The largest digital showband archive in the world!
Based In Sligo, Ireland / email: showbands@gmsproductions.com

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Country and Western Band Photos (Q through Z) - 310 photos

Click on letters for sorted photos   A-B  C  D-H   I-L   M-P    Q-Z   Big Tom

On this page, we pay tribute to the hundreds of country bands that entertained Irish audiences back in the "good old days." After the steam ran out of the showband engine, bands generally disbanded or regrouped as either "pop" or "country." In the beginning, the bands played the same circuit as the ballrooms were large enough to accommodate alternating pop and country nights outfits without affecting attendance. However, as the ballroom crowds shrunk and more hotels got into the dance business, the gigs got more specialized, further increasing competition among the bands.

"Country music" nights became a regular feature of hotels and clubs around the country. Country acts also found it easier to move into the cabaret scene. While discos appealed to the young crowds, in the end, it was the country segment of the industry that survived the longest. Most likely, this was because of the broader appeal of country music to an aging audience.

One of the most unusual aspects of the Irish country scene was the "invention" of a new musical style particular to Ireland, dubbed "Country and Irish." With the success of artists like Big Tom, Margo, Larry Cunningham, Philomena Begley, and others, this new style of bastardized country music took the dancing public by storm, while also creating a divide between those that enjoyed the new music and those that preferred their country music on the "western" side. As American country music (on which the Irish model had been based) continued to morph through the seventies and eighties, the Irish version remain relatively unchanged, causing some critics to further deride the music as unoriginal and without merit.          

If anyone takes exception to having these photos exhibited on our website, please let us know and we'll remove them immediately. Thanks. By the way, if you know where any of these bands are today, please click here. 

Acknowledgements: Our special thanks to Shaun Magee, Dick Lynott, David Dwane, Anthony Grace, Francis Kennedy, Teddie Palmer, Jan Lynch, Kathleen Smith, Declan Colgan, Peter Kinsey, Joe Dodd, Brian "Shorty" O'Kane, Andy Monk, and Alan Carr for additional photos. All photos are identified with contributor's initials (see full details at bottom of page).

Click on a thumbnail photo to see a full size image and additional information.

Smokey Mountain Ramblers (KS) The Smokeys (KS) Anne Lynch & The Tribesmen (AL) Pat Ely & The Rocky Tops - 1973 Big Tom and the Travellers
Big Chief (Simon Scott) of the Apaches Smokey Mountain Ramblers (DD) Brendan Shine Tony Stevens Gene Stuart
Jim Tobin of the Firehouse Joy Starr of Opportunity Band - 1979 Hugo Duncan & The Tall Men 1974 Big Chief & "Squaw" of the Apaches (DD) Colm and the Sundowners
Pat McCaul & Southbound - 1975 Mike Scott of the Hoot'nannys -1975 Big Tom & The Mainliners II Big Tom & The Travellers Gerry Black & the Seasons - 1973
Tipperary Express - 1973 Colm & the Sundowners - 1973 Murphy & The Swallows (DD) Colm & The Sundowners (DD) Sharon of the Green Forest - 1973
Jim Tobin of The Firehouse (DD) Two's Company (DD) Early Gene Stuart (DD) Lee and Quo Big Tom & The Travellers - 1975 (DL)
Sundowners - (JM) Big Tom & The Travellers (DL) San Bernadino Brendan Shine-'80 (DD) Anne & The Swinging Marines - 1975 (AL)
Big Tom, Gene Stuart & Jim Tobin (KS)

Gerry Black & The Seasons (KS)

Pat Ely and the Smokeys (KS)

Gerry Black and the Seasons (KS)

Anne & The Swinging Marines (AL)

Jim Tobin of the Firehouse (KS)

Gene Stuart (KS)

Jim Tobin of the Firehouse (KS)

Jim Tobin of the Firehouse (KS)

Gene Stuart (KS)

Big Tom & The Travellers (KS)

Colm and the Sundowners (KS)

Brendan Shine (KS) Big Tom & The Travellers (KS) Big Tom & The Travellers (KS)
Brendan Shine (KS)

Hugo Duncan & The Tall Men-1971 (KS)

Big Tom & The Travellers (KS)

