
Ara Records - ARAL 1001 - October, 1971
Country Loving
Ara Records - ARAL 1002 - January, 1972
At Home In Ireland
Ara Records - ARAL 1004 - August, 1973
Margo's Greatest Hits, Volume 1
Release Records - Unknown - December, 1974
Margo's Greatest Hits, Volume 2
Release Records - Unknown - November, 1978
Irish Requests
Release Records - Unknown - December, 1979
