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Groupe vocal Pop
Britannique des années 50 comprenant Johnny Gray, Bob Brown, June Marlow, David Carey &
Fred Dachtler.
Formed in
1949, the Stargazers developed into Britain’s most popular vocal group in the
early 50s. The original line-up comprised Dick James, Cliff Adams, Marie Benson,
Fred Datchler and Ronnie Milne. They first attracted attention on radio
programmes such as The Derek Roy Show and The Family Hour, later moving to Top
Score, the Goon Show and Take It From Here. The Stargazers began recording
towards the end of 1949, working for a variety of labels, including Decca
Records, HMV Records, Columbia Records and Polygon, backing artists such as
Steve Conway and Benny Lee, and later, Dennis Lotis and Jimmy Young. Their own
releases included ‘Me And My Imagination’, ‘Red Silken Stockings’, ‘A-Round The
Corner’ and ‘Sugarbush’. In April 1953, they became the first British act to
reach number 1 in the infant New Musical Express chart, with ‘Broken Wings’.
Almost a year later, they hit the top spot again, with Meredith Willson’s ‘I See
The Moon’. They continued to record into the late 50s, and made the UK chart
with ‘The Happy Wanderer’, ‘Somebody’, ‘The Finger Of Suspicion’ (with Dickie
Valentine), ‘The Crazy Otto Rag’, ‘Close The Door’, ‘Twenty Tiny Fingers’ and
‘Hot Diggity (Dog Ziggity Boom)’.
They worked constantly in radio, and their own series, The Stargazers’ Music
Shop, opened for business on Radio Luxembourg in 1952, crossing to the BBC
nearly five years later. The group also had a regular radio slot on the
BBC’sShow Band Show with Cyril Stapleton, and toured the UK variety circuit.
Their first permanent personnel change came in 1953, when David Carey replaced
Ronnie Milne. Milne emigrated to Canada and took up a post in the Canadian Army,
training young musicians. Two years later, the group appeared in the Royal
Variety Performance, and, in the same year, Eula Parker took over from her
fellow Australian, Marie Benson, who embarked on a solo career, armed with a
two-year contract with Philips Records. Parker herself was later succeeded by
June Marlow. After being replaced by Bob Brown, Dick James, the Stargazers’
original leader, had solo hits with ‘Robin Hood’ and ‘Garden Of Eden’ before
becoming a successful music publisher and the proprietor of DJM Records. Cliff
Adams went on to devise the radio programme Sing Something Simple in 1959, and
he and his Singers have remained with the show ever since. Fred Datchler became
a member of the Polka Dots, a vocal group bearing some resemblance to the
Hi-Lo’s. Datchler’s son, Clark, was a member of the 80s pop band Johnny Hates
Jazz. These Stargazers are not associated with the 80s vocal group the of the
same name, who recorded Back In Orbit! on Ace Records in 1991.
http://www.45-rpm.org.uk/dirs/stargazers.htm
Style musical : Vocals Pop
ROCKIN' AND ROLLIN'
(1956)
SHE
LOVES TO ROCK (1956)
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Years in activity :
| 1910 | 20 | 30 | 40 | 50 | 60 | 70 | 80 | 90 | 2000 |
DISCOGRAPHY
78 t., Singles & EP
| 1950 | 78 t. & SP DECCA F9578 (UK) | . |
Red Silken Stockings / Oh Babe |
| 1952 | 78 t. & SP DECCA F9897 (UK) | . |
It's A Long Way (From Your House To My House) / To Think You've Chosen Me |
| 1952 | 78 t. & SP DECCA F9960 (UK) | . |
The Day Of Jubilo / Sugerbush |
| 1952 | 78 t. DECCA M 33432 (NL) | . | Be My Life's Companion (JOHNSTON BROTHERS) / It's A Long Way (STARGAZERS) |
| 02/1953 | 78 t. & SP DECCA F10047 (UK) | . |
Broken Wings / Make It Soon |
| 04/1953 | SP LONDON 45-1327 (US) | Broken Wings (STARGAZERS) / The Rumbleseat Song (FOUR STARS) | |
| 10/1953 | 78 t. & SP DECCA F10170 (UK) | . |
Vaya Con Dios (May God Be With You) / You You You |
| 11/1953 | 78 t. & SP DECCA F10213 (UK) | . | I See The Moon / Eh Cumpari |
| 02/1954 | SP LONDON 45-1408 (US) | . | I See The Moon (STARGAZERS) / Record Hop (Benny LEE with The STARGAZERS) |
| 04/1954 | 78 t. & SP DECCA F10259 (UK) | . | The Happy Wanderer / Till We Two Are One |
| 10/1954 | 78 t. & SP DECCA F10379 (UK) | . | I Need You Now / 365 Kisses |
| 10/1954 | 78 t. & SP DECCA F10394 (UK) | . |
The Finger Of Suspicion (Dickie Valentine with The Stargazers) / Who's Afraid (Not I, Not I, Not I) (Dickie Valentine) |
| 11/1954 | SP LONDON 45-1498 (US) | . | The Finger Of Suspicion (Dickie VALENTINE with The STARGAZERS) / Endless (Dickie VALENTINE) |
| 11/1954 | 78 t. & SP DECCA F10412 (UK) | . | Rose Of The Wildwood / Come The Morning |
| 02/1955 | 78 t. & SP DECCA F10437 (UK) | . | Somebody (STARGAZERS) / My Baby Don't Love Me No More (Sonny Sarrar & His Banjo Band with The Stargazers) |
| 1955 | SP LONDON 45-1536 (US) | . | Somebody (STARGAZERS) / No More (Sonny FARRAR & His BANJO BAND |
