Buckshot Feature (1972-1981)

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

The Story

When a trio of musicians left the Cotton Mill Boys at the end of 1972, a new band was built around them called Buckshot. Under manager Connie Lynch, the trio drafted top musicians from several bands to form an eight piece powerhouse that promised a mix of country and pop for punters. Bernie Boyle, from Burtonport, Co. Donegal (a cousin of Margo's who had been renamed Bill Ryan had been lead singer of the Hoot'nanny's) before joined up with the new band.  

The original lineup included: Bill Ryan (vocals - Hoot'nanny's), Buddy Boland (guitar - Cotton Mill Boys), Tommy Kinsella (bandleader and bass - Cottons), Martin McGregor (drums - Cottons), Dave Flood (keyboards), Michael O'Connor (sax), Alan Loughnane (fiddle - Johnny McEvoy Band), and Bobby Smith (trumpet - Royal Blues). The band made their debut in the Town Hall in Ballymena in October, 1972 and were managed by Connie Lynch.

From the outset, nearly everything the band touched turned to gold. Their first release, The Key's In The Mailbox, reached number 7 in the Irish Charts, and even though it would be their highest placement in the charts, they continued to get their records into the charts over the next decade. Unlike many of their contemporaries, Buckshot stayed away from the Country and Irish set and provided a quality American country sound in a similar vein to Ray Lynam and Roly Daniels, a fact which hindered all three bands as their popularity with dancers never compared to the likes of Big Tom, Larry Cunningham or Margo...such was Irish country then...and now. They also heavily featured pop in their set as well.

Dave Flood left the band in late 1973 to join Johnny McEvoy's band, and was not replaced. Subsequently, he would leave Johnny for cabaret in early 1975. In February, 1974, Tommy Kinsella left the band to go into the furnishing business with his brother (Spotlight, 27-02-75) and he was replaced by Noel Moran on bass. By all accounts, the band underwent very few lineup changes over the decade, although there would be one more change when Bobby Smith left the band and was replaced by an unknown musician (see photo below).

The last advert we could find for the band playing a dance was for June 12th, 1981.  However, we did find an advert for the RTE TV show "Country Star Time" (host6ed by Paschal Mooney) in August which listed Bill Ryan as one of the guests on the programme.

In a conversation (2012) with Bernie in Sligo he told me he left the band in 1981 as the scene in Ireland was beginning to fade quickly. This was the period when so many bands decided it was time to call it quits as the discos and clubs took over from the ballrooms by around 1985. 

More to come...

Photo Gallery

click on thumbnails for full image

Discography

Singles:

The Key's In The Mailbox / Staten Island - #7 Irish Charts
Play Records - PLAY 039 - October, 1972
Lonesome 77203 / Diggy Liggy Lo - #17 Irish Charts
Release Records - RL.666 - March, 1973
Mary From Dunloe / Come Back Maria / Take to the Mountains (Dave Flood) - #13 Irish Charts
Release Records - RL.686 - August, 1973
Always Remember / There Goes A Million Memories
Release Records - RL.703 - November, 1973
Song and Dance Man / Old Faithful - #19 Irish Charts
Release Records - RL.717 - February, 1974
Mama I'm Not The Boy I Used To Be / The Night The Lights Went Out In Georgia - #8 Irish Charts
Release Records - RL.726 - May, 1974
Kiss My Baby Happy Christmas / Sno'Ice
Release Records - RL.749 - December, 1974
Midnight In The Morning / Big Damn Fool - #16 Irish Charts
Release Records - RL.802 - March, 1976
There's A Song On The Jukebox / Word Games
Release Records - RL.863 - 1977
I'm So In Love With You / Bar Rooms to Bedrooms
Release Records - RL.886 - 1977
Paper Town / Let Me Take You In My Arms Again - #27 Irish Charts
Play Records - PLAY 115 - December, 1978
Upside Down / Good Woman's Love - #28 Irish Charts
Play Records - PLAY 124 - July, 1979
With The Wings of an Eagle / Route 66
Play Records - PLAY 129 - 1980

Albums:

Buckshot
Release Records - BRL.4046 - May, 1975

Audio Clips

Coming Soon

Where Are They Now?  

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