All About the Red Seven/Columbia Showband (1960-1969)

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

The Story

In 1959, a group of lads from Arklow, Co. Wicklow got together and called themselves The Red Seven Showband. They started playing locally and ended up with the lucrative residency for three seasons at the famous Tara Ballroom in Courtown. The original Red Seven (pictured right) included: Joe Weadick (trombone), Pete Coburn (vocals), Larry Kenny (trumpet), Des Mulhall (drums), Pat Tyrell (bass), Paud O'Brien (sax/clar), and Eamonn Lee (RIP-guitar). Following their summer in 1960, they were officially ready for business across the country placing an advert in the Irish Independent.

The band played mostly locally, but continued to do very well. Eventually, they decided they wanted to take the big step of turning professional (a dilemma faced by many resident bands in the late fifties and early sixties) and in anticipation of the move, renamed themselves as The Columbia Showband in January 1963. A newspaper advert announced the change was due to their registration with the Irish Federation of Musicians (IFM) which at the time was the most important organisation on the showband scene. The band was being managed by Dan Bolger. 

By the time The Columbia was launched, only Joe Weadick and Pat Tyrell remained of the original 1959 lineup. The new members of the band were: Freddie Cutland (guitar), Jim Tyrell (trumpet/keyboards), Eddie "Mack" McElheron (vocals/guitar), George Byrne (drums), Liam O'Reilly (guitar) and Mick Tyrell (bass). In late 1963, when the band had gone professional, Liam O'Reilly decided to leave the band. He would go on to join The Quartermasters in the years that followed. In 1965, founder member Joe Weadick left and he was replaced by Pat McCarthy on trombone. Now only Pat Tyrell remained of the original band.

In April 1964 it was announced in the Evening Herald that the band would be backing Texan, Big Dee Irwin, on his ten day tour of Ireland. He had a major hit with "Swinging On A Star."

For the next four years, the band enjoyed growing success on the ballroom scene. They released several singles, including Way Out of Reach which entered the Irish Charts on January 3, 1966 and climbed to number six. Their last single was released in early 1968 and was called Baby Come Back. An article in New Spotlight magazine told of an LP in the works, which unfortunately never materialized. 

When the band called it quits in 1969, Jim and Mick Tyrell and George Byrne went to the newly formed Ranchers with lead singer Frankie Carroll. Eventually, they would form the Jim Tyrell Trio (see photo below). Meanwhile, Pat Tyrell, Eddie Mack and Freddie Cutland formed the well known local band, Family. Pat McCarthy went on to join the Miami and Billy Brown band in later years.

The band's entire history has been documented in the book, Memories of Arklow's Red Seven/Columbia Showband by Joe Weadick, published in 2011.  

Photo Gallery

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Discography

Before This Day Ends / In Your Arms
Decca/Rex Records - R.11002 - 1965
Way Out Of  Reach / The Spinning Wheel - #6 Irish Charts
Decca/Rex Records - R.11018 - Dec., 1965
Back To The Hills / Song of the Sea
PYE Records - 7N.17301 - July, 1967
Someday You'll Call My Name / Devoted To You
Target/Pye Records - 7N.17478 - 1968
Baby Come Back / Born To Lose (Jim Tyrrell and the "Columbia Boys")
Target/Pye Records - 7N.17513 - April, 1968
 

Audio Clips

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