HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

The Delltones were an Australian
rock 'n' roll Rock and roll (often written as rock & roll, rock 'n' roll, or rock 'n roll) is a genre of popular music that evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s. It originated from African-American music such as jazz, rhythm an ...
band, which formed in 1958. They started as a
doo-wop Doo-wop (also spelled doowop and doo wop) is a genre of rhythm and blues music that originated in African-American communities during the 1940s, mainly in the large cities of the United States, including New York, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Chica ...
, harmony quartet with Warren Lucas (tenor vocals), Brian Perkins (baritone vocals), Noel Widerberg (lead vocals) and Ian "Peewee" Wilson (bass vocals). In July 1962 Noel Widerberg died in a car accident in Brighton-le-Sands in Sydney, and three weeks later the group's single, "Get a Little Dirt on Your Hands", reached the top five on the local charts. Widerberg's position was filled by Col Loughnan (ex-the Crescents). The group disbanded in 1973. Wilson, as the sole founding mainstay, reformed the group with new members in 1978 as a five-piece band. Along with stylistic changes, it led to their resurgence and a top 20 compilation album, ''Bop Til Ya Drop'' (1983). The Delltones performed for five decades; although their most successful recording years were in the 1960s. They were consistent live entertainers in Australia before disbanding in 2016.


History


1958-1959: Origins and early years

In 1958, Noel Widerberg (lead vocals) and Ian "Peewee" Wilson (bass vocals) were lifesavers at the Bronte Surf Club. They were interested in four-part
doo wop Doo-wop (also spelled doowop and doo wop) is a genre of rhythm and blues music that originated in African-American communities during the 1940s, mainly in the large cities of the United States, including New York, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Chica ...
harmonies, "such as The Diamonds and Elvis Presley's The Jordanaires," and began singing together at club socials. Later that year they were joined by Warren Lucas (tenor vocals), a member of a vocal group the Sapphires, and then by Brian Perkins (baritone vocals). The four met at a Bronte Club social to form the Delltones. According to music journalist,
Ed Nimmervoll Edward Charles Nimmervoll (21 September 1947 – 10 October 2014) was an Australian music journalist, author and historian. He worked on rock and pop magazines ''Go-Set'' (1966–1974) and ''Juke Magazine'' (1975–92) both as a journalist a ...
, the name means "'of tones' ('dell' meaning 'of' in Spanish)." They began harmonising at talent quests and on street corners. Baker, Glenn A.
"The Delltones – History"
The Delltones Official Website
The quartet's first "professional engagement" was at a Kings Cross nightclub after they stopped its owner in the street and sang for him. He invited them to perform an impromptu session consisting of four songs – their total repertoire. They were paid with spaghetti bolognese and beer. In early 1959, the Delltones visited Bob Rogers, a radio DJ for
2GB 2GB is a commercial radio station in Sydney, Australia owned by parent company Nine Radio, a division of Nine Entertainment Co., who also own sister station 2UE. 2GB broadcasts on 873 kHz, AM. In 2010, 2GB held 14.7% of the total rad ...
. They auditioned Widerberg's composition "Why" during a commercial break. Rogers phoned Lee Gordon, an American-born, Sydney-based promoter, and persuaded him, "to feature them on one of the early Stadium shows." The Delltones, whose average age was 21, performed in many of Gordon's Big Shows, backing vocalists and with their own feature spot. They provided harmony backing vocals for performances by visiting international and local artists (
Johnny O'Keefe John Michael O'Keefe (19 January 1935 – 6 October 1978) was an Australian rock and roll singer whose career began in the 1950s. Some of his hits include " Wild One" (1958), " Shout!" and "She's My Baby". In his twenty-year career, O'Keefe rel ...
,
Dig Richards Digby George "Dig" Richards (12 September 194017 February 1983) was an Australian rock and roll singer, songwriter, instrumentalist, musical theatre actor and television presenter, active during the late 1950s and early 1960s as lead singer wit ...
, Johnny Rebb and
Johnny Devlin John Lockett Devlin (born 11 May 1938) is a New Zealand singer, songwriter and rock musician, who has been compared to Elvis Presley. His cover of Lloyd Price's "Lawdy Miss Clawdy" in 1958 went to number one in the New Zealand charts with s ...
). The Delltones also sang backing vocals on recording sessions for O'Keefe.


1960-1961: Early recordings and television

O'Keefe invited the Delltones to appear as regulars on his ABC Television music show ''
Six O'Clock Rock ''Six O'Clock Rock'' was an Australian rock and roll television show broadcast on ABC from 28 February 1959 to 1962 at 6 p.m. on Saturdays. Program synopsis Inspired by the BBC program '' 6.5 Special'', it had a similar format to its riva ...
'', and the radio show, ''Rockville Junction''. The band also appeared on the rival show, ''
Bandstand A bandstand (sometimes music kiosk) is a circular, semicircular or polygonal structure set in a park, garden, pier, or indoor space, designed to accommodate musical bands performing concerts. A simple construction, it both creates an orname ...
'', hosted by Brian Henderson. Their television show appearances helped to promote their act and "was the perfect platform for a successful recording career." Lee Gordon also signed the Delltones to his
Leedon Records Leedon Records was an Australian record label active from 1958 to 1969. It was founded by American Australian entrepreneur Lee Gordon in early 1958. Establishment and early releases In Australian in the 1950s and early 1960s, locally distrib ...
recording label and, within a week, the group had cut their first single – a remake of
the Crows The Crows were an American R&B singing group formed in 1951 who achieved commercial success in the 1950s. The group's first single and only hit, " Gee", released in June 1953, has been credited with being the first rock n’ roll hit by a rock ...
"Gee" and the Widerberg composition "Why". "Gee" was a success, eventually peaking at No. 15,''Top Forties Research'' – 7th Edition 1956–2005 with eight-week duration, on the Sydney charts; though it failed to make headway on the national Australian charts. Their second single, "Tonight", was released in October 1959, and was written by Widerberg. Its b-side was their cover version of
Dion and the Belmonts Dion and the Belmonts were an American vocal trio prominent throughout the 1950s. All of its members were from the Bronx, New York City. In 1957, Dion DiMucci joined the vocal group the Belmonts. The established trio of Angelo D'Aleo, Carlo M ...
' "Every Little Thing I Do"; it became a minor hit, but failed to generate sales nationally. At this stage, the group's popularity as live performers began to increase rapidly. They were in demand for recording sessions, including on O'Keefe's "Shout", and Rebb's "Highway of Love". They also recorded harmony backing for country music artists,
Slim Dusty Slim Dusty, AO MBE (born David Gordon Kirkpatrick; 13 June 1927 – 19 September 2003) was an Australian country music singer-songwriter, guitarist and producer. He was an Australian cultural icon and one of the country's most awarded stars, ...
,
Reg Lindsay Reginald John Lindsay OAM (7 July 1929 – 5 August 2008) was an Australian country music singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, producer and radio and television personality. He won three Golden Guitar Awards and wrote more than 500 ...
, and
Lionel Long Lionel Joaquin Paul Long OAM (1939 – 1 January 1998) was an Australian country and folk singer, songwriter, guitarist, actor and artist. Long became one of Australia's most successful and popular country and folk artists in the 1960s, relea ...
. Their next single "Yes Indeed" peaked at number 30 on the local charts. But the follow-up release, a DooWop version of Vera Lynn's classic "White Cliffs of Dover", with Wilson singing a bass vocal lead, failed to make an impression. Disenchanted by Leedon's failure to promote these singles to a larger national audience, the group accepted an offer to switch to the
CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS, the abbreviation of its former legal name Columbia Broadcasting System, is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainm ...
(Coronet) label in June 1960. Following a performance on The Tommy Sands Show in mid 1960, the group befriended the ''Sands'' guitarist Scotty Turnbull who offered to write two songs for The Delltones – "Little Miss Heartbreak" and "Take This Heart". Turnbull also produced and played with
Hal Blaine Hal Blaine (born Harold Simon Belsky; February 5, 1929 – March 11, 2019) was an American drummer and session musician, thought to be among the most recorded studio drummers in the music industry, claiming over 35,000 sessions and 6,000 singles. ...
on drums for both singles. Unfortunately they were not a commercial success. However, the next Coronet release proved to be the breakthrough that the group had been seeking for the past eighteen months. The single "You're The Limit", provided them with their first national hit when it reached the top ten across Australia. This release was even more successful in Sydney, reaching number 4 on the local charts, in January 1961. After a better financial offer from
EMI Records EMI Records (formerly EMI Records Ltd.) is a multinational record label owned by Universal Music Group. It originally founded as a British flagship label by the music company of the same name in 1972, and launched in January 1973 as the succ ...
the group changed labels again and their next release "Wonder", was moderately successful at number 30 nationally. But the follow-up single String a Long, released in July, was a dismal failure. An anecdote of The Delltones auditioning for Denis Wong, the colourful owner of the famous Sydney nightclub Chequers, has now entered into folklore. After their audition, Wong expressed his approval and asked "how much for you boys"? A fee was quoted and the ever frugal Wong replied "I take two" pointing at Widerberg and Wilson. After the expiry of the EMI deal, they re-signed to the Leedon label, now owned by
Festival Records Festival Records (later known as Festival Mushroom Records) was an Australian recording and publishing company founded in Sydney, Australia, in 1952 and operated until 2005. Festival was a wholly owned subsidiary of News Limited from 1961 to ...
, and immediately recorded "Get A Little Dirt on Your Hands" written by Bill Anderson. The record quickly picked up generous airplay right across Australia.


1962: Tragedy

In early July 1962, two weeks after "Get a Little Dirt on Your Hands" entered the charts, Noel Widerberg was killed in a car accident in the Sydney beachside suburb of Brighton-Le-Sands. Widerberg lost control of the vehicle he was driving, which rolled four or five times, throwing the occupants from the vehicle, and Widerberg "head first into the gutter". The remaining group members were understandably devastated and all engagements were cancelled. After a period of inactivity, friends and business associates of the group persuaded the band to seek out a replacement and continue with their careers. The current single "Get A Little Dirt on Your Hands" proved to be the most successful to date, reaching No. 3 on the national charts. The song was also used on the soundtrack of the multi-award-winning movie ''
The Year My Voice Broke ''The Year My Voice Broke'' is a 1987 Australian coming of age drama film written and directed by John Duigan and starring Noah Taylor, Loene Carmen and Ben Mendelsohn. Set in 1962 in the rural Southern Tablelands of New South Wales, it was the f ...
''. According to Graham Jackson in his book, ''Pioneers of Australian rock 'n' roll'', "As Warren Lucas was a good friend of Colin Loughnan, ..Warren persuaded the others that Colin was the natural replacement for Noel".Jackson, Graham (2001). ''Pioneers of Australian rock 'n' roll'' Robina, Qld.: AWSEM. p. 27. . The Delltones didn't audition any other singers, and in fact no auditions were held at all.Johnstone, Damian (September 1989). "Fifties Aussie vocal group The Crescents". ''Big Beat magazine'' (Melbourne). p 13. Jackson quotes Loughnan as saying: "it was short and sweet. It was just: 'Are you interested?' 'Yes' 'Okay, you're in'". Loughnan's style was distinctively different from Widerberg's. After several weeks of rehearsal The Delltones entered the recording studio in November 1962 to record "Come A Little Bit Closer", written by
Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller Lyricist Jerome Leiber (April 25, 1933 – August 22, 2011) and composer Michael Stoller (born March 13, 1933) were American songwriting and record producing partners. They found success as the writers of such crossover hit songs as " Hound Dog" ( ...
. Around this time, Leedon released the band's first self-titled album which included all previously released material with Widerberg. He had been the guiding musical force and leader of the group. After his death, Wilson became the group's spokesperson. When "Come A Little Bit Closer" was released in 1963, it was an immediate hit and eventually became their all-time best seller. The single reached number 3 in Sydney's 2UE top 40, number 1 on 2GB top 30 and number 2 on 3UZ top 40. An album, entitled ''Come A Little Bit Closer'', was also released to capitalise on the hit single. One track was
Cotton Fields "Cotton Fields (The Cotton Song)" (also known as In Them Old Cotton Fields Back Home) is a song written by American blues musician Huddie Ledbetter, better known as Lead Belly, who made the first recording of the song in 1940. Early versions Reco ...
. The follow-up single "Sitting in the Moonlight", was arranged in a similar style as its predecessor, with a harmonica introduction. It became the group's eighth Sydney chart entry. At this time The Delltones participated in a modern pantomime for children, titled ''Mother Goose and The Three Stooges'', which opened at the Palais Theatre in Sydney. The production also featured other pop stars and celebrities of the time including:
Robie Porter Robert George Porter (4 June 1941 – 16 December 2021) was an Australian country and pop-rock musician, producer and record label owner. Beginning in 1959, he performed under the stage name Rob E.G. and recorded lap steel guitar instrum ...
aka "Rob E.G.", Brian Davies, Lucky Starr, Dig Richards, Jay Justin, and actor
Jacki Weaver Jacqueline Ruth Weaver (born 25 May 1947) is an Australian theatre, film and television actress. Weaver emerged in the 1970s as a symbol of the Australian New Wave through her work in Ozploitation films such as '' Stork'' (1971), ''Alvin Purp ...
. Peewee played Mother Goose, with the other band members as the Stooges. The matinee show had a six-week run playing to full houses. They also performed an evening show, ''Once Upon A Surfie – a musical farce'', which showcased the cast members' musical hits.


