Mexicans Feature (1961-1971)
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 and photographic
archives. If you can add anything or correct info in this story,
please email us and let us know. Our special thanks to original member Tony
Killeen and Eamonn Donnelly for their assistance, photos and info on the band's history.
The Bray-based Mexicans were
one of those showbands that played an important role in the showband
era's history without ever reaching the dizzying heights of other
bands like the Royal, Capitol or Miami themselves. Started around 1961, the
band came together around founder Alan Cranny (guitar). The first
advertisement we could find for them was in September, 1962.
Initially they played some support gigs with other bands, mainly in
the Top Hat Ballroom in Dun Laoire.
As far as we can tell the original line-up (our
thanks to Tony Killeen) was Terry Smith (brother of Des
Smith-vocals), Alan Cranny (guitar), Hank Owens (guitar), Sean Owens
(bass), Tony Killeen (drums), Mick O'Reilly (keyboards), Shay Cranny
(sax), Bunty Hayden (sax), and Noel Dempsey (trombone). Even back in
those early days there weren't many nine piece outfits. They were
managed by Alan's father, Tom Cranny of Bray.
Advertised as "Ireland's
Leading Teenage Band," they were soon playing across the country.
Sometime in 1962 future from man with the Sands Showband, Tony
Kenny, joined the band as lead singer. Shay Cranny was also replaced
on sax by Sean McDermott. For the next couple of years, the band
seemed to do a good business around the country.
In early 1965, they shared the stage with English singing star Marty
Wilde, (father of Kim Wilde of 1980's "Kids
In America" fame).
Also in early 1965 (we think to February) the
band was joined by new lead singer Tina Quinn. An article a few
months later said she was 18 years old and from Greystones and had
won several talent contests as a teenager. At the same time, the
band acquired a new drummer, Dessie Reynolds. ln early August, 1965,
we think Tony left and Tina was joined by male vocalist
Pat Le Roy as the mail lead singer. Pat, from Dublin, had been
singing cabaret (we think) before joining the band.
Sometime during 1966 or early 1967 a few
changes took place in the band. An article reported that Jack Bayle
had taken over the position of musical director of the band, but we
can't confirm he was in the line=up, we are researching this
further. We also know that Danny McGann (using the stage name Danny
Francis) joined the band, replacing Pat Le Roy as lead male
vocalist. We also know that the band dropped on member to become an
eight piece. In march of 1967 the band released its first single
which was Tina singing "I Won't Marry
Him," written by the previously mentioned Jack Bayle.
In 1968 Tina sang Jim Doherty's National Song
Contest entry "One Love Two." It would be released as a single but
failed to win the contest of make the Irish charts. However, just
being involved in the contest gave Tina (and the band) plenty of
publicity in the run up to the final when Pat McGeegan won with
"Chance of a Lifetime." Interestingly, in
newspaper coverage of the contest Tina was constantly quoted as
being 18 (and sometimes 19), which was strange given that she was
reported to be "18" in 1965 when she first joined the band.
In late 1968, Tina shocked the showband scene
when she left the Mexicans to team up with Jim Farley's new 19 piece
band call the Tophatters. We are pretty sure she left after
her boyfriend Dessie Reynolds left the Mexicans earlier to
join Jim Farley's new outfit. Around this time, Dessie and Tina
would tie the knot and she became Tina Reynolds.
T.J. Byrne gave the band the
residency in the new Top Hat Ballroom in Dun Laoghaire.
In late January, 1969, tragedy struck the band
when manager Tom Cranny, then 60 years old, was struck and killed on
the way back from a gig with the band in Belfast. He had gone to aid
another driver who had been involved win an accident when he was
struck. Sean Jordan,
manager of the Jackpots took over managing the band and they
continued on.
Former drummer, Eamonn Donnelly, takes up the
story, "We struggled to find out where we were supposed to be
gigging week after week. A new Manager was appointed, A man called
Sean Jordan and the first thing he did was organize a 6 week to
trip to Canada, Sean set up dates for our return and we carried on,
Tina left shortly after that trip."
In August,
1969, Tina rejoined to front the band alongside lead singer
Danny Francis, however, Danny left the band over the Christmas. A
small blurb in the Anglo-Celt newspaper on Feb 6th, 1970, reported
that Sean Jordan had "retired as manager of the
Mexicans Showband to take up a position with Release Records."
In August, 1971, Alan Cranny
(guitar), Willie O'Hagan (bass) and Mike Quigley (keyboards) left
the band to join John Farrell's new outfit, The Groundhogs.
The same month, Tina was advertised doing a cabaret gig at the
Hitching Post and the band folded. The Groundhogs would not last
long though as they released their first single in October and the
B-side was penned by Alan and was called "Skipity"
but by November 1st, Alan had left the band.
On December 4th, it was reported
that Alan and Mick Dunne were going to form a new group with ex-Byelaws
member, Pat Morris aimed "at the Canadian
market." However, they would end up joining the newly formed
Stage 2 along with Brendan O'Brien and
Joe Mac after they left the Dixies.
Stage 2 would debut at Ponton Ballroom in Mayo on Sunday,
January 23rd, 1972.
click on thumbnails for full image
