The Dixies were an Irish
showband
The Irish showband was a dance band format popular in Ireland from the mid-1950s to mid-1980s. The showband was based on the internationally popular six- or seven-piece dance band. The band's basic repertoire included standard dance numbers and ...
based in
Cork
Cork or CORK may refer to:
Materials
* Cork (material), an impermeable buoyant plant product
** Cork (plug), a cylindrical or conical object used to seal a container
***Wine cork
Places Ireland
* Cork (city)
** Metropolitan Cork, also known as G ...
, and which have performed and toured for over 40 years from its inception in 1954 until the late 1990s.
Formed in 1954 as "The Dixielanders" the band originally featured Joe McCarthy (drums), Sean Lucey (clarinet) and Theo Cahill (classical flute, trombone, baritone saxophone, tenor saxophone, and full arrangement). They soon changed the band's name to the Dixies and became one of the most popular Irish musical acts of the 1960s when showbands were then at their height in Ireland.
The band's line-up changed over the years but McCarthy, Lucey and Brendan O'Brien were among the longest serving.
In 1964, the band signed with PYE Records.
The band had their biggest hit in 1968 when their version of the
Leapy Lee
Lee Graham (born Graham Pulleyblank, 2 July 1939) better known by his stage name Leapy Lee, is an English singer, best known for his 1968 single " Little Arrows," which reached No. 2 in the UK Singles Chart, and was a Top 20 country and pop hit ...
hit "
Little Arrows" made No. 1 in the
Irish Singles Chart
The Irish Singles Chart is the Republic of Ireland's music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association (IRMA) and compiled on their behalf by the Official Charts Company. Chart rankings are bas ...
for one week, preventing Leapy's version making the chart there.
Brendan O'Brien and Joe Mac also formed a band, Stage Two, in the early 1970s.
This was somewhat successful until O'Brien suffered a severe electric shock from a live microphone.
The incident happened in The Stardust Ballroom,
Grand Parade, Cork during a charity event in 1974. It left him with burns to his hands and caused severe thrombosis throughout his body.
The band finally went their own way in the late 1990s with the death of a number of members and others undertook solo careers.
For many years a sign with the legend "Welcome to Cork, Home of the Dixies" stood on the main N8 Dublin to Cork road on the outskirts of the city at
Glanmire
Glanmire () is a suburban town from Cork city centre, in the civil parish of Rathcooney, County Cork, Ireland. Glanmire is within the administrative area of Cork City Council and the Dáil constituency of Cork North-Central.
The greater Gl ...
.
On 27 July 2019, former Dixie member Terry McCarthy died from a bleed in the brain causing a stroke.
Singles discography
* May-1963 - "Cyclone"
* Oct-1963 - "It Depends On You"
* Nov-1963 - "Christmas Time"
* Apr-1964 - "I'm Counting On You"
* Jul-1964 - "It's Only Make Believe"
* Sep-1964 - "Tribute To Jim Reeves"
* Jan-1965 - "Love's Made A Fool Of You"
* May-1965 - "He's Got You"
* Aug-1965 - "I Love You More Today"
* Jan-1966 - "Together Again"
* Jun-1966 - "It Doesn't Matter Anymore"
* Nov-1966 - "Save The Last Dance For Me"
* Dec-1966 - "History Repeats Itself" (E.P.)
* Apr-1967 - "Don't Let The Stars Get In Your Eyes"
* Sep-1967 - "One Of The Old Reserve"
* Mar-1968 - "In Person"
* Jul-1968 - "Little Arrows"
* Nov-1968 - "Katie's Kisses"
* Mar-1969 - "All Together Now"
* Jul-1969 - "The Joys Of Love"
* Mar-1970 - "Tomorrow's Love"
* Aug-1970 - "It Is No Secret"
* Dec-1970 - "The Family (That Prays Together)"
* May-1971 - "Sally Sunshine"
* Aug-1971 - "I Need You"
* Feb-1972 - "Ceol An Ghra"
* Mar-1972 - "What Do I Do"
* Aug-1972 - "Looking For Love"
* Nov-1972 - "Love's The Answer"
* Nov-1972 - "The Happiest Girl"
* Feb-1973 - "Big City"
* Oct-1973 - "It's Your Day Today"
* Jan-1974 - "
Goodbye My Love Goodbye"
* Jun-1974 - "Stranger In My Place"
* Oct-1974 - "Meet The Minstrels"
* Dec-1974 - "She's Leaving"
* Aug-1975 - "Una Paloma Blanca"
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Dixies
Musical groups established in 1954
Irish musical groups
Musical groups from Cork (city)