Supreme (Seven) Showband Story (1961-1973)
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 our stories
based on first person reports, newspaper articles and photographic
archives. If you can add anything or correct info in this story,
please email us and let us know.
The first mention of the Supreme
Showband from Wexford we could find was on October 21, 1961 when
they were playing a two band session with the Clipper Carlton in the
famous Gleneagle Hotel in Killarney. A month later they were paying
their first visit to Barry's Hotel in Dublin so they were getting
around very quickly by most new showband standards. The band was
being managed by Tom Whelan of Campile, Co. Wexford. The band's set
list described in a report in the Munster Express on December 29th,
1961 as a "splendid selection of modern and old time music."
Although we can't find any
references to the original lineup, we know the band was an eight
piece outfit in the early days. In researching the band, we could
very few references (only 115) to them in newspaper archives, yet
they were on the road from 1961 through (we think) 1973. It also
seems that in 1970, they were being reported as a "new band" which
seems strange as they would have been on the road for almost a
decade.
One relatively unique thing about
the band is that even in the 1970's they were described as a
"semi-professional" showband (see below).
This was interesting as generally most showbands started out as just
that, "semi" professional. Many musicians had already qualified as
carpenters, printers, electricians, etc., but inevitably they all
faced the difficult decision as to whether they would "turn
professional." When this happened, many musicians (usually the ones
married with children and with a good job) decided to stick to their
day jobs and going on the road as a showband could be a financially
perilous proposition in those days.
In 1964, the band was advertised
as having formerly been known as the Luxembourg Showband and was
"conducted by Joe Lowney" (see below). This leads to much confusion
as we found an article detailing the lineup of the Luxembourg
Showband in 1963 as the first "fully professional band" from
Wexford. We will do our best to further research this band.
We think that in 1968 the manager
was Eddie Nolan.
If you know any more about the
band, please
contact us.
More to come.....
click on thumbnails for full image