Sean Gallagher & The Quarrymen (JG) Sean Gallagher & The Quarrymen (JG)
Virginians (DL)

Garry and the Western Stars (KS)

Nashville Ramblers (KS) Rocky Tops - 1974 (LR) Swallows - 1974 (LR)
Brendan Shine - 1974 (LR) Sundowners - 1974 (LR)

Bill Ryan

Sean Gallagher & The Quarrymen (JB) Hugo Duncan & The Tallmen (JB)
Pat Ely & The Rocky Tops (LR) Frankie Carroll & The Ranchers (LR) Frankie Carroll & The Ranchers (JB) Shelly & Startime (PH) Brendan Quinn (PH)

Springfield (SG)

Mell Tarner & Wildwood (PH) Big Tom and the Travellers (PH) Big Tom and the Travellers (PH) Patricia & Har of the Tallmen (PH)
Gene Stuart (PH) Ranchers - 1971 Catherine & The Spurs - 1972 Smokey Mountain Ramblers - 1969 Smokey Mountain Ramblers
Startime (PH) Seasons - 1971 Seasons - 1971 Brendan Shine - 1971 Brendan Shine (LR)
Fintan & Maisie - 1970 Tracy - 1971 Jim Nash & The Swallows - 1970 Gene Stuart (KS) Gene Stuart (KS)
Gene Stuart (KS) Gene Stuart (KS) Jim Tobin (KS) Brendan Shine (LR) Shelley - 1979 (PH)
Virginians - 1969 Rawhide-1973 Seasons -1969 Swallows - 1970 Swallows - 1970
Swallows - 1970 Swallows - 1970 Virginians - 1970 Virginians - 1971 Tallmen - 1971
Tallmen - 1973 Tallmen - 1973 Tallmen - 1973 Tallmen - 1971 Tallmen - 1972
Tallmen - 1972 Smokeys - 1970 Smokeys - 1970 Smokeys - 1968 Smokeys - 1969
Smokeys - 1972 Smokeys - 1970 Smokeys - 1971 Smokeys - 1969 Smokeys - 1971
Smokeys - 1971 Smokeys - 1970 Smokeys - 1971 Bill Ryan - 1974 Bill Ryan - 1972
Bill Ryan - 1974 Bill Ryan - 1974 Rocky Tops - 1972 Rocky Tops - 1972 Rocky Tops - 1974
Rocky Tops - 1972 Rocky Tops - 1972 Rocky Tops - 1972 Rocky Tops - 1972 Ramblin' Men - 1975
Ramblin' Men - 1975 Brendan Shine - 1970 Brendan Shine - 1970 Brendan Shine - 1970 Brendan Shine - 1970
Brendan Shine - 1970 Brendan Shine - 1970 Brendan Shine - 1971 Brendan Shine - 1971 Brendan Shine - 1971
Brendan Shine - 1971 Brendan Shine - 1971 Brendan Shine - 1971 Brendan Shine - 1972 Brendan Shine - 1972
Brendan Shine - 1972 Brendan Shine - 1972 Brendan Shine - 1972 Brendan Shine - 1972 Brendan Shine - 1972
Brendan Shine - 1972 Brendan Shine - 1972 Brendan Shine - 1972 Brendan Shine - 1972 Brendan Shine - 1972
Brendan Shine - 1972 Brendan Shine - 1972 Brendan Shine - 1973 Brendan Shine - 1973 Brendan Shine - 1973
Brendan Shine - 1973 Brendan Shine - 1973 Brendan Shine - 1973 Brendan Shine - 1973 Brendan Shine - 1973
Brendan Shine - 1973 Brendan Shine - 1974 Brendan Shine - 1974 Brendan Shine - 1974 Brendan Shine - 1975
Brendan Shine - 1975 Brendan Shine - 1976 Brendan Shine (DL) Second Sound - 1972 Wanderin Stars (RF)
Wells Fargo (RF) Western Rockies (RF) Tumbleweeds (RF) Tumbleweeds (RF) Tree Tops (RF)
Big Tom & the Travellers (RF) Big Tom & the Travellers (RF) Two's Company (RF) Two's Company (RF) Two's Company (RF)
Tallmen (RF) Tallmen (RF) Tallmen (RF) Tallmen (RF) Tallmen (RF)
Tallmen (RF) Texas Bandshow (RF) Stampede (RF) Stampede (RF) Tumbleweeds (RF)
Virginians (RF) Virginians (RF) Virginians (RF) Virginians (RF) Virginians (RF)
Virginians (RF) Virginians (RF) Virginians (RF) Virginians (RF) Virginians (RF)
Virginians (RF) Virginians (RF) Virginians (RF) Virginians (RF) Virginians (RF)
Virginians (RF) Virginians (RF) Virginians (RF) Real Country (RF) Silver Stirrups (RF)
Silver Stirrups (RF) Southbound (RF) Sundowners (RF) Sundowners (RF) Sundowners (RF)
Sundowners (RF) Sundowners (RF) Sundowners (RF) Sundowners (RF) Sundowners (RF)
Swallows (RF) Swallows (RF) Swallows (RF) Swallows (RF) Swallows (RF)
Swallows (RF) Swallows (RF) Brendan Shine (RF) Brendan Shine (RF) Brendan Shine (RF)
Brendan Shine (RF) Brendan Shine (RF) Brendan Shine (RF) Brendan Shine (RF) Brendan Shine (RF)
Brendan Shine (RF) Brendan Shine (RF) Brendan Shine (RF) Brendan Shine (RF) Brendan Shine (RF)
Brendan Shine (RF) Brendan Shine (RF) Brendan Shine (RF) Brendan Shine (RF) Brendan Shine (RF)
Seasons (RF) Seasons (RF) Seasons (RF) Seasons (RF) Seasons (RF)
Stage Five (RF) Stage Five (RF) Stage Five (RF) Topeca Spring (RF) Virginians (LD)

