Black and White Minstrels
(1974-75)
Photo Gallery -
Band Lineups -
Discography
- Audio samples -
Where Are They Now?
The Story
 The
mid seventies were a time of turmoil across the industry and saw the
rise of many "gimmick" bands including bands like the the Zulus,
Clowns, Magic, Farmer's Sons, Monkeys, Pirates and many more. ulus,
Magic, trying to However,
the band's popularity continued to wane and in May, 1974,
they made the biggest change to a band's look since the Casino
Showband donned feathers to become The Indians. They
painted their faces black and went on the road as The Black and
White Dixie Minstrel Show. Echoing back to the days of Al
Jolson, the band released a record which included a medley of Oh
Suzanna and Camptown Races. They had a chart hit with the song,
Stranger in My Place in June that reached number 13 on the
Irish charts. However, the experiment was doomed to fail and by
year's end, the band had reverted to The Dixies. Although they had
another minor hit with Una Paloma Blanca in the summer of
1975, they soon called it quits and the Dixies were no more. We do
know that in 1976, Joe O'Toole was with a new band, Flint and we can
find no mention of the Dixies around this time.
Photo
Gallery
Click on thumbnails for full images
|
Black and White
Minstrels |
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| Rory O'Connor - 1973 |
1974
(LR) |
1973 |
Minstrel Show - 1974 |
Minstrel Show - 1974 |
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| Minstrel Show - 1974 |
Minstrel Show - 1974 |
Minstrel Show - 1974 |
Minstrel Show - 1974 |
Black & White
Minstrels - 1975 |
| Dixies - 1992 | Coming Soon |
Coming Soon |
Coming Soon | Coming Soon |
|
Year |
Vocals |
Vocals |
Guitar |
Bass |
Drums |
Keyboards |
Sax/Clar. |
Trumpet |
Trombone |
|
MINSTRELS |
|
1973 |
Joe
O'Toole |
Rory
O'Connor |
Steve
Lynch |
Chris
O'Mahony |
Mike
O'Donovan |
Finbar
O'Leary |
Sean
Lucey |
|
Theo
Cahill |
Jun
1975 |
Joe
O'Toole |
Tara |
Steve
Lynch |
Chris
O'Mahony |
Mike
O'Donovan |
Finbar
O'Leary |
Sean
Lucey |
|
Theo
Cahill |
Discography:
Singles:
Goodbye My Love Goodbye / Won't Anybody
Listen (Rory O'Connor) -
#6 Irish Charts
Play Records - PLAY 71 - January, 1974
Stranger In My Place / I Need You
(Black & White Minstrel Show with Mike O'Donovan) -
#13 Irish Charts
Play Records - PLAY 74 - June, 1974
Meet The Minstrels / I Never Knew The
Magic (Black & White Minstrel Show with Joe O'Toole)
Play Records - PLAY 77 - October, 1974
She's Leaving / Cos I'm Leaving
(Black & White Minstrel Show with Rory O'Connor)
Play Records - PLAY 79 - December, 1974
Una Paloma Blanca / Cos I'm Leaving
(Rory O'Connor & Tara) -
#11 Irish Charts
Play Records - PLAY 88 - August, 1975
Where Are They Now?
More to come
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Finbar O'Leary:
RIP Finbar sadly passed away in 2002 |
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Sean Lucey:
Unknown, if you have any additional info please email us |
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Theo Cahill:
RIP
- Theo continued to play long after the band went
their separate ways. He rejoined the Dixies when they
reunited in 1982, but tragically, he collapsed on stage in
Achill, County Mayo on July 24, 1988 and passed away doing
what he loved best. Joe Mac left the band shortly after
Theo's death which really was the beginning of the end for
the band. |
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Chris O'Mahony: RIP |
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Steve Lynch - RIP: Steve,
brother of Tony and Pat (Airchords) stayed with the
band from the early sixties throughout the 70's. We
are not sure when he left the band. Sadly he passed away on
July 12, 2016. leaving behind his wife Breda, three children
and seven grandchildren. |
 |
John "Rory" O'Connor:
Today, John is the
news/sports editor with the Munster Express and also writes
for a number of national newspapers and magazines. He is a
regular broadcaster on RTE radio and television and
contributes to a range of news, current affairs and sports
programmes. |
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Joe O'Toole:
Unknown, if you have any additional info please email us |
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Mike O'Donovan:
Oliver Keane writes to tell us Mike now lives in the
Phoenix, Arizona area and still gigs regularly.
If you have any additional info please email us |
|
|
Tara:
Ryan Higgins writes in
September, 2012 that Tara was with the band when they
traveled to Canada and Spain. When the band called it quits
around 1976, she started a band with her family called
Jackson which played the Southern circuit around Cork for a
decade. Tara is now retired from music and still living in
Cork. |
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