Royal/New Blues Story (1963-1983)

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

The Royal Blues Story

Formed in Claremorris, Co. Mayo in April, 1963, the Royal Blues were one of The West's first successful top tier showbands. They were managed by the late Andy Creighton, who would later guide the fortunes of the Plattermen, Memories, and a host of other bands. The band made it big very quickly and within six weeks of being formed, went on a tour of the Irish halls in the United States. They would also tour the States every year after that during Lent, during which the Irish dancing scene closed down.

The band was formed when four members of Pete Brown's Band of Renown from Kiltimagh left to strike out on their own. Frank Gill (sax), his brother Vincent (trombone), Brian Carr (bass), and Doc Carroll (guitar) rounded out the new lineup with Shay O'Hara (vocals), Don Flanagan (drums), Bobby Smith (trumpet), and Brendan Arnold (guitar). Doc, Brendan and Vincent were also featured vocalists along with Shay. Based in Claremorris, their reputation grew very quickly and in only a few months, they became one of the industry's top draws, and they were soon packing them in across the country.

Their first record in 1965 was Loves Going to Live Here which was sung by Shay O'Hara, but wasn't a great success. However, their big break came with their next single, Old Man Trouble, which featured Doc Carroll on vocals. The record shot straight to number 1 in the Irish charts and made the band a household name.

In early 1968, Shay O'Hara left the band, and manager Andy Creighton was quoted in Spotlight magazine and saying he would not be replaced. Although they continued on as a seven piece for a time, they eventually added Dublin man, Joe Quigley. In the meantime, Doc Carroll had become the main vocalist after the success of Old Man Trouble. During the mid 60's, the Royal Blues also toured the Irish dance halls in the United States on an annual basis. They were in America during the turbulent times following the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr.

By the early seventies, the era of the big ballrooms and the big showbands was waning and the band underwent a major change. Doc Carroll followed the lead of peers like Brendan Bowyer and Dickie Rock and formed his own band, The Nightrunners. Vincent Gill left the stage to take over management of the band and the remaining members of the band carried on as the New Blues.

The New Blues take over

The band now needed a lead vocalist and found one in a young singer from Cork name Glen Curtin. More to come....

Photo Gallery

click on thumbnails for full image


Royal Blues (JB)	Royal Blues (BF)	Royal Blues - 1966 (LR)	Royal Blues (BF)	Royal Blues (LR)

Doc Carroll of the Royal Blues	Bobby Smith of the Royal Blues (KS)	Royal Blues (LR)	Royal Blues (LR)	Royal Blues - 1968

Royal Blues - 1968	Royal Blues - 1971	Glen Curtin, Lola & the New Blues - 1973	New Blues (LF)	New Blues - 1974 (LR)

Lola of The New Blues - 1974	Lola, Frank Gill & The New Blues (LF)	New Blues (LF)	New Blues (LF)	Doc & Brian in 1968

Royal Blues (LR)	Carole & The New Blues (DD)	New Blues (TC)	Coming Soon	Coming Soon

Lineup Changes (More to come)

Years	Vocals	Guitar/Vocals	Guitar	Bass	Drums	Sax	Trmpt/Keys	Trmbn/Keys
1963	Shay O'Hara	Doc Carroll	Brendan Arnold	Brian Carr	Don Flanagan	Frank Gill	Bobby Smith	Vincent Gill
1968		Doc Carroll	Brendan Arnold	Brian Carr	Don Flanagan	Frank Gill	Bobby Smith	Vincent Gill
1969?	Joe Quigley	Doc Carroll	Brendan Arnold	Brian Carr	Don Flanagan	Frank Gill	Bobby Smith	Vincent Gill
1971	Joe Quigley	Doc Carroll	Brendan Arnold	Brian Carr	Paddy Glynn	Frank Gill	Bobby Smith	Vincent Gill
197?	Unknown	Unknown	John O'Brien	Brian Carr	Paddy Glynn	Frank Gill	Larry Flood	Vincent Gill
1972	Glen Curtin	Trina	John O'Brien	Brendan Arnold	Paddy Glynn	Frank Gill	Larry Flood
1973	Glen Curtin	Lola (Anne Mooney)	John O'Brien	Brendan Arnold	Paddy Glynn	Frank Gill	Larry Flood
1974	Frank Gill	Lola (Anne Mooney)	John O'Brien	Brendan Arnold	Paddy Glynn		Larry Flood
1977	Nora		Tommy Lyndsey	Kieran Cavanagh	John McManus	Ritchie Buckley	Tommy O'Connor	Keith Beattie
1978	Carole Wallace		Tommy Lyndsey	Kieran Cavanagh	John McManus	Ritchie Buckley	Tommy O'Connor	Keith Beattie

Discography (Partial)