Southern Express (PG) Quarrymen (TD) Quarrymen (TD) Eileen Reid - 1971 Eileen Reid - 1971
Eileen Reid - 1972 Eileen Reid - 1972 Eileen Reid - 1971 Eileen Reid - 1971 Des Wilson (RF)
Sun Valley Boys Sun Valley Boys Sun Valley Boys Sun Valley Boys Brendan Shine (RF)
Brendan Shine (RF) Swallows (RF) TR Dallas (RF) Travellers (RF) Travellers (RF)
Ranchers (RF) Ranchers (RF) Ranchers (RF) Ranchers (RF) Ranchers (RF)
Ranchers (RF) Quarrymen (SQ) Ranchers (RF) Quarrymen (RF) Quarrymen (RF)
Quarrymen (RF) Quarrymen (RF) Quarrymen (RF) Quarrymen (RF) Tipperary Express (RF)
Red River Valley Boys(RF) Rose Tynan (RF) Sailors (RF) Sailors (RF) San Bernadino (RF)
San Bernadino (RF) San Bernadino (RF) San Bernadino (RF) San Bernadino (RF) River Boys (RF)
         
Coming Soon Coming Soon Coming Soon Coming Soon Coming Soon
         
Coming Soon Coming Soon Coming Soon Coming Soon Coming Soon
         
Coming Soon Coming Soon Coming Soon Coming Soon Coming Soon

Additional Photo Credits:

(AG) - Photos contributed by Anthony Grace
(SM) - Photos contributed by Shaun Magee
(FK) - Photos contributed by Francis Kennedy
(TP) - Photos contributed by Teddie Palmer
(DD) - Photos contributed by David Dwane
(DL) - Photos contributed by Dick Lynott
(JM) - Photos contributed by John McGrenra
(JD) - Photos contributed by Joe Dodd
(AL) - Photos contributed by Anne Lynch
(JL) - Photos contributed by Jan Lynch
(KS) - Photos contributed by Kathleen Smith
(FM) - Photos contributed by Frankie McGirr 
(JG) - Photos contributed by Johnny Gallagher 
(LR) - Photos contributed by Liam O'Reilly
(JB) - Photos contributed by John Baird
(PH) - Photos contributed by Peter Harkin
(SG) - Photos contributed by Stewart Gillespie
(RF) - Photos contributed by the Reynolds Family

 


© 2002-2022 GMS Productions

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