The Rockin' Berries

Last updated

The Rockin' Berries
Genres Beat, pop, rock, comedy, novelty
Years active1961–present
Labels Piccadilly, Pye
Members Geoff Turton
Simon Ryland
Jay McGee
Past members Rick Price
Chuck Botfield
Terry Bond
Doug Thompson
Paul Hewitt
Tim Munns
Dennis Ryland
Jimmy Powell
Clive Lea
Roy Austin
Bobby Thomson
Ken Rodway
Pete Spooner
Steven Lawrence
Rod Clarke
Terry Webster
Stevie Riks
Keith Smart
John Dawson
Derek Jason
Noel Hazell

The Rockin' Berries are a beat group from Birmingham, England, who had several hit records in the UK in the 1960s. A version of the group, emphasising comedy routines as well as music, continues to perform to the present day.

Contents

History

The Rockin' Berries were originally formed as a beat group at Turves Green School in Birmingham in the late 1950s by guitarist Bryan "Chuck" Botfield, and were so named because they played several Chuck Berry songs in their set. An early keyboard player with the group was Christine Perfect, later Christine McVie of Fleetwood Mac. When another band was formed locally, by singer Paul Hewitt, guitarist Doug Thompson and drummer Terry Bond, Botfield agreed to join on condition that it used the "Rockin' Berries" name. By mid 1961, the group comprised Botfield (lead guitar), Doug Thompson (rhythm guitar), Tim Munns (bass), Dennis Ryland (saxophone), Terry Bond (drums), and singers Paul Hewitt and Jimmy Powell. Later that year, the group went to Germany to play a series of club engagements, with Hewitt being replaced by singer and Elvis Presley impressionist Clive Lea. On their return, the group auditioned for promoter Jack Good, who wanted to sign Powell but not the rest of the group. After a few months, Powell left for a solo career, later leading the Five Dimensions who for a while included Rod Stewart. Thompson, Ryland and shortly afterwards Munns also left, and were replaced by singer and guitarist Geoff Turton — an old friend of Botfield's — and bassist Roy Austin. [1]

When the group returned to England, they won a contract with Decca Records, who released their first two singles, "Wah Wah Woo" and "Itty Bitty Pieces" in 1963. Although the group appeared on TV show Ready Steady Go! , the records were not hits, and the group, now managed by John Schroeder, signed a deal with Pye Records subsidiary Piccadilly. Their first record for the new label, "I Didn't Mean To Hurt You", reached No. 43 on the UK singles chart, [2] and the band appeared at the Marquee Club in London where they were seen by American record producer Kim Fowley. He suggested they record a version of "He's in Town", a Goffin and King song that had been a US hit for The Tokens. The Rockin' Berries' version reached No. 3 in the UK in late 1964, and the follow-up records, "What In The World’s Come Over You" (No. 23) and "Poor Man’s Son" (No. 5) were also hits. They also released a successful album, In Town. At this point, Roy Austin left the group and was replaced by Bobby Thomson, previously of Rory Storm & The Hurricanes. [1]

According to Richie Unterberger at AllMusic: [3]

"Much of the Berries' output reflected the lighter pop/rock face of the British beat boom, emphasizing catchy, carefully constructed tunes supplied by British and American songwriters, with high harmonies indebted to the Four Seasons and the Beach Boys.... A career strategy that put an eye on the "all-around entertainer" niche, however, led them to record many comedy numbers that have dated excruciatingly badly, and also ensured that they were denied artistic credibility."

The commercial fortunes of the group declined thereafter, although "You're My Girl" (1965) and "The Water Is Over My Head" (1966) were minor chart hits. They regularly featured Clive Lea's impersonations and group comedy routines, remained a popular live act on the cabaret circuit, and appeared at the 1967 Royal Variety Performance. Geoff Turton left the group in 1968, and had a briefly successful solo career as Jefferson, with two Billboard Hot 100 hits in the US in 1969–70. Clive Lea left in 1970, and was replaced by Terry Webster. The Rockin' Berries continued to perform as a music and comedy act in cabaret, with numerous later personnel changes. Turton returned to the group in the 1970s, and, with Botfield, has remained with the group up to 2020. [1] Botfield died on 30 July 2020. [4]

Band personnel

Current members
Former members
The Rockin' Berries

Discography

Singles

Extended players

Albums

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dave Walker</span> English rock singer (born 1945)

David Walker is an English singer and guitarist who has been front-man for a number of bands; most notably The Idle Race, Savoy Brown and Humble Pie, he also served briefly with Fleetwood Mac and Black Sabbath.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Fortunes</span> English harmony beat group

The Fortunes are an English harmony beat group. Formed in Birmingham, the Fortunes first came to prominence and international acclaim in 1965, when "You've Got Your Troubles" broke into the US, Canadian, and UK Top 10s. Afterwards, they had a succession of hits including "Here It Comes Again" and "Here Comes That Rainy Day Feeling Again"; continuing into the 1970s with more globally successful releases such as "Storm in a Teacup" and "Freedom Come, Freedom Go".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Steve Gibbons (musician)</span> British rock musician

Steve Gibbons is an English singer-songwriter, guitarist and bandleader. His music career spans more than 50 years.

The Applejacks were an English beat group of the 1960s. They were the first "Brumbeat" group to reach the Top 10 of the UK Singles Chart, and were unusual for having a female bass guitarist, Megan Davies.

Carter-Lewis and the Southerners were an early-1960s rock band, formed by the Birmingham-born musicians Ken Lewis and John Carter.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Where Have All the Good Times Gone</span> 1965 single by the Kinks

"Where Have All the Good Times Gone" is a song written by Ray Davies and performed by the Kinks. It was released as the B-side to "Till the End of the Day," and then on their album The Kink Kontroversy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Remo Four</span> English rock band

The Remo Four were a 1950s–1960s rock band from Liverpool, England. They were contemporaries of The Beatles, and later had the same manager, Brian Epstein. Its members were Colin Manley, Phil Rogers, Don Andrew, and Roy Dyke (drums). Andrew and Manley were in the same class at school as Paul McCartney.

The Sorrows are a rock band formed in 1963 in Coventry, Warwickshire, England, by Pip Whitcher, and were part of the British beat boom of the 1960s. They were a fixture in the English mod scene and are sometimes referred to as freakbeat.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anita Harris</span> British singer and actress (born 1942)

Anita Madeleine Harris is an English actress, singer and entertainer.

A Band Of Angels were a mid-1960s English pop group, featuring Mike d'Abo, John Edward Baker, John Christian Gaydon, Andrew Charles Malcolm Glyn Petre (drums), David Robert Wilkinson.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Riot Squad</span> English pop group

The Riot Squad were a pop group from London, initially managed and produced by Larry Page and later, for their reunion, by Joe Meek.

Geoffrey Turton, who also recorded under the name Jefferson, is a British singer. His musical career began as the falsettist lead singer and rhythm guitarist of The Rockin' Berries in 1961, which had a number of hits in the UK and Europe. The group was best known for its covers, and Turton did much of the searching and decision work as to what was to be sung.

Velvett Fogg were a British psychedelic rock band. Tony Iommi was a member in mid-1968, but soon left to form Black Sabbath. Their lone eponymous album was released in January 1969, and re-released on CD by Sanctuary Records in 2002.

Geno Washington & the Ram Jam Band are an England-based soul band.

The Montanas were an English 1960s and 1970s pop rock band from Wolverhampton, England. Though they never found significant success in their home country, they had one moderate hit in the United States.

Colin Hicks & The Cabin Boys were a British rock and roll band, led by Colin Hicks, the younger brother of singer Tommy Steele.

"Mean Girl" is a single released by the British rock band Status Quo in 1973. It was taken from their November 1971 album Dog of Two Head.

Jimmy Powell was a British soul and rhythm and blues singer who recorded and performed throughout the 1960s and early 1970s, and is best remembered as the lead singer of Jimmy Powell and the 5 Dimensions, a group that briefly included Rod Stewart.


The Wild Angels is an English rock and roll group. The group got their name from the 1966 Roger Corman film The Wild Angels starring Peter Fonda.

<i>Sounds Like Searchers</i> Album by The Searchers

Sounds Like Searchers is the fourth studio album by the English rock band The Searchers and the group's first LP featuring singer and bass player Frank Allen. Album features title track of the band's UK No.1 EP "Bumble Bee" as well as cover versions of some well known tracks written or co-written by Burt Bacharach, John Barry or Jackie DeShannon. The album has reached the Top 10 in the UK album chart.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "The Rockin' Berries". Brumbeat.net. Retrieved 30 January 2014.
  2. 1 2 3 Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 466. ISBN   1-904994-10-5.
  3. ↑ Richie Unterberger. "The Rockin' Berries | Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved 30 January 2014.
  4. 1 2 "Chuck Botfield". Brumbeat.net. Retrieved 8 December 2020.
  5. ↑ "Rick Price 1944/2022". ELO España. 18 May 2022. Retrieved 23 May 2022.
  6. 1 2 3 4 "Rockin' Berries ( Rocking Berries )". 45-rpm.org.uk. Retrieved 30 January 2014.
  7. ↑ "Clive Lea". Brumbeat.net. Retrieved 4 July 2023.
  8. ↑ "The Rockin' Berries | Discography". AllMusic . Retrieved 30 January 2014.
  9. ↑ "The Rockin' Berries". Discogs.com. Retrieved 15 May 2018.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.