Royal Blues

Love's Going To Live Here (Shay O'Hara)
Parlophone Records - Unknown - 1965
Old Man Trouble (Doc Carroll) - #1 Irish Charts
Parlophone Records - Unknown - January, 1966
Far Away From You / Rosa Lee (Doc Carroll) - #8 Irish Charts
Pye Records - 7N.17166 - September, 1966
Santa Natale / Stop The World (Shay O'Hara) - #8 Irish Charts
Pye Records - Unknown - September, 1966
There Goes My Heart Again (Doc Carroll)
Pye Records - 7N.17360 - Early 1967
Croce D'Oro (Shay O'Hara) - #18 Irish Charts
Pye Records - Unknown - October, 1967

New Blues

Don't Say A Word (Glen Curtin)
Polydor Records - 1973
Love Me Love Me Love Me (Glen Curtin)
Polydor Records - 1973
All For The Love of Sunshine (Glen Curtin)
Polydor Records, October, 1973
I'd Love You To Want Me / Meadow Green (Glen Curtin) - #7 Irish Charts
Polydor Records - November, 1973
Down By The River / Little Pleasure Acre (Lola)
Hawk Records - HASP 324 - 1973
Over and Over (Lola)
Hawk Records - Unknown - September, 1974
I'm So Afraid of Falling / The Snows of '49 (Lola)
Hawk Records - HASP 355 - December 1974
Dance / You Lose A Lover (But Gain A Friend) (Lola)
Tap Records - TAP 003 - 1976
Never Can Tell / If I Could Ever Win Your Love (Carole)
Play Records - PLAY 103 - 1977
Turn Away / Lovin On (Carole)
Play Records - PLAY 107 - 1977
Baby You Should Be Laughing / All We Need Is Love (Carole)
Play Records - PLAY 111 - 1978
Wayward Wind / Lovin On (Carole)
Dallas Records - DAL 103 - February, 1981
You Keep A Knocking / He Still Thinks I Care (Carole)
Dallas Records - DAL 105 - 1981

Our thanks to Peter Kinsey for his help with this discography

Audio Clips

Coming Soon

Where Are They Now? (Coming Soon)

	Shay O'Hara: After leaving the Roya Blues in 1968, Shay went on to front the Premier Aces from nearby Castlerea. Eventually, Shay emigrated to Australia where he lives today.
	Doc Carroll - RIP: Doc left the Blues in 1972 and formed his own band, the Nightrunners. He eventually changed the name of the band to the Doc Carroll All Stars and continued to enjoy a very successful career during the 80's, 90's and up until his passing in 2005. One of the best loved of the showband era stars, Doc had a long and very successful career both on and off stage.
	Brendan Arnold: If you have info regarding Brendan, please let us know.
	Brian Carr: If you have info regarding Brian, please let us know.
	Don Flanagan: If you have info regarding Don, please let us know.
	Frank Gill: Peter Kinsey writes to tell us that Frank Still tours around Britain and Ireland with his own band these days.
	Bobby Smith: If you have info regarding Bobby, please let us know.
	Vincent Gill: Peter also tells us that Vincent is living in Killiney Dublin and has a courier business.
	Glen Curtin: Glen left the New Blues to join the Nevada for a short time before going out on his own to front The Galaxy Band. He has since enjoyed a successful solo career and released a CD in 2001 called Wild Colonial Boy.
	Lola (Anne Mooney): Annie left the band to join the Big Eight. Annie (now Mullin) writes us to tell us that after leaving the Big Eight she did not work for about a year or two, but stayed on in Las Vegas. She then formed her own band and worked on the strip and eventually went on to have a very successful duo called, simply "Annie and Kenny." She also got married. Around 2001 she actually rejoined the band for a while and worked with Brendan and Aisling Bowyer, but eventually gave it up as it was too hard to be away from her family. Today she currently manages a psychologist's office in Las Vegas, but still sings regularly.
	John O'Brien: After leaving the New Blues, John became the guitarist with Ireland's pop group of the late 70's and early 80's, Bagatelle.
	Paddy Glynn: If you have info regarding Paddy, please let us know.
	Larry Flood: If you have info regarding Larry, please let us know.
	Kieran Cavanagh: Kieran hung up his bass and moved into management in the late 70's. Today he runs KCP Promotions and over the years, he has managed Gloria, Brush Shiels, Ray Lynam, Roly Daniels and the Rascals. He even looked after the fortunes of Jerry Lee Lewis for a time in the 1990's.
	Carole Wallace: Carol retired from the entertainment business and today lives in Drogheda.
	Tommy Lyndsey: Tommy runs a delivery service in his native Easkey and still performs in his own one man band - Kieran Cavanagh.
	John McManus: If you have info regarding John, please let us know.
	Tommy O'Gorman: Tommy O'Gorman currently lives in Dublin where he is involved in the transportation business.
	Tommy O'Connor:
	Ritchie Buckley: Ritchie left the band and went on to international renown as one of the country's top sax players. He has played with The Saw Doctors, Mary Coughlan Band and Van Morrison as well as many of the world's top jazz performers.
	Keith Beattie: Keith is now a teacher and as far as we know, he no longer performs professionally.

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