1963-1968: Gone surfing

By the latter part of 1963 surf music dominated the Australian Charts, particularly in Sydney and Brisbane. The Delltones were quick to release the tongue in cheek composition, "Hangin' Five", written by Ben Acton who was a police officer and also a lifesaver with Manly Surf Club and a member of the police band. This release was almost as successful as "Come A Little Bit Closer" – reaching number 3. "Hangin' Five" became a cult classic in California along with
The Atlantics The Atlantics are an Australian surf rock band founded in 1961. Initially, the band line-up consisted of drummer Peter Hood, bassist Bosco Bosanac, Theo Penglis on lead and rhythm guitar, and guitarist Eddy Matzenik. Matzenik was replaced by ...
instrumental "Bombora". "Hangin' Five" also featured in
Mel Gibson Mel Columcille Gerard Gibson (born January 3, 1956) is an American actor, film director, and producer. He is best known for his action hero roles, particularly his breakout role as Max Rockatansky in the first three films of the post-apocaly ...
's first movie, a 1977 release called '' Summer City''. In 1963, The Delltones picked up four radio awards including "Gold and Silver Baton Award," "Golden Microphone Award", and "The Best Australian Record Award". Once again an album was quickly issued and consisted mainly of current surf hit covers. Since the surf craze showed little signs of waning, the next single "Out the Back" was also written by Ben Acton, but it failed to capture the light hearted spirit of "Hangin' Five". In 1964, they released a reworking of
The Tams ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the ...
"Hey Girl Don't Bother Me", and the cover "
Surfer Girl ''Surfer Girl'' is the third album by the American rock band the Beach Boys, released September 16, 1963 on Capitol Records. The album reached number 7 in the US during a chart stay of 56 weeks. This was the first album by the group for which B ...
" by
The Beach Boys The Beach Boys are an American Rock music, rock band that formed in Hawthorne, California, in 1961. The group's original lineup consisted of brothers Brian Wilson, Brian, Dennis Wilson, Dennis, and Carl Wilson, their cousin Mike Love, and frie ...
which became a top 30 hit in most Australian states. Unfortunately their next three singles failed to chart. The first of the final two Leedon singles was a version of
Paul Anka Paul Albert Anka (born July 30, 1941) is a Canadian-American singer, songwriter and actor. He is best known for his signature hit songs including " Diana", " Lonely Boy", "Put Your Head on My Shoulder", and " (You're) Having My Baby". Anka also ...
's "Lonely Boy." The final release on Leedon "Tonight We Love", was heavily produced in the style of
Phil Spector Harvey Phillip Spector (born Harvey Philip Spector; December 26, 1939January 16, 2021) was an American record producer and songwriter, best known for his innovative recording practices and entrepreneurship in the 1960s, followed decades later by ...
, and was adapted from
Tchaikovsky Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky , group=n ( ; 7 May 1840 – 6 November 1893) was a Russian composer of the Romantic period. He was the first Russian composer whose music would make a lasting impression internationally. He wrote some of the most popu ...
's Piano Concerto in B-flat minor. A period of recording inactivity followed. At this point the group concentrated on live performances, including shows for the troops in Vietnam. They later received "The Vietnam Logistic & Support Medal".


