Lions (1968-1970)
Photo Gallery -
Band Lineups -
Discography
- Audio samples -
Where Are They Now?
The Story
Few bands have had the tragic misfortune of the Lions. Danny Pearse
had been the guitarist and one of the main vocalists with the Jim
Farley Allstars in the mid 1960's. Also in the band in the time was
Roly Daniels who would go on to the Nevada. In 1968, shortly after
the Jim Farley Band took the residency gig in T.J. Byrne's Top Hat
Ballroom and called themselves the Tophatters,
Danny Pearse (real name Pierce McCullagh) launched the Lions on July
28th, 1968 to great fanfare.
Initial reaction to the band was very good. At the time, the
showband scene was undergoing major changes with a plethora of new
young bands hitting the scene with younger stars and new pop
oriented programmes. The Lions were part of a new influx of bands
that included The Dreams, Real McCoy, Trixons, and a host of others.
In the March 8, 1969 issue of
Spotlight magazine, the Insight Column reported that Danny was very
ill in hospital. Sadly he would pass away a week later. Despite
the passing of their young lead singer, the band continued on,
pushing rhythm guitarist Tony Hughes to the front and introducing
him in a Spotlight ad on April 26th, 1969 as "The New Singing
Star of The Lions Showband."
On a Sunday night in early April,
1969, a plethora of Irish stars, including Sean Dunphy, Dickie Rock,
Pat McGeegan, Roly Daniels, Ronnie Drew and Larry Gogan took part in
a star-studded cabaret benefit in aid of Danny at Clery's Ballroom
in Dublin.
Following Danny's sad death, Tony
Hughes was advertised as the band's new front man, although he had
been with them from the beginning. However, this would be short
lived as within a few months, Gene Chetty, who had left the Gents
and spent a very short time with the new Flames, was announced as
the band's new lead singer, along with Tony.
However, things came to an end
relatively quickly. After a few short months, a small article in the
January 8, 1970 issue of Spotlight announced the band had broken up.
Gene returned to England where he still lives today and the rest of
the band dispersed with Tony Hughes joining the Cotton Mill Boys.
The sad history of one of the
era's most promising bands came to an abrupt end.
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