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Ventures Feature (1966-197?)

Photo Gallery - Band Lineups - Discography - Audio samples - Where Are They Now?

The Story

Formed in Monaghan town in 1966 as a seven piece band, the Ventures seemed to have received plenty of press coverage, but never quite cracked the big time on the showband circuit. Shay Turbett from Omagh joined the band on trumpet making it an eight piece band.

Line up in August, 1969 and still in June 1970: Tony Hughes (keyboards/guitar/vocals), Padraig McElwain (guitar), Bill Rice (guitar), Colm Hughes (drums), Brendan Sherlock (trombone), Pete McDonald (sax), Shay Turbett (trumpet), and Sean McKenna (bass).

Although the band released singles on a regular basis, none of them had any impact on the Irish charts until June, 1972. Their single, Happy Anniversary, hit a chord with punters and climbed to Number 7 in the charts, staying on the best sellers list for five weeks. The follow up, For Ever and Ever, scratched the charts going to Number 20 for a single week.   

The history of the band becomes a little murky at this point. In early 1973, a report stated the Hughes brothers (Colm and Tony) left the band to join Mary Lou Coleman in a new lineup of Harvest. However, in a Spotlight in May, 1975, the change was reported that after "a reshuffle of personnel, the band became known as Harvest."

It appears Bill Rice kept the Ventures name and the band kept on playing. In 1974, reports in Spotlight's Julies Scene (edited by Julie Boyd) reported that the band was in Canada for an extended period. 

If you were a member of the bands or have more info on their history, please let us know.

More to come.....

Photo Gallery

click on thumbnails for full image

The Ventures (KS) Ventures - 1971 (KS) Ventures - 1971 Ventures - 1970

Tony Hughes and the Ventures (KS)

Tony Hughes of the Ventures (KS)

Bill Rice of the Ventures in 1971

Ventures - 1971

Ventures - 1971

Ventures - 1969

Ventures - 1970

Ventures - 1969

Ventures - 1970

Ventures - 1969

Ventures - 1970

Ventures (RF) Ventures (RF) Ventures (RF) Ventures (RF) Ventures (RF)
 
Ventures (RF) Ventures (RF) Ventures (RF) Ventures (RF)

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Years Vocals/Keys Guitar Guitar Bass Drums Trombone Sax Trumpet
1966 Tony
Hughes
Padraig
McElwaine
Bill
Rice
Sean
McKenna
Colm
Hughes
Brendan
Sherlock
Pete
McDonald
 
1967 Tony
Hughes
Padraig
McElwaine
Bill
Rice
Sean
McKenna
Colm
Hughes
Brendan
Sherlock
Pete
McDonald
Shay
Turbett
1973 Unknown Padraig
McElwaine
Bill
Rice
Sean
McKenna
Unknown Brendan
Sherlock
Pete
McDonald
Shay
Turbett
                 
                 

Discography

Singles:

The Little Wind Up Doll / When You Meet Marianne (Tony Hughes)
Target Records - 7N.17439 - January, 1968
Little Girl / If A Woman Answers (Tony Hughes)
Target Records - Unknown - August, 1968
Boys In Blue (Heroes Death) / Truck Drivin Man (Bill Rice)
Target Records - 7N.17667 - December, 1968
Where Has All The Love Gone (Tony Hughes) / Dear John (Bill Rice and Pete McDonald)
Release Records - RL.519 - June, 1969
Patches / I Wander Back To You
Dolphin Records - DOS.64 - May, 1970
Gone On The Other Hand / The Old Lamplighter (Bill Rice)
Dolphin Records - DOS.77 - January 1971
Put Your Hand In The Hand (Colm Hughes and Pete McDonald) / Looking Out My Back Door (Colm Hughes)
Dolphin Records - DOS.85 - June 1971 (Our thanks to Tom Gilboy for this listing)
Happy Anniversary (Tony Hughes) / Kansas City Song
- #7 Irish Charts
Release Records - RL.636 - June, 1972
For Ever and Ever (Tony Hughes) / Daddy Frank (The Guitar Man)
- #20 Irish Charts
Release Records - RL.636 - June, 1972

Album:

Best of the Ventures
Release Records - BRL.4025 - November, 1972

Audio Clips

Coming Soon

Where Are They Now?  

  Tony Hughes:  Unknown - if you have info please email us
  Colm Hughes:  Unknown - if you have info please email us
  Bill Rice:  Unknown - if you have info please email us
  Sean McKenna:  Unknown - if you have info please email us
  Padriag McElwaine:  Unknown - if you have info please email us
  Shay Turbett:  Unknown - if you have info please email us
  Pete McDonald:  Unknown - if you have info please email us
  Brendan Sherlock:  Unknown - if you have info please email us

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In Loving Memory of Grant Gallagher: Sept. 21, 1990 - Nov. 18, 2006