1969: Further changes and London and Europe

After their return from Vietnam, Warren Lucas left the group, followed shortly by Col Loughnan. Loughnan joined the
Daly-Wilson Big Band Daly-Wilson Big Band was an Australian jazz group formed in 1968 by Warren Daly on drums and Ed Wilson on trombone. The business manager and silent partner was Don Raverty. The line-up, at times, was an eighteen-piece ensemble, that played popu ...
in 1969 and
Ayers Rock Uluru (; pjt, Uluṟu ), also known as Ayers Rock ( ) and officially gazetted as UluruAyers Rock, is a large sandstone formation in the centre of Australia. It is in the southern part of the Northern Territory, southwest of Alice Springs. ...
in 1973, and went on to become one of Australia's most experienced
reed instrument Reed aerophones is one of the categories of musical instruments found in the Hornbostel-Sachs system of musical instrument classification. In order to produce sound with these Aerophones the player's breath is directed against a lamella or pair of ...
players, an arranger, and a teacher of reed instruments and flute. Ray Burton and Wayne Cornell
filled the vacancies. Burton left after only a year: he went on to co-write "I am Woman" with
Helen Reddy Helen Maxine Reddy (25 October 194129 September 2020) was an Australian-American singer, actress, television host, and activist. Born in Melbourne to a showbusiness family, Reddy started her career as an entertainer at age four. She sang on rad ...
, who had an international hit with the song. He was replaced by Bill Kirwin. Both Cornell and Kirwin continued with the band until 1968. In that same year, Sep Martin and Bob Pierse, formerly of The Ambassadors, joined The Delltones. Both were lead vocalists with experience in harmony. In 1969 the group went back to Vietnam and toured the Far East. They also went to London, like many other Australian artists such as the
Bee Gees The Bee Gees were a musical group formed in 1958 by brothers Barry, Robin, and Maurice Gibb. The trio were especially successful in popular music in the late 1960s and early 1970s, and later as prominent performers in the disco music era in ...
and
The Seekers The Seekers were an Australian folk-influenced pop quartet, originally formed in Melbourne in 1962. They were the first Australian pop music group to achieve major chart and sales success in the United Kingdom and the United States. They were ...
, in an attempt to crack the overseas market. After a performance at the London
Playboy Club The Playboy Club was initially a chain of nightclubs and resorts owned and operated by Playboy Enterprises. The first Playboy Club opened in Chicago in 1960. Each club generally featured a Living Room, a Playmate Bar, a Dining Room, and a Club R ...
, The Delltones were offered a seven-week residency. This is where Wilson met his wife, actress Carla Prowse, who also became the group's manager in 1981. During their stay in London, The Delltones were signed to EMI records and recorded ten tracks for their later release, the ''London Session'' album, produced by expatriate David McKay from Eaton Music. Bob Pierse and
Dig Richards Digby George "Dig" Richards (12 September 194017 February 1983) was an Australian rock and roll singer, songwriter, instrumentalist, musical theatre actor and television presenter, active during the late 1950s and early 1960s as lead singer wit ...
wrote most of the songs. The album was arranged and conducted by Bill Shepherd of
Bee Gees The Bee Gees were a musical group formed in 1958 by brothers Barry, Robin, and Maurice Gibb. The trio were especially successful in popular music in the late 1960s and early 1970s, and later as prominent performers in the disco music era in ...
fame, and backed by Australian band
The Twilights The Twilights were an Australian rock band that formed in Adelaide in 1964. The band developed from a three-piece acapella group consisting of Glenn Shorrock, Mike Sykes and Clem "Paddy" McCartney, who merged with instrumental group the Hurric ...
, led by guitarist
Terry Britten Terence Ernest Britten (born July 1947) is an English-Australian singer-songwriter and record producer, who has written songs for Tina Turner, Cliff Richard, Olivia Newton-John, Status Quo and Michael Jackson amongst many others. Britten (along w ...
, who would later write global hits for
Cliff Richard Sir Cliff Richard (born Harry Rodger Webb; 14 October 1940) is an Indian-born British musican, singer, producer, entrepreneur and philanthropist who holds both British and Barbadian citizenship. He has total sales of over 21.5 million s ...
,
Tina Turner Tina Turner (born Anna Mae Bullock; November 26, 1939) is an American-born Swiss retired singer and actress. Widely referred to as the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Queen of Rock 'n' Roll", she rose to prominence as the lead singer o ...
and
Michael Jackson Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. Dubbed the "King of Pop", he is regarded as one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century. Over a ...
. One outstanding track was a reworking of
Steve Winwood Stephen Lawrence Winwood (born 12 May 1948) is an English musician, singer, and songwriter whose genres include blue-eyed soul, rhythm and blues, blues rock, and pop rock. Though primarily a keyboard player and vocalist prominent for his disti ...
's "Gimme Some Lovin'" which became Radio Luxembourg's hit pick of the week and top DJ
Tony Blackburn Anthony Kenneth Blackburn (born 29 January 1943) is an English disc jockey, singer and TV presenter. He first achieved fame broadcasting on the pirate stations Radio Caroline and Radio London in the 1960s, before joining the BBC, on the BBC L ...
's opening signature tune. They were also invited to perform "Gimme Some Lovin'" on
Top of the Pops ''Top of the Pops'' (''TOTP'') is a British Record chart, music chart television programme, made by the BBC and originally broadcast weekly between 1January 1964 and 30 July 2006. The programme was the world's longest-running weekly music show ...
, hosted by
Jimmy Savile Sir James Wilson Vincent Savile (; 31 October 1926 – 29 October 2011) was an English DJ, television and radio personality who hosted BBC shows including ''Top of the Pops'' and ''Jim'll Fix It''. During his lifetime, he was well known ...
. The single was released in America and Europe. The band also toured throughout Europe. After tensions arose between the group and their manager Bill Watson over financial problems they decided to return to Australia.


1970-1973: Home and disenchantment

The Delltones returned to Australia at the end of 1970. The following year they recorded the classic single "Rock 'N' Roll Will Stand", which was backed with a Bob Pierse composition "Billy's Rock 'N' Roll" for Festival Records. Following this, they released the album ''London Session'' in Australia. The single release from this album "Birmingham" was also written by Bob Pierse and backed with a cover of
Frank Zappa Frank Vincent Zappa (December 21, 1940 – December 4, 1993) was an American musician, composer, and bandleader. His work is characterized by wikt:nonconformity, nonconformity, Free improvisation, free-form improvisation, sound experimen ...
's "Tears Begin To Fall". But both releases failed to register on the charts. For the next three years the band toured nationally. The tour culminated with their near-demise, in the infamous fire at Brisbane's Whisky au Go Go nightclub. In 1973, following disenchantment with city life, the show business industry and tensions within the group, The Delltones split up. Martin and Pierse continued performing as a duet, while Wilson and Perkins embraced alternative lifestyles and settled with their families at Eungai on the mid-north coast of NSW.


