The Down County Boys Story: The 1970s
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Continued from NWBN March 2000 By Peter Parker (Fiddle, DCB) DURING LATE 1969 - EARLY 1970 Ken's involvement with the Band virtually ended as he pursued his musical career with the Playboys. The Band, including Brian Dick and Mick, still rehearsed at Ken's house. Pete started to learn classical violin at school and just before leaving played with the Coventry Youth Orchestra, where he became involved with a couple of lads playing Irish folk music. An interest was spawned in playing other types of music, apart from classical. John, a banjoist and guitarist Ian recruited Pete to play fiddle in a "new" type of music called Bluegrass. About then the Down County Boys were looking for a new fiddle player to replace Bob Bruce, who wanted to retire. Pete had been a few times to hear the DCBs, who were then playing in the Lawrence Sheriff pub, Rugby, to learn what this bluegrass music was about. Peter and the lads were playing a gig in pub in Coventry when Dick Newton arrived to see if this fiddle player was any good or not and offered Pete an audition. Pete jumped at the chance, got the job and became the Down County Boys fiddler in 1970. In 1970 Brian Curtis, Dick Newton, Bob Bruce and John Allen were also playing as the Troubadours, playing the folk circuit and a residency at the Lawrence Sheriff pub. At the residency the Troubadours did the first half followed by the Down County Boys, when Mike Rodgers would join in. Quite soon after, the commitment to play with the Down County Boys took its toll and The Troubadours wound down.
The Down County Boys
1973 History shows the period between 1970 1975 to be a stable time for the Down County Boys. The lads rehearsed seriously and listened to the top American performers of the time, trying to emulate the feel and the rhythm and at the same time introduce their own style. Much of their repertoire, which was growing all the time, included the influences of Jim and Jesse, Bill Monroe, Jimmy Martin, Ralph Stanley and the Country Gentleman, to name but a few. In later years the DCBs were to meet many of their heroes, but that's another story. To play in a Band and to realise its full potential requires hard work, drive, energy and, most of all, commitment, not only from its' members but also from families. Without family support it would be very difficult to achieve any success and the lads and family gave it their all. Rehearsals were at Brian's house, in Rugby. Mike, who that time was working just down the road from Brian's house would stay in work until rehearsal time. John and Pete would travel from Coventry and Dick travelled from the other side of Rugby. Brian, Dick and John had, in their pasts, been lead singers in their own right. This lent the Band flexibility in the type of material and style to be performed. Later on, during this period, Mike, who also played guitar, added some songs to the repertoire; Last Train From Poor Valley and Willow Creek Dam are ones to be remembered. These were recorded some time afterwards on the Better Times A-Coming album. If interest in bluegrass was to grow, rehearsals and public performances were needed and a step was taken to re-establish a residency. We persuaded the licensees at the New Inn, Long Lawford, near Rugby, to have us play there every Sunday night - then we couldn't keep the people away! At those days pubs opened at 7 o'clock on Sundays and people queued outside from six,just to get a seat. The nights at the New Inn were absolutely superb; a terrific atmosphere. This venue established the band not only in the West Midlands area, but lead to many varied gigs throughout the UK.
The Down County Boys after the 1999
BBMA Concert Sunday night's at the New Inn established Pete as "Prancing Peter Parker, the young fiddle player"because he always moved his hips when playing. This obviously had an effect on one member of the audience, Vicky, who came every week with her sister from nearby Brinklow. Pete and Vicky married a few years later. As Vicky was in awe of the fiddler, so her sister was in awe of audience member, Selwyn, who was to become one of the Band's biggest fans and critic. That, too, is another story. We couldn't accommodate the number of followers in the New Inn, Long Lawford so early 1973 the Band changed its' venue to the New Phoenix in Coventry, where increased our regular Sunday following. There we had some terrific nights and met many friends who we still see, even after all these years. In addition to the residency and rehearsals, the Band were taking bookings further afield, often in the increasingly popular country music clubs. We were fortunate that Birmingham, only some 20 miles away, had a number of country music venues where we were regularly booked and so didn't have to travel far. As the Band's popularity grew people were asking "Where can we hear the Down County Boys? It's about time you recorded an album!" So... we set about putting a list of songs together and made contact with Gordon Davies (Westwood Records) who had set-up his recording studio in an isolated farmhouse in Montgomery, Mid-Wales. Each of us has fond memories of the recording sessions we had shared with engineer Gordon and producer Alan Green. Little did we know we also shared the same venue with a couple of lions... We called the album About Time Too! Some of the songs on it still bring back memories. One in particular, Bringing Mary Home,always caused a stir, especially with the girls in the audience. The song was so haunting many used to cry. We still don't know whether it was Brian's voice or the lyrics.
The Down County Boys April 2000 - Guy, Mick, Jim & Peter (author) Some time during 1974 with the many BBC appearances, 'Auntie Beeb' decided to release an album from all the Radio 2 broadcasts featuring British Country Music artists, called Up Country - the first time the DCB's were for sale in ordinary record shops. In April 1975 we recorded our second full album, a live performance with an audience at the Mansfield Civic Theatre. A coach party was organised from Coventry to lend support; they made lots of noise - the football rattles and shouts can be heard on the recording. Great memories! During this period we accumulated some quite prestigious gigs, including many appearances on the BBC's Country Meets Folk, which was recorded live at the Playhouse Theatre and Country Club, and on other programmes featuring live country music. The gents toilet and dressing-room in the Playhouse Theatre had memories; it was situated directly underneath one of the London Underground tube lines and as trains passed above the whole place used to shake. One special memory was a BBC live performance at Golders Green Hippodrome, London, which celebrated the 50th anniversary of Nashville's Grand Ol' Opry. We shared the stage with Mac Wiseman and Bill Anderson from America and the Hillsiders Country Music Band (UK). This was broadcast live simultaneously across the northern hemisphere. The audience was reckoned at some 500 million - probably our biggest audience ever... You can imagine the fun and memories such gigs have had upon the band. Studio time was always booked first thing in the morning and of that meant getting up very early and driving miles to the studios. On one of our return journeys back to Coventry the driver, who shall remain nameless, drove the whole distance of the M1 leaving the hand brake on. That's the only time Dick Newton's car had red glowing wheels and an annoyed owner. 1975 was a milestone in the band's career. Brian Curtis played his last gig with the Down County Boys at Digbeth Civic Hall, Birmingham. He went on to form his own Band which was later called the Acme Bluegrass Band and yes, that's yet another story. Around this time Dick was giving guitar lessons and one of his students, Paul Ashton, showed potential and was asked to join. Not too long afterwards we produced our third album, Better Times a Coming, at Tank Records near Snitterfield Stratford-upon-Avon. Not so far to go and no lions in the garden! One night we were playing in a dubious pub in Dudley when Paul, who had the mic stands but a very poor sense of direction, failed to turn up. Luckily for us Dick and Mike could swap instruments so Mike played guitar all night. And Pete played directly underneath a broken glass light shade, but we still had a great night. Perhaps Paul had been there before.
The Down County Boys We were still working clubs around the UK - predominantly country music venues (the main outlet for bluegrass at the time). The folk club cult always thought bluegrass music a bit of an oddity and consequently were reluctant to accept our music within their circles. Paul worked with us as our lead singer until 1978, when we parted company. During 1977, Mike's period with the Band came to an end when a career move to a high-profile job consumed most of his time. Ian Worthington came in to replace Mike on mandolin shortly before Paul left, leaving Dick Newton, John Allen, Pete Parker and Ian to continue to the end of the 1970's. Though work commitments and changes in personnel reduced our public appearances the Band kept going, albeit playing less gigs than in previous years. The venue at the New Phoenix also ceased due to the inevitable pub refurbishment. Undaunted, a new residency was sought and 1980 saw the introduction of a new lead singer.
Peter Parker, Coventry Photos © Down County Boys
except where otherwise stated.
Down County Boys story for 1980... see the April 2001 issue?
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