Penfro Sounds

The Dubliners Black Velvet Band / Maloney Wants A Drink Major Minor MM 530 (1969) Founded in 1962, they were an Irish folk band originally named The Ronnie Drew Ballad Group. The band unhappy with their original name renamed themselves after the book " Dubliners " written by James Joyce. Although in their 50 year lifetime they had many members the main success was due to the lead singers Luke Kelly and Ronnie Drew.  Luke Kelly died in 1984 and the other main singer Ronnie Drew died in 2002 however the band continued until 2012 when the only remaining original member of the band, Barney McKenna, died. The band has been credited with introducing Irish music throughout the world and influenced bands such as The Pogues with their legacy still being heard today with bands such as the Dropkick Murphys and Flogging Molly.  Such was the success of the band, many of the Irish traditional songs they covered are seen today as the definitive versions. The band released several 45s on the...

Dickie Bishop And The Sidekicks Cumberland Gap / No Other Baby Decca F 10869 (1957) Born Richard William Bishop in 1935, Dickie replaced Lonnie Donegan in the Chris Barber Band in 1956 when Lonnie moved on to pursue a solo career. As a singer, guitarist, banjo player, song writer Dickie should have been a real contender for solo success however he more known for his time with Chris Barber and his recordings with Lonnie. "Cumberland Gap" is an Appalachian folk song that likely dates to the latter half of the 19th century and was first recorded in 1924. Recorded by many including Woody Guthrie. Although released in March 1957, this single was beaten in April 1957 by Lonnie Donegan who had a #1 hit in the UK with his version.  A further version (by The Vipers) was also released in the UK in 1957. The song's title refers to the Cumberland Gap, a mountain pass in the Appalachian Mountains at the juncture of the states of Tennessee, Virginia, and Kentucky. The gap was used in ...

Laurel Aitken We Shall Overcome / You Left Me Standing Dice CC 31 (1966) As previously noted in an early blog featuring Laurel, he was born in Cuba, grew up in Jamaica and moved to Brixton London in 1960. In his career he released several 45s on numerous UK labels including this one, Dice Records. Dice Records was a subsidiary of Melodisc, a now obsolete independent label. The label ran from 1962 through to 1969 releasing a total of 32 singles. His output of music began in the early 50s and in total he released over 250 singles in the UK as well as numerous 45s in Jamaica.  His music styles ranged from mento/calypso to R&B, ska, rock steady, and reggae, and in the 1990s he even turned his talents to dancehall.  He is more renowned for his ska music and is often referred to as the "Godfather of Ska". FLAC

The Cats Swan Lake / Swing Low BAF BAF 1 (1968) The Cats, previously known as The Hustlin' Kind, were a reggae and ska band from Mile End, London. The band consisted of Tyrone Patterson, Michael Okoro, Richard Archer and John Kpiaye.    They were the first group to have a reggae single chart in the UK; this 45 reaching the heights of #48 in 1968. A simple ska version of Tchaikovsky's "Swan Lake" on the A side with their version of the the traditional "Swing Low" on the flip.  The flip also includes midway a few bars from "Jingle Bells" !! Both tracks were produced by Tyrone Patterson. Madness did a cover version of "Swan Lake" on their debut album "One Step Beyond" in 1979. BAF was a London label that released a total of 10 singles, 5 by The Cats.  FLAC

The Velvelettes Needle In A Haystack / I'm The Exception To The Rule Tamla Motown TMG 806 (1972) A 1972 reissue of two classic tracks from The Velvelettes. Needle In A Haystack was released in the UK in 1964 on the Stateside label. It then appeared as the flip side to the 1967 Tamla Motown release, He Was Really Saying Something (TMG 595).  I'm The Exception To The Rul e was first released in the UK as the flip side to the Tamla Motown single Lonely Lonely Girl Am I (TMG 521) in 1965. The Velvelettes were formed in in 1961 by Bertha Barbee-McNeal and Mildred Gill Arbor, both students at Western Michigan University. Mildred recruited her younger sister Carolyn (also known as Cal), who was in 9th grade, and Cal's friend Betty Kelly, a junior in high school. Bertha recruited her cousin Norma Barbee, a freshman at Flint Junior College. Cal was chosen as the group's lead singer  The group was signed to Motown in 1962 and started recording in January 1963. A few singles we...

Johnny Dupont Spectrum / Caravan Columbia 4-43762 (1966) Johnny is a one of those artists that very little information exists on the internet.  The few bits that I have been able to glean comes from the liner notes on his only album. From those notes it seems that Johnny was a native of Troy NY and attended and graduated from the Eastman School of Music in Rochester.  It seems that his musical output is limited to one album and one 45, both released on the Columbia label in the US. And that's it, all I could find so over to you to help fill in the gaps.  If you have any information regarding this musician please post a comment and let us know. In the meanwhile enjoy the organ driven bit of "space age" jazz called "Spectrum" and then flip over to the (short) cover of Duke Ellington's "Caravan". FLAC