| 05/1955 | 78 t. & SP DECCA F10523 (UK) | . | Crazy Otto Rag / Hey Mr. Banjo |
| 05/1955 | 78 t. & SP DECCA F10529 (UK) | . |
Roy Smith with The Stargazers - Red Roses (For My Lady Fair) / The Devil's In Your Eyes |
| 08/1955 | 78 t. & SP DECCA F10569 (UK) | . |
Sonny Farrar & His Banjo & The Stargazers - At The Steamboat River Ball / Love You A Mountain |
| 08/1955 | 78 t. & SP DECCA F10594 (UK) | . |
The Stargazers with Johnnie Gray - Close The Door / I've Got Four Big Brothers |
| 08/1955 | EP DECCA DFE 6279 (UK) |
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Presenting Dickie Valentine - Dickie Valentine with The Stargazers : The Finger Of Suspicion / Dickie Valentine : A Blossom Fell / Mister Sandman / I Wonder |
| 11/1955 | 78 t. & SP DECCA F10626 (UK) | . | Twenty Tiny Fingers An Old Beer Bottle |
| 1955 | 78 t. & SP DECCA F10668 (UK) | . |
The Stargazers with Johnnie Gray & His Band Of The Day - (Love Is) The Tender Trap / When The Swallows Say Goodbye |
| 01/1956 | 78 t. & SP DECCA F10696 (UK) | . | Zambesi (STARGAZERS) / When The Swallows Say Goodbye (Stargazers with Johnnie Gray & His Band Of The Day) |
| 01/1956 | SP LONDON 45-1637 (US) | . |
Twenty Tiny Fingers (STARGAZERS with Sid DEAN & His BAND) / I Got Somebody To Love (STARGAZERS) |
| 05/1956 | 78 t. & SP DECCA F10731 (UK) | . |
The
Stargazers with Johnnie Gray
& His Band Of The Day - Hot Diggity /
Rockin' And Rollin'
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| 1956 | SP DECCA D 18 301 (GER) | . |
The Stargazers mit
Johnnie Gray und His Band Of The Day -
Rockin' And Rollin'
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| 08/1956 | 78 t. & SP DECCA F10775 (UK) | . |
She Loves To Rock
/ John Jacob Jingleheimer Smith |
| 1956 | EP DECCA DFE 6341 (UK) |
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Twenty Tiny Fingers / An Old Beer Bottle / Close The Door / I See The Moon |
| 1956 | EP DECCA DFE 6362 (UK) |
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ROCKIN' AND ROLLIN' - Hot Diggity /
Rockin' And Rollin'
/ Zambesi / When The Swallows Say Goodbye |
| 03/1957 | 78 t. & SP DECCA F10867 (UK) | . | You Won't Be Around / Mangos |
| 05/1957 | 78 t. & SP DECCA F10898 (UK) | . | Honky Tonk Song / Golly |
| 07/1957 | 78 t. & SP DECCA F10916 (UK) | . | Who Is It? (It's The Milkman) / Sorry, You'll Have To Wait |
| 1957 | EP DECCA DFE 6449 (UK) |
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Scotland Forever - The Keynotes : Scotland The Brave / Lewis Bridal Song / The Stargazers : The Gathering Of The Clans / A Gordon For Me |
| 12/1957 | 78 t. & SP DECCA F10969 (UK) | . | Skiffling Dogs / Out Of This World |
| 05/1958 | 78 t. & SP DECCA F11034 (UK) | . | Big Man / Lonely For A Letter |
| 01/1959 | SP DECCA F11105 (UK) | . | My Blue Heaven / Howja Lika |
| 09/1960 | SP PALETTE PG9003 (UK) | . | Three Beautiful Words / Manhattan Spriritual |
| 09/1960 | SP PALETTE PZ 5059 (US) | . |
Secret Star / Three Beautiful Words |
| 10/1960 | SP PALETTE PZ 5066 (US) | . |
Three Beautiful Words / Manhattan Spiritual |
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Albums
| 1959 | LP 12" DECCA LK.4309 (UK) |
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South Of The Border - South Of The Border / Kiss Me / Mexicali Rose / Amor, Amor / Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps / Brazil / Green Eyes / Magic Is The Moonlight / Maria Elena / La Paloma / Always In My Heart / Perfidia |
| 1959 | LP 12" LONDON PS 127 (US) |
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South Of The Border - South Of The Border / Kiss Me / Mexicali Rose / Amor, Amor / Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps / Brazil / Green Eyes / Magic Is The Moonlight / Maria Elena / La Paloma / Always In My Heart / Perfidia |
| 1999 | CD Universal / SPECTRUM 544 168 2 (UK) |
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Broken Wings - STARGAZERS : I See The Moon / STARGAZERS with Dickie VALENTINE : Broken Wings / STARGAZERS : Twenty Tiny Fingers / The Happy Wanderer / A-Round The Corner / STARGAZERS with The Ray ELLINGTON : Feet Up / STARGAZERS : Somebody / Mangos / Zambesi / STARGAZERS with Jimmy YOUNG : One Moment More / STARGAZERS with Dick JAMES : My Truly Truly Fair / STARGAZERS : The Day Of Jubilo / STARGAZERS with Dennis LOTIS : Look At The Girl / STARGAZERS : Hot Diggity / Who Is It (It's The Milkman) / Sugarbush / Crazy Otto Rag / Close The Door |
| 2006 | CD Delta 26531 (UK) |
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Broken Wings - STARGAZERS with Dickie VALENTINE : Broken Wings / STARGAZERS : Sugarbush / I See The Moon / STARGAZERS with Dennis LOTIS : Look At The Girl / STARGAZERS : The Happy Wanderer / A-Round The Corner / STARGAZERS with Dickie VALENTINE : