The Grassroots (1971-1974
and 1979-1981?)
Photo Gallery -
Band Lineups -
Discography
- Audio samples -
Where Are They Now?
The Story
The Grassroots, featuring lead singer Yvonne "Tracy" Jennings, were
launched on May 22nd, 1971 at the Country Club. Portmarnock after
she taped her appearance on the Cotton Mill Boys' UTV (Ulster TV)
half-hour show a few weeks earlier. Unlike the bands of the early
days, by the early 1970's promoters were launching bands in a blaze
of nationwide publicity and usually had a record on the radio before
the band ever played a note, which was the case for the Grassroots.
Her first single was released before the band played a gig and was
"By The Bright Silvery Light of the Moon" with
"Don't Let Me Cross Over" on the "B-side" on the Target
label. The Cotton Mills Boys show aired 2
nights after the band's first date on May 24, 1971.
The original line-up included
Danny McGann (keyboards), Vincent McElvenna (fiddle and banjo), and
Martin McGregor (drums) and the band was managed by Brian Molloy
(RIP) who at that time worked with the Tom Costello organisation. We
have learned through newspaper archives that Donal K. O'Boyle
reported in early July that Shay McCarthy and Alan Cranny had been
in the original line-up, but left after a little over a month on the
road. They would be replaced by Phil Duffy (guitar) and Sam Cooke
(from Belfast-bass), along with Sean Conway (formerly of the
Hi-Jackers on guitar).
The band was an immediate success
on the ballroom circuit playing up and down the country. The
remainder of 1971 was spent playing to great crowds and in October,
they released their second record, "I Hurt All
Over" which was well received but did not make the charts.
In late 1971,
drummer Martin McGregor was drafted by stable mates, the
Cotton Mill Boys to stand in for Paul
Kenny, who had collapsed on stage. 10 days later, Paul sadly passed
away and Martin joined the Cottons on a full time basis. In
February, 1972, the band released its third record, this time on the
newly formed Hawk label. "LetterTo Heaven" with "I Want To Get
Married" as the B-side, was the first release on the Hawk label
which was set up by Tom Costello and Brian Molloy. The record was
the first and only single the band released which made the Irish
Charts, although it was only there for one week and was number 19.
At one point, the record company decided to "flip the record" making
"I Want to get Married" the A-side, but this didn't change the
records success.
A few months
later, the new Hawk labels released several albums of their top
acts, including Tracy and the band, which was a great boost to their
reputation (not all bands released albums) and maintained their
position as one of the "up and coming" country bands on the scene.
On the heals of this in June they released, "Husband Hunting / Pal
of Mine" on the strength of the "getting married" theme of the
previous single.
Another single
would follow in November of 1972, but sadly none of them were making
much impression on the record buying public. This was Paper Roses, a
hit in the United States for Anita Bryant in 1960. In a strange
twist, nearly a year later Marie Osmond (of the famous Osmond
family) brought out the same song in August of 1973 and it reached
number six on the Irish Charts.
Editor's
note: in researching the band, we have found it difficult to get
info on the band line-up as most articles simply focused on Tracy
and, in fact, we have found no photos of the band in the newspapers.
At the end of 1972, it was
announced that Des Wilson, former lead singer with the Big Country
would be joining the Grassroots after his band went off the road.
This would make the band an eight piece for the first time, although
it would not last long. There was a lot of publicity about Tracy and
Des recording together, but in June, 1973 Des was gone from the band
and he replaced Mike Scott, lead singer with the Cotton Mill Boys
who went into cabaret and they were once more a seven piece band.
A month later in July, the band
released "Island of Dreams," their fourth
single for the Hawk label. Despite his departure from the band, in
June Hawk released the album, "Tracy and Des Wilson...Together,"
such is the nature of show business. On September 1, 1973, in the
Donegal News, brilliant showband journalist, Donal K. O'Boyle
reported that Tracy was leaving the Grassroots to be replaced by
Mattie Fox, who had previously fronted the
Blue Boys. This occurred amid reports that her health and not
been good for several months and that the "wear
and tear" of the road was taking its toll on her making the shorter
hours and traveling on the cabaret circuit more suitable for her.
In the end, three new members (at
least) would join the band including Ollie Kennedy (bass from the
Blue Boys), Charlie Arkins (fiddler from the band Poteen who would
soon join the Cottons) and Mattie on vocals. They also had a new
manager in Denis Ryan who had previously managed Dermot O'Brien.
Despite Tracy leaving the band, her name would continue to appear on
adverts for dances until early 1974.
In June, 1974, the band
released its first single featuring Mattie, who had enjoyed a top 5
hit with "Does
My Ring Hurt Your Finger" while fronting the Blue Boys. It was
"Country Bumpkin." At the end of 1974,
Margo was looking to form a band and team with Mattie and the
Grassroots, renaming the band, Country
Pride.
However, this would not be the end
of the Grassroots. In November, 1976, Tracy was once again on
the move and after a few years in cabaret, she joined Johnny
McEvoy's Country Band, replacing Gloria Smith who formed her own
band, Mississippi. There were conflicting
reports that Tracy may, or may not, do ballroom dates with Johnny as
she wanted to spend more time with her husband and new baby.
After this, we lost track of Tracy
until September, 1979 when an advert appeared in the paper looking
for a lead singer who could play guitar to join the reforming Tracy
and the Grassroots. We're not sure how this went though as we have
only come across a few adverts for cabaret gigs in the Dublin area
in late 1979, but nothing after that.
More to come.....
click on thumbnails for full image