1978-1983: Reformation

In 1978, after pressure from various sources, including Johnny O'Keefe, The Delltones reformed. They went on to tour for the next two years, sharing the bill with Digger Revell. The Delltones backing band at the time was Jon Hayton aka Farmer Jon, Michael Lawler and Leon Isackson. Former tensions and disputes arose in The Delltones, with Sep Martin leaving in 1981, followed by Bob Pierse, and finally Brian Perkins. By the end of 1981, Wilson, the only surviving member, realised the limits of a harmony ensemble in a live environment dominated by tensile Oz Rock bands. So he set about reinventing the venerable entity, changing it from vocal group to vocal band. The line up changed but the essence continued on. Contributors to these changes included musicians and vocalists: Alan Freeman, who previously played bass with the jazz singer
Kerrie Biddell Kerrie Agnes Biddell (8 February 19475 September 2014) was an Australian jazz and session singer, as well as a pianist and vocal teacher. Life and Career Born in Kings Cross, New South Wales, the only child of Irish-Catholic parents Kathleen, a ...
; Johnny Charters, who played with Johnny Rebb's Rebels in the 1960s; Alex Plavsic, an ex-member of the progressive rock group
Sebastian Hardie Sebastian Hardie were Australia's first symphonic rock band. They formed in Sydney in 1967 as Sebastian Hardie Blues Band but dropped the 'Blues Band' reference when they became pop-oriented. By 1973 they developed a more progressive rock style, ...
; as well as Vic Schrier, Ralph Wilcock, Bob Cook, and Robert Kitney. Danny Mayers joined The Delltones after Wilson saw him perform at the Palais Royale in Newcastle. The Delltones went on to play a record sixteen-week run at Kinselas in Sydney's Taylor Square, Darlinghurst, including a memorable guest performance by Tiny Tim. They performed at the Anti Nuclear Rally, alongside Aboriginal band No Fixed Address, and then at the Tivoli with
Mondo Rock Mondo Rock are an Australian rock band, formed in November 1976 in Melbourne, Victoria. Singer-songwriter Ross Wilson founded the band, following the split of his previous band Daddy Cool. Guitarist Eric McCusker, who joined in 1980, wrote man ...
. By the end of 1983 they had played 171 gigs. At this stage the Band was being managed by Carla Wilson; they touched a wider range of Australians than almost any other rock group.


1984-1987 : Revival

1984 kicked off with the rock 'n roll revival album ''Bop Til Ya Drop''. It featured a garish pink and green jacket, designed by renowned artist
Martin Sharp Martin Ritchie Sharp (21 January 1942 – 1 December 2013) was an Australian artist, cartoonist, songwriter and film-maker. Career Sharp was born in Bellevue Hill, New South Wales in 1942, and educated at Cranbrook private school, where one ...
, who had also designed album covers for
Cream Cream is a dairy product composed of the higher-fat layer skimmed from the top of milk before homogenization. In un-homogenized milk, the fat, which is less dense, eventually rises to the top. In the industrial production of cream, this process ...
. It went gold almost immediately, and was number 2 on the Kent Music Report Albums Chart in Sydney. It peaked at number 20 on the Australian Kent Music Report Albums Chart. This coincided with a film clip for the single "Get A Job", directed by
Yahoo Serious Yahoo Serious (born Greg Gomez Pead; 27 July 1953) is an Australian film actor, director, and score composer. His films include the comedy films ''Young Einstein'' (1988), ''Reckless Kelly'' (1993), and '' Mr. Accident'' (2000). Serious writes, ...
, who then cast Peewee for the role as his Dad in the film ''
Young Einstein ''Young Einstein'' is a 1988 Australian comedy film written, produced, directed by and starring Yahoo Serious. It is a fantasized account of the life of Albert Einstein which alters all people, places and circumstances of his life, including r ...
''. The Delltones then played at
Moomba Moomba (also known as the Moomba Festival) is held annually in Melbourne, Australia. Run by the City of Melbourne, it is Australia's largest free community festival. The Melburnian tradition is celebrated over four days, incorporating the Labo ...
, the ''
Adelaide Festival of Arts The Adelaide Festival of Arts, also known as the Adelaide Festival, an arts festival, takes place in the South Australian capital of Adelaide in March each year. Started in 1960, it is a major celebration of the arts and a significant cultural ...
'' and the '' AFI Awards'', plus appearing on the Australian television soap opera ''
A Country Practice ''A Country Practice'' is an Australian television soap opera which broadcast on the Seven Network from 18 November 1981 until 5 November 1993, airing at 7:30 pm on Monday and Tuesday evenings. Altogether, 14 seasons and 1,058 episodes were p ...
''. The release of the ''Tickled Pink'' album followed. It was recorded and mixed at Alberts Studio, produced by Bruce Brown and Russell Dunlop, the co-writers and producers of the number 1 hit "Space Invaders". With their single "Papa Oom Mow Mow" at number 1, and ''Tickled Pink'' high on the charts, they went on to record the live album ''Out in the Open'', in front of a record 28,000 people at the
Toowoomba Toowoomba ( , nicknamed 'The Garden City' and 'T-Bar') is a city in the Toowoomba Region of the Darling Downs, Queensland, Australia. It is west of Queensland's capital city Brisbane by road. The urban population of Toowoomba as of the 2021 C ...
Showgrounds. The album failed to register on the national charts. ''All These Things And More'', a Christmas EP, was the last recording with Danny Mayers before he left to pursue his own career. He was later replaced by Nevin McLean in 1985. The group now consisted of five members including: Nevin McLean (vocals), Alan Freeman (tenor vocals/bass), Merv Dick (alto vocals/drums), Woody Finlayson (baritone vocals/guitar),and Wilson (bass vocals). By this time The Delltones were in a revival, with regular appearances on television shows such as
Hey Hey It's Saturday ''Hey Hey It's Saturday'' was a long-running variety television program on Australian television. It initially ran for 28 years on the Nine Network from 9 October 1971 to 20 November 1999, with a recess in 1978. Its host throughout its entire ...
,
The Mike Walsh Show ''The Mike Walsh Show'' was an Australian variety daytime television series. Hosted by Mike Walsh, the show ran from 1973 to 1984 for 90 minutes each weekday afternoon. History The program was launched on the 0-10 Network and moved to the Nine ...
,
Donnie Sutherland Donald Sutherland OAM (born 22 December 1946) is an Australian radio and television presenter. He was the host of TV pop music show ''Sounds'' between 1975 and 1987. Sutherland has also worked as a TV producer and music journalist, and is asso ...
's
Sounds In physics, sound is a vibration that propagates as an acoustic wave, through a transmission medium such as a gas, liquid or solid. In human physiology and psychology, sound is the ''reception'' of such waves and their ''perception'' by the ...
,
The Midday Show ''Midday'' (commonly referred to as ''The Midday Show'') is an Australian award-winning daytime television program, based on the variety format that aired on the Nine Network on 11 February 1985 until 27 November 1998. The show aired, like its ...
and many more. The notable exception was
Countdown A countdown is a sequence of backward counting to indicate the time remaining before an event is scheduled to occur. NASA commonly employs the terms "L-minus" and "T-minus" during the preparation for and anticipation of a rocket launch, and eve ...
. These appearances, along with press exposure, opened the doors to a national touring circuit, of clubs, pubs, theatres, and concert halls with sellout shows. The phrase "Keep on raging – to stop the ageing" was adopted by Wilson in the 1980s.


1988-1994: Futile experiment & Court case

In January 1988, the group performed as part of Australia's Bicentennial celebrations in front of
Diana, Princess of Wales Diana, Princess of Wales (born Diana Frances Spencer; 1 July 1961 – 31 August 1997) was a member of the British royal family. She was the first wife of King Charles III (then Prince of Wales) and mother of Princes William and Harry. Her ac ...
and
Prince Charles Charles III (Charles Philip Arthur George; born 14 November 1948) is King of the United Kingdom and the 14 other Commonwealth realms. He was the longest-serving heir apparent and Prince of Wales and, at age 73, became the oldest person to ...
. Also during 1988, the start of the digital music revolution, Wilson and Alan Freeman, along with Russell Dunlop, experimented with traditional DooWop harmony and digitally generated music, using a Fairlight synthesiser, to develop the album ''Oasis''. Both Freeman and Wilson wrote several of the tracks – "One Man Woman", "Touch and Go" and "You Changed My Life". These were featured along with revised versions of Aussie classics such as:
Cold Chisel Cold Chisel are an Australian pub rock band, which formed in Adelaide in 1973 by mainstay members Ian Moss on guitar and vocals, Steve Prestwich on drums and Don Walker on piano and keyboards. They were soon joined by Jimmy Barnes (at the ...
's "Forever Now" and
The Reels The Reels was an Australian rock band which formed in Dubbo, New South Wales in 1976. It disbanded in 1991, and reformed in 2007. Its 1981 song " Quasimodo's Dream" was voted one of the top 10 Australian songs of all time by a 100-member panel ...
"Love will find a Way". The album failed to impress radio or their fans at live performances. November 1988 saw Wilson and another of the original members of The Delltones, Brian Perkins, clash in court. Perkins, after seven years of absence from performing, formed a band called "The Dellies", a well-known Australian colloquialism for The Delltones, with ex-Delltones vocalist Danny Mayers, Sydney bass singer Max Wright, and Rikki Organ. Wilson claimed that Perkins was cashing in on The Delltones name, which Perkins didn't own, and that the similarity in names would cause confusion with agents and fans alike. Perkins issued a counter claim for a share of The Delltones profits to date, claiming that the partnership he shared with Wilson had never been properly dissolved. Wilson won the court case and prevented Perkins from using the name. It was a bittersweet victory. During the 1980s and into the 1990s The Delltones had as their support acts some of the top, up-and-coming-stars of the country music industry, such as: Brett Parlane, James Blundell, and
Adam Harvey Adam Harvey (born 21 December 1974) is an Australian country music singer. Harvey has sold over half a million records, has been nominated five times for an ARIA Music Award and has won nine golden guitars at the Country Music Awards of Aust ...
. They also had Allan Caswell as a special guest on their live show towards the end of this period. In 1993, they teamed up with Caswell on the single "Stole My Heart Away" which was written by him. The song featured on many Country charts. In 1995, weary from constant touring, Nevin McLean and Alan Freeman left The Delltones. Later the same year, Nevin and Alan would team up with former Delltones drummer and musical director Leon Isackson, and Idris Jones from the Mixtures, to form another vocal band called Phoenix. The band won critical acclaim for their harmonies and stage show, winning several music awards including an "ACE" and "Mo Award" for excellence.


1995-1999: More changes

Later in 1995 saw the return of Danny Mayers and a new member Owen Booth. Booth was a former member of
Aesop's Fables Aesop's Fables, or the Aesopica, is a collection of fables credited to Aesop, a slave and storyteller believed to have lived in ancient Greece between 620 and 564 BCE. Of diverse origins, the stories associated with his name have descended to ...
and bass player for many international touring artists, including
Bo Diddley Ellas McDaniel (born Ellas Otha Bates; December 30, 1928 – June 2, 2008), known professionally as Bo Diddley, was an American guitarist who played a key role in the transition from the blues to rock and roll. He influenced many artists, incl ...
and
Chuck Berry Charles Edward Anderson Berry (October 18, 1926 – March 18, 2017) was an American singer, songwriter and guitarist who pioneered rock and roll. Nicknamed the " Father of Rock and Roll", he refined and developed rhythm and blues into th ...
. In 1995 they returned to their
surf culture Surf culture includes the people, language, fashion, and lifestyle surrounding the sport of surfing. The history of surfing began with the ancient Polynesians. That initial culture directly influenced modern surfing, which began to flourish ...
roots with the album ''The Sunshine Club''. The title track was written by Wilson and Freeman. The pair also teamed up with Mayers to write "Gimme Love", while Woody Finlayson wrote "Slow Down". At the same time they recorded the single "Breaking Waves", written by Allan Caswell and dedicated to the Surf Life Saving Clubs of Australia. Then in 1998 they started a national tour, with the release of the compilation album "The Big Four O", to celebrate the band's 40th anniversary.


2000-2015 : New millennium

In 2000,
Sony Music Sony Music Entertainment (SME), also known as simply Sony Music, is an American multinational music company. Being owned by the parent conglomerate Sony Group Corporation, it is part of the Sony Music Group, which is owned by Sony Entertainment ...
released a charity compilation album '' Andrew Denton's Musical Challenge'' which included The Delltones DooWop version of the
Sex Pistols The Sex Pistols were an English punk rock band formed in London in 1975. Although their initial career lasted just two and a half years, they were one of the most groundbreaking acts in the history of popular music. They were responsible for ...
' punk classic "Pretty Vacant". For the first time in almost 30 years, The Delltones were being featured on independent radio stations throughout Europe and the United States. In 2005, forty-six years after backing O'Keefe, The Delltones were invited by
Jimmy Barnes James Dixon "Jimmy" Barnes (née Swan; born 28 April 1956) is a Scottish-born Australian rock singer. His career, both as a solo performer and as the lead vocalist with the rock band Cold Chisel, has made him one of the most popular and best-s ...
to sing back-up vocal for his version of "Shout". It was a duet with the late
Billy Thorpe William Richard Thorpe AM (29 March 1946 – 28 February 2007) was an English-born Australian singer-songwriter, and record producer. As lead singer of his band Billy Thorpe & the Aztecs, he had success in the 1960s with "Blue Day", " Poison Iv ...
on Barnes's ''Double Happiness'' album. In 2008, The Delltones embarked on a national tour to celebrate fifty years of performing in theatres, clubs, town halls, civic centres, and outdoor concerts. They released a double album CD and DVD entitled, ''BopaDooWop A - Live in Concert''. The first CD ''Unplugged'' featured mainly Doowop songs from the band's early repertoire. The second CD ''Electrified'' contained songs with elements of pop, rock and soul, from different periods throughout their career, including their own hits from the Sixties. The release coincided with the
Warner Music Warner Music Group Corp. ( d.b.a. Warner Music Group, commonly abbreviated as WMG) is an American multinational entertainment and record label conglomerate headquartered in New York City. It is one of the " big three" recording companies and t ...
's Deluxe Collectors Limited Edition Release of ''Fifty Years of Australian Rock 'n Roll''. The Delltones featured on disc one with their first ever recording of "Gee". In mid 2011, Danny Mayers left the group. Founding member Wilson, in concert with the other Delltones, continued to tour as a four-part harmony ensemble. In 2012, on behalf of The Delltones in all their various forms, Wilson accepted "The Life Achievement Award" from the Australian Club Entertainment Awards. In 2014, The Delltones released a new album ''Harmony and Rock ’n’ Roll that's Good for The Soul'', celebrating the return to the four-part harmony sound that epitomized the original Delltones.


2016: Delltones disband

In 2016, drummer, Merv Dick, and guitarist, Rod ‘Woody’ Finlayson, took legal action seeking long service leave payments they perceived they were eligible for after being members of the band for 31 years. They were unsuccessful in their claim. These actions ultimately led to the Delltones’ demise after almost 60 years. Peewee retired, however there is speculation of a future tour with a new line-up and fans continue to ask if the band will come together for a final farewell tour. Overall since 1958, more than 20 names have graced the stage as members of the Delltones to audiences in Australia, UK, Asia/Pacific and Europe. In 2018, the song "Get A Little Dirt On Your Hands" was featured during the ending credits of the Australian television program ''Mr In between'', season 1, episode 6.


Members

;Final line-up * Ian 'Peewee' Wilson – vocals (1958–1973, 1978–1998, 2000-present) * Merv Dick – vocals, drums (1985-1998, 2000–2016) * Woody Finlayson – vocals, guitar (1984-1998, 2000–2016) * Owen Booth – vocals, bass guitar (1995–1998, 2000–2016) ;Founding members * Noel Widerberg – vocals (1958–1962; died 1962) * Warren Lucas – vocals (1958–1965) * Brian Perkins – vocals (1958–1973, 1978–1981) * Ian 'Peewee' Wilson – vocals (1958–1973, 1978–2016) ;Other former members * Col Loughnan – vocals (1962–1966) * Ray Burton – vocals (1965–1966) * Wayne Cornell – vocals (1965–1968) * Bill Kirwin - vocals (1966–1968) * Bob Pierse – vocals (1968–1973, 1978–1981) * Sep Martin – vocals (1968–1973, 1978–1981) * Bob Cook – bass guitar, vocals (1981) * Robert Kitney – drums (1981) * Johnny Charters – keyboards, vocals (1981–1984) * Vic Schrier – instruments, saxophone (1981–1984) * Alex Plavsic – drums, percussion (1982–1984) * Ralph Wilcock – guitar, vocals (1981–1984) * Alan Freeman – bass, vocals (1981–1994) * Nevin McLean – vocals (1985–1994) * Danny Mayers – vocals (1982–1984, 1995–1998, 2000–2011) ;Backing band * Jon "Farmer Jon" Hayton – guitar (1978–1979) * Michael Lawler – bass guitar (1978–1979) * Leon Isackson – drums (1978–1979)


Timeline

ImageSize = width:1000 height:auto barincrement:20 PlotArea = left:90 bottom:80 top:0 right:20 Alignbars = justify DateFormat = dd/mm/yyyy Period = from:01/01/1958 till:31/12/2016 TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal format:yyyy Legend = orientation:horizontal position:bottom ScaleMajor = increment:2 start:1958 Colors = id:Vocals value:red legend:Vocals id:Guitar value:green legend:Guitar id:Bass value:blue legend:Bass id:Drums value:orange legend:Drums id:Piano value:purple legend:Piano/Keyboards id:Sax value:yellow legend:Saxophone id:bars value:gray(0.9) BackgroundColors = bars:bars BarData = bar:Ian text:Ian Wilson bar:Brian text:Brian Perkins bar:Warren text:Warren Lucas bar:Noel text:Noel Widerberg bar:Col text:Col Loughnan bar:Ray text:Ray Burton bar:Wayne text:Wayne Cornell bar:Bill text:Bill Kerwyn bar:Bob text:Bob Pierse bar:Sep text:Sep Martin bar:Alan text:Alan Freeman bar:Johnny text:Johnny Charters bar:Vic text:Vic Schrier bar:Ralph text:Ralph Wilcock bar:Bob2 text:Bob Cook bar:Robert text:Robert Kitney bar:Alex text:Alex Plavsic bar:Danny text:Danny Mayers bar:Woody text:Woody Finlayson bar:Merv text:Merv Dick bar:Nevin text:Nevin McLean bar:Owen text:Owen Booth PlotData= width:11 textcolor:black align:left anchor:from shift:(10,-4) bar:Ian from:start till:01/01/1973 color:vocals bar:Ian from:01/01/1978 till:31/12/1998 color:vocals bar:Ian from:01/01/2000 till:end color:vocals bar:Brian from:start till:01/01/1973 color:vocals bar:Brian from:01/01/1978 till:01/01/1981 color:vocals bar:Warren from:start till:01/01/1965 color:vocals bar:Noel from:start till:01/01/1962 color:vocals bar:Col from:01/01/1962 till:01/01/1966 color:vocals bar:Wayne from:01/01/1965 till:01/01/1968 color:vocals bar:Ray from:01/01/1965 till:01/01/1966 color:vocals bar:Bill from:01/01/1966 till:01/01/1968 color:vocals bar:Bob from:01/01/1968 till:01/01/1973 color:vocals bar:Bob from:01/01/1978 till:01/01/1981 color:vocals bar:Sep from:01/01/1968 till:01/01/1973 color:vocals bar:Sep from:01/01/1978 till:01/01/1981 color:vocals bar:Alan from:01/01/1981 till:01/01/1994 color:bass bar:Alan from:01/01/1981 till:01/01/1994 color:vocals width:3 bar:Johnny from:01/01/1981 till:01/01/1984 color:piano bar:Johnny from:01/01/1981 till:01/01/1984 color:vocals width:3 bar:Alex from:01/01/1982 till:01/01/1984 color:drums bar:Alex from:01/01/1982 till:01/01/1984 color:vocals width:3 bar:Vic from:01/01/1981 till:01/01/1984 color:sax bar:Ralph from:01/01/1981 till:01/01/1983 color:guitar bar:Ralph from:01/01/1981 till:01/01/1983 color:vocals width:3 bar:Bob2 from:01/01/1981 till:01/01/1982 color:bass bar:Bob2 from:01/01/1981 till:01/01/1982 color:vocals width:3 bar:Robert from:01/01/1981 till:01/01/1982 color:drums bar:Danny from:01/01/1982 till:31/12/1984 color:vocals bar:Danny from:01/01/1995 till:31/12/1998 color:vocals bar:Danny from:01/01/2000 till:31/12/2011 color:vocals bar:Woody from:01/01/1984 till:31/12/1998 color:vocals bar:Woody from:01/01/2000 till:31/12/2016 color:vocals bar:Woody from:01/01/1984 till:31/12/1998 color:guitar width:3 bar:Woody from:01/01/2000 till:31/12/2016 color:guitar width:3 bar:Nevin from:01/01/1985 till:01/01/1994 color:vocals bar:Merv from:01/01/1985 till:31/12/1998 color:vocals bar:Merv from:01/01/2000 till:31/12/2016 color:vocals bar:Merv from:01/01/1985 till:31/12/1998 color:drums width:3 bar:Merv from:01/01/2000 till:31/12/2016 color:drums width:3 bar:Owen from:01/01/1995 till:31/12/1998 color:vocals bar:Owen from:01/01/2000 till:31/12/2016 color:vocals bar:Owen from:01/01/1995 till:31/12/1998 color:bass width:3 bar:Owen from:01/01/2000 till:31/12/2016 color:bass width:3


Discography


Albums


Awards


Mo Awards

The Australian Entertainment Mo Awards (commonly known informally as the
Mo Awards The Australian Entertainment Mo Awards (commonly known informally as the Mo Awards) were an annual Australian entertainment industry award, that where established in 1975, to recognise achievements in live entertainment in Australia. They were l ...
), were annual Australian entertainment industry awards. They recognise achievements in live entertainment in Australia from 1975 to 2016. (wins only) , - , 1982 , The Delltones , Vocal Group of the Year , , - , 1983 , The Delltones , Vocal Group of the Year , , - , 1985 , The Delltones , Show Group of the Year , , - , 2001 , The Delltones , Variety Group of the Year ,


Ace Awards

* 2006: Ace Award * 2007: Ace Award * 2008: Ace Award * 2009: Ace Award * 2012: ACE Life Achievement Award


References


Print sources

* ** Archived on-line a
"Encyclopedia entry for 'The Delltones'"
on 31 August 2004. Retrieved 7 October 2015.


External links


Official Website

''Noel Widerberg'' profile

Starseed Enterprises (current Band Management)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Delltones, The Australian rock music groups New South Wales musical groups Doo-wop groups Surf music groups Musical groups established in 1958 1958 establishments in Australia