1960's - The Showbands

As is often the case in the entertainment world, the innovators do not always reap the greatest benefit from their own invention. Although the Clipper Carltons were very successful, they would not reach the popularity of some of the bands that followed. Perhaps it is because they remained a "band," each member contributing their share to the overall sound and entertainment value of the band, but none grabbing the spotlight.

This unequaled form of fan hysteria would be reserved for the bands that copied and followed the Clippers, but with one exception...almost all these other bands had a distinct front person (mostly males, but some women also grabbed their share of the limelight in the sixties.) Although most showbands went by a single name, the most famous bands had a featured lead singer. Names like Brendan Bowyer, Dickie Rock, Eileen Reid, Butch Moore, and others dominated the stage, and further defined the era of the showbands.

The main differences between the orchestras and the showbands was a reduced number of players (usually 7 or 8); the addition of electric guitars and bass; and the trading in of the piano for an organ. The showbands retained a full complement of brass, (usually one of each instrument) a sound that would define their music for the next decade.

The undisputed kings of this era were The Royal Showband from Waterford. They were formed in 1957 as a part time band featuring local paper mill clerks Tom Dunphy and Brendan Bowyer. Offstage, Brendan was shy and retiring, and played trombone with the band. However, onstage he became a different person and it wasn't long before his gyrating hips and wild take off on Elvis gained him national fame. It was 1958 and Ireland had its first superstar. Between Tom's country crooning and Brendan's wild rock n' roll act, the band was a huge success all across the country, far outpacing the popularity of the band on which they patterned had originally patterned themselves, the Clippers.

The incredible rise of the showbands as the sixties started created an entire industry that employed upwards of 10,000 people at its height. Ballrooms started to spring up all around the country as the old parochial halls could no longer cope with the huge crowds the bands were attracting. Most of these facilities were thrown up in a matter of weeks, with little in the way of creature comforts. They had one purpose and one alone, cram as many dancers into the room as possible.

Things started to roll along as in 1962 the Royal released the first single by a showband, "Come Down The Mountain, Katy Daly," featuring Tom Dunphy. The song was a danceable country/Irish folk and an instant hit. However, nothing was to prepare the industry for the magic that was 1963. That year, Brendan recorded "Kiss Me Quick," which was to become the first number one single in the Irish charts by a showband. They also starred in the film, "The One Nighters," which was produced by Peter Collinson and followed the band through their "wholesome" private lives and onto the stage.  

The same year, a new magazine dedicated to covering the exploding showband scene made it's debut...Spotlight was published for the first time. The magazine was filled with photos of the bands and their stars and featured stories which followed their every move. If that wasn't enough, the fledgling Telefís Ireland, Ireland's only television station, which had just gone on the air on December 31, 1961 produced "The Showband Show." The weekly hour long show was to Irish showbands what The Ed Sullivan Show was in the States. An appearance with host, Paul Russell, assured bands national exposure, which they translated into higher fees with promoters.

From 1963 through 1968 the showband era was at it's height. Ireland had it's own entertainment royalty, led by names like Brendan Bowyer and the Royal, Brendan O'Brien and the Dixies, Dickie Rock and the Miami, Joe Dolan and the Drifters, Butch Moore and the Capitol, and many more.

As the sixties came to a close, a change started to occur in the showbands. The huge influx of "copy cat" showbands led to a glut on the market. In fact, other than the distinct voices of a hand full of stars, the showbands all began to sound and look the same.

Some of the top bands of the day broke up, attempting to find a "new sound" that would differentiate them from the rest of the pack. The distinction between pop and country bands became clearer as the bands could no longer be all things to all people, and had to be "different" from their competition.

Bands like the Smokey Mountain Ramblers and Cotton Mill Boys came on the scene, providing pure country and bluegrass dance music. Pop bands like the Memories and Chips in the North, started to attract a younger audience and the showbands faced desperate times. 

Those that successfully redefined themselves would continue to entertain new audiences. Those that couldn't went by the wayside. As early as 1966, only ten years after the start of the showband craze, critics were forecasting the end was in sight for the showbands. Articles by prominent industry magazines foresaw a bleak future for the bands and the ballrooms and many said it was over.

Even though the huge crowds and fan mania of the early to mid 60's was gone, the showband era was not done. After a shakeout in the late sixties, the industry recreated itself in a new way. Showbands morphed into pop or country acts; a smattering of cabaret artists tried their hands in the ballrooms; the Beat groups of Dublin became the pop and rock groups of the 70's and started to challenge for their piece of the pie. The industry was transforming itself......

Click here to continue    

Click on one of the genres below to learn more.