Paddy Cole/ Paddy
Cole
Band/Superstars Photo Gallery
One of Ireland's most respected musicians,
Paddy Cole started his career with the Maurice Lynch Band before
moving on to the legendary Capitol Showband in the 1960's. When
Brendan Bowyer and Tom Dunphy left the Royal Showband, they tapped
Paddy to play sax and serve as bandleader for their new venture,
The
Big Eight. Also in the Big Eight was Twink, as well as Paddy's old
Capitol mate, Mickey O'Neill on drums. After a relatively short
time, Twink left the band, unable to mesh the hectic schedule of six
months in Las Vegas and six in Ireland with her family life.
Shortly thereafter, Paddy, feeling the same
way, announced his intention to leave the band to form a new outfit.
To his surprise, most of the band agreed and went with him. The
split made headlines in the late summer of 1974 and the new band,
The Paddy Cole Band, made their debut in the Tara Ballroom, Dublin
in October.
Leaving the Big Eight with Paddy were Jimmy
Conway (guitar), Michael Keane (keyboards), and Mickey O'Neill
(drums). Paddy was also able to coax Twink back on the road and
completed the band with some old friends, Mike Dalton (of the
Capitol-bass), Ray Moore (ex Plattermen-trumpet), and ex-Bye Laws
vocalist, Pat Morris on vocals.
Within a very short time, the band's lineup
changed with Colm Hughes (formerly with Harvest) replacing Pat
Morris and Mickey O'Neill as he was a dummer as well, and Jimmy
Smith (The Big Valley) replacing Jimmy Conway on guitar. Michael
Keane also left the band, leaving them as a six piece for a time.
The Paddy Cole Superstars were on the road in
the late 70's and early 80's but in 1980 or 1981, Paddy left the
band, which for a time kept the name Paddy Cole's Superstars, even
though Paddy was no longer playing with the band. Eventually Paddy's
name was dropped and the band continued as Colm Hughes and the
Superstars.
More to come....
Click on thumbnails for full images
