Kevin Woods Band Feature (1950
- 1965)
Photo Gallery -
Band Lineups -
Discography
- Audio samples -
Where Are They Now?
The Story
Editor's note: Every care
has been taken to present only factual information in this story
based on newspaper articles and photographic
archives. If you can add anything or correct info in this story,
please email us and let us know.
Although the first mention of
Kevin Woods and his band we could find was
in April 1950 when they played a carnival dance in Easkey, Co.
Sligo. Like so many of his contemporaries in the 1950s, his band was
referred to in many different ways in adverts including "orchestra"
and "dance band." Based in Drumshanbo, Co. Leitrim we think they may
have been formed earlier as by 1950 they were playing gigs
throughout Leitrim, Sligo and Mayo. We also think he had a previous
band called the Golden Star Ceili band in the early 1940's, but this
could have been a different Kevin Woods?!
In 1951, adverts for the band
listed them sometimes as the Royal Dance Band with Kevin Woods as
the conductor. This consequently lead to our discovery that the
Royal Dance band came into existence in 1948 or 49. In 1952 we found
an advert which described the band as a "nine
piece orchestra." The same year the band had expanded its circuit to
include ballrooms in counties Cavan and Galway.
It would appear that around 1954.
Kevin emigrated to Canada, eventually ending up in New York in the
1970's. He would live out his days there, sadly passing away in 2012
at the age of 91. His brothers Mick and Shane kept the band going
for another decade.
By 1954 the band was playing
nationwide and now listed their lead singer as
"coloured trombone-vocalist Carl Riley." In Sept 1956, we
found two ads from the same paper beside each other, one of which
named the band as "Kevin Woods and his
Royal Dance Orchestra" and the other as "Kevin Woods Capitol
Orchestra with coloured vocalist Ken Johnson." An advert in July,
1957 listed the band as "Kevin Woods and his Show Band with Vera
Morgan, sensational personality vocalist."
By early 1960, the band was
advertising itself as Kevin Woods Showband as the showband era had
truly got underway after a few years of uncertainty when orchestras
and showbands battled for recognition and superiority and the
dancing public. It would take some time for the showband moniker to
stick.
We are pretty sure the band called
it quits in 1965.
In August 1962, placed an advert
for a trumpeter "must be a good reader"
March 1963 advert looking for a
solo guitarist to start Easter
May 23 1963 looking for trumpeter
again
More to come.....
click on thumbnails for full image
