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Mexicans Feature (1961-1971)

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

The Story

Editor's note: Every care has been taken to present only factual information in this story based on newspaper and photographic archives. If you can add anything or correct info in this story, please email us and let us know. Our special thanks to original member Tony Killeen and Eamonn Donnelly for their assistance, photos and info on the band's history.

The Bray-based Mexicans were one of those showbands that played an important role in the showband era's history without ever reaching the dizzying heights of other bands like the Royal, Capitol or Miami themselves. Started around 1961, the band came together around founder Alan Cranny (guitar). The first advertisement we could find for them was in September, 1962. Initially they played some support gigs with other bands, mainly in the Top Hat Ballroom in Dun Laoire.

As far as we can tell the original line-up (our thanks to Tony Killeen) was Terry Smith (brother of Des Smith-vocals), Alan Cranny (guitar), Hank Owens (guitar), Sean Owens (bass), Tony Killeen (drums), Mick O'Reilly (keyboards), Shay Cranny (sax), Bunty Hayden (sax), and Noel Dempsey (trombone). Even back in those early days there weren't many nine piece outfits. They were managed by Alan's father, Tom Cranny of Bray.

Advertised as "Ireland's Leading Teenage Band," they were soon playing across the country. Sometime in 1962 future from man with the Sands Showband, Tony Kenny, joined the band as lead singer. Shay Cranny was also replaced on sax by Sean McDermott. For the next couple of years, the band seemed to do a good business around the country. In early 1965, they shared the stage with English singing star Marty Wilde, (father of Kim Wilde of 1980's "Kids In America" fame).     

Also in early 1965 (we think to February) the band was joined by new lead singer Tina Quinn. An article a few months later said she was 18 years old and from Greystones and had won several talent contests as a teenager. At the same time, the band acquired a new drummer, Dessie Reynolds. ln early August, 1965, we think Tony left and Tina was joined by male vocalist Pat Le Roy as the mail lead singer. Pat, from Dublin, had been singing cabaret (we think) before joining the band.

Sometime during 1966 or early 1967 a few changes took place in the band. An article reported that Jack Bayle had taken over the position of musical director of the band, but we can't confirm he was in the line=up, we are researching this further. We also know that Danny McGann (using the stage name Danny Francis)  joined the band, replacing Pat Le Roy as lead male vocalist. We also know that the band dropped on member to become an eight piece. In march of 1967 the band released its first single which was Tina singing "I Won't Marry Him," written by the previously mentioned Jack Bayle.

In 1968 Tina sang Jim Doherty's National Song Contest entry "One Love Two." It would be released as a single but failed to win the contest of make the Irish charts. However, just being involved in the contest gave Tina (and the band) plenty of publicity in the run up to the final when Pat McGeegan won with "Chance of a Lifetime." Interestingly, in newspaper coverage of the contest Tina was constantly quoted as being 18 (and sometimes 19), which was strange given that she was reported to be "18" in 1965 when she first joined the band.

In late 1968, Tina shocked the showband scene when she left the Mexicans to team up with Jim Farley's new 19 piece band call the Tophatters. We are pretty sure she left after her boyfriend Dessie Reynolds left the Mexicans earlier to join Jim Farley's new outfit. Around this time, Dessie and Tina would tie the knot and she became Tina Reynolds. T.J. Byrne gave the band the residency in the new Top Hat Ballroom in Dun Laoghaire. 

In late January, 1969, tragedy struck the band when manager Tom Cranny, then 60 years old, was struck and killed on the way back from a gig with the band in Belfast. He had gone to aid another driver who had been involved win an accident when he was struck. Sean Jordan, manager of the Jackpots took over managing the band and they continued on. 

Former drummer, Eamonn Donnelly, takes up the story, "We struggled to find out where we were supposed to be gigging week after week. A new Manager was appointed, A man called Sean Jordan  and the first thing he did was organize a 6 week to trip to Canada, Sean set up dates for our return and we carried on, Tina left shortly after that trip."  

In August, 1969, Tina rejoined to front the band alongside lead singer Danny Francis, however, Danny left the band over the Christmas. A small blurb in the Anglo-Celt newspaper on Feb 6th, 1970, reported that Sean Jordan had "retired as manager of the Mexicans Showband to take up a position with Release Records."

In August, 1971, Alan Cranny (guitar), Willie O'Hagan (bass) and Mike Quigley (keyboards) left the band to join John Farrell's new outfit, The Groundhogs. The same month, Tina was advertised doing a cabaret gig at the Hitching Post and the band folded. The Groundhogs would not last long though as they released their first single in October and the B-side was penned by Alan and was called "Skipity" but by November 1st, Alan had left the band.

On December 4th, it was reported that Alan and Mick Dunne were going to form a new group with ex-Byelaws member, Pat Morris aimed "at the Canadian market." However, they would end up joining the newly formed Stage 2 along with Brendan O'Brien and Joe Mac after they left the DixiesStage 2 would debut at Ponton Ballroom in Mayo on Sunday, January 23rd, 1972. 

Photo Gallery

click on thumbnails for full image

Mexicans - 1962

Mexicans - 1962 (TK)

Mexicans - 1963

Mexicans - 1962 (PL) Mexicans - 1965
Mexicans - 1965 Mexicans - 1965 Mexicans - 1965 Mexicans - 1967 Mexicans - 1968

Mexicans - 1968

Mexicans (LR) Mexicans Tina - 1968 Tina - 1968

Mexicans - 1971

Mexicans (JB)

Mexicans (KS)

Mexicans - 1968

Mexicans (LR)

Mexicans - 1969

Mexicans - 1968

Tina - 1968

Mexicans - 1968 (ED)

Mexicans - 1968 (ED)

Mexicans - Aug, 1969

Tina - 1969

Mexicans - 1962 (TK)

Mexicans - 1970

Mexicans- 1962 (RF)
Mexicans (RF) Mexicans (RF)

Danny - 1968

Mexicans (RF) Mexicans (RF)
Mexicans (RF) Mexicans (RF) Mexicans (RF) Mexicans (RF) Mexicans (RF)
Mexicans (RF) Mexicans (RF) Mexicans (RF) Mexicans (RF) Mexicans (RF)
     

Mexicans - 1971

Mexicans - 1971

Coming Soon

Coming Soon

Coming Soon

Years Vocals Vocals/Gtr Guitar Bass Drums Keyboards Sax Sax/Tpt Trombone
1962 Terry
Smith
Hank
Owens
Alan
Cranny
Sean
Owens
Tony
Killeen
Mick
O'Reilly
Shay
Cranny
Bunty
Hayden
Noel
Dempsey
1962 Tony
Kenny
Hank
Owens
Alan
Cranny
Sean
Owens
Tony
Killeen
Mick
O'Reilly
Sean
McDermott
Bunty
Hayden
Noel
Dempsey
Feb
1965
Tina
Quinn
Pat
Le Roy
Alan
Cranny
Frankie
Owens
Dessie
Reynolds
Mick
Dunne
Philip
Denvir
Bunty
Hayden
Noel
Dempsey
Feb
1966
Tina
Quinn
Danny
Francis
Alan
Cranny
Frankie
Owens
Dessie
Reynolds
Mick
Dunne
Philip
Denvir
Bunty
Hayden
 
Nov
1968
  Danny
Francis
Alan
Cranny
Frankie
Owens
Unknown Mick
Dunne
Philip
Denvir
Bunty
Hayden
 
1969 Tina
Reynolds
Danny
Francis
Alan
Cranny
Frankie
Owens
Martin
Brannigan
Mick
Dunne
Philip
Denvir
Bunty
Hayden
 
Jan
1969
Tina
Reynolds
Danny
Francis
Alan
Cranny
Ivan
Pepper
Eamonn
Donnelly
Mick
Dunne
Philip
Denvir
Eamon (tpt)
McEntyre
 
1970 Tina
Reynolds
Billy
Johnson
Alan
Cranny
Ivan
Pepper
Eamonn
Donnelly
Mick
Dunne
Philip
Denvir
Bunty
Hayden
 
1971 Tina
Reynolds
Billy
Johnson
  Ivan
Pepper
Eamonn
Donnelly
Mick
Dunne
Philip
Denvir
Bunty
Hayden
 

Discography

I Won't Marry Him / Just Hang On (Tina and the Mexicans) - Our thanks to Tommy Hayes
Target Records - 7N.17283 - March, 1967
One Love Two / Longing To Hold You (Tina - National Song Contest Entry written by Jim Doherty)
Target Records - 7N.17525 - April, 1968
Julie's Just Gone / Alexander Higginbottom (Mexicans)
Target Records - 7N.17613 - October, 1968
Without Your Love (Mexicans)
Target Records - Unknown - December, 1968
Que Sera Sera (Tina & The Mexicans)
Target Records - Unknown -

Audio Clips

Coming Soon

Where Are They Now?   (More to come)

Tina Reynolds:
Danny Francis McGann - RIP:
Tony Killeen:
Noel Dempsey - RIP: News from Tony Killeen that Noel passed away on March 29th, 2024.
Alan Cranny:
Frankie Owens:
Dessie Reynolds:
Mick Dunne:
Philip Denvir - RIP: Eamonn Donnelly wrote to tell us us Phillip sadly passed away on the 24th of July, 2011
at the age of 67 in Virginia, USA
Martin Brannigan:
Eamonn Donnelly:
Billy Johnson:
Tommy McKiernan - RIP:

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