Hoot'nannys Feature (1970-1976)
Photo Gallery -
Band Lineups -
Discography
- Audio samples -
Where Are They Now?
The Story
When you find a formula that works, it's usually
worth repeating. So it was a year after the Cotton Mill Boys took the dance
scene by storm, that the Tom Costello organization launched another country
outfit, the Hoot'nanny's. Newspaper reports at the time reported that the
band had started life as a group called Greener Pastures and had
approached Tom to manage them. He decided to change their name to
Hoot'nannys (an RTE TV show which was on air at the same time
featuring the top country acts in Ireland).
The January 29th,
1970 issue of Spotlight reported that the new band was
in rehearsals already, but they had actually played their first gig
in the Casino Ballroom in Castlerea on the 25th.
Their lead singer was
Bernie Boyle, a cousin of Margo's from Burtonport, Co. Donegal who had
been working in England. Fellow Donegal man (and fiddler) Hughie Ward had
contacted him telling him the
Virginians, were
looking for a singer. Bernie came home and auditioned for the band,
but did not get the job. Ready to return to England, he was
approached by the Hoot'nanny's and took the stage name, Bill Ryan. The band's career
would parallel that of their stable mates, the Cottons. In fact, they would end
up being fronted by Mike Scott, who started with the Cottons.
The original members
of Greener Pastures included: Mick O'Malley (guitar),
Stan McKee (guitar), Frank McGirr (bass) and Ollie Cunningham
(drums). With the addition of Bill Ryan (vocals), Hughie Ward
(fiddle) and Ronnie Kennedy (keyboards), they were ready to hit the
road. The band released it's first single, Mighty Lonesome,
in April, 1970 on the Target (Pye) label. Although it received
plays, and did not sell well, it was the first step in establishing
the band across the country. In May, it was reported that Pat Murphy
(formerly with the Cadets) was going to take over as road manager
with the band.
In June, the band released its second single, Story of a Broken
Heart, once again on the Target label and once again, it did not
make any impression on the charts.
A report in the
Insight column in Spotlight in September, 1970 reported the
band was playing their first Dublin gig in the National Ballroom on
the 17th of September. This was only strange because the band was
actually based in Dublin and had been on the road since February. A
month later, in November,
Pat Hamill joined the band on vocals and guitar.
Pat had previously been with the Beverlies, although a story
in Spotlight stated he was discovered by the band's road manager,
Pat Murphy, singing in a pub in Draperstown.
In February, 1971,
Spotlight reported that Stan McKee had left the Hoots to
join Frankie Carroll's band, the Ranchers,
replacing Sligo guitarist Francie Lenehan.
In May, 1971, the band released it's
fourth single and the first on a new label, Ruby Records called
Hot Corn Cold Corn. Unfortunately it met with the same lack of
chart success as previous releases.
In September, 1971,
the band added a new member, "Wee Mick" (real name Mick Murray and
so called because he stood a reported 4'5" tall). As well as singing,
he was a farmer in Derrylin, Co. Fermanagh before joining the
showband ranks. In today's politically correct world, it is doubtful
punters would have stood for it, but back in the early seventies,
Mick dressed up in different costumes, made all kinds of noises, ran
around the stage and then would end up singing, which brought in
dancers in droves to see the oddity. They also released their next
single, These Hands, which was to become their first hit
record, climbing to number 15 in the Irish charts. Between their new
curiosity factor and a hit record, the band was now doing very well
on the circuit and gaining new fans across the country.
In November, they
released Nellie Kelly and it sold well, but not chart. In
January, 1972 the record spent four weeks in the "Other Good
Sellers" category of the Irish charts. This special mention
identified Irish made records that sold well, but not well enough to
make the actual charts (which included International releases as
well). Of course, many bands of the era took this to mean they had a
"chart record."
In
mid 1972, the band suffered a major setback when the original
vocalist Bill Ryan (around whom the band had been built) left
to join the Gallowglass Ceili Band. It was part of a major shake up
for the Gallowglass which had been one of Ireland's top Ceili bands
(a dying breed) since 1950.
In July 1972, the Gallowglass
owner, Pat McGarr, took out
a full page advert in Spotlight announcing a new sensation "The
Symbols (ex-Gallowglass)" which was a new name for the band. In the
lineup was Mandy as female vocalist along with Bernie Boyle (aka
Bill Ryan - who would soon front Buckshot). We understand from
Elizabeth Farrelly (Mandy) that Bill recorded Mrs. Jones as the
band's first single, but before it could be released, he had been
drafted to front a new band formed by defecting members of the
Cotton Mill Boys called Buckshot.
At this point Wee Mick took a more
central role on vocals, along with Pat Hamill. In August, 1973, the
band released Rockin' The Baby, which featured guitarist
Dessie Flaherty (Dessie would eventually join the reformed Miami
showband after the tragic death of three members in July, 1975). The
single sold very well and became their second (and final) chart
record, topping out at number 12 in the charts.
In March, 1974, Julie
Boyd reported that Wee Mick (vocals), Frank McGirr (bass) and Harry
Cooney (guitar) left the band. Mike Scott was drafted as the band's
new lead singer. We also know that around this time, Jim Dalton left
the band to join the newly formed Boys n' Girls.
In November, 1975, a
blurb in Paschal Mooney's Country Round Up was talking about the
band's new lead singer, Johnny Scariff after nearly going off the
road in 1974. George Hilliard was now managing the band and we're
not sure how much longer they lasted. .
More to come.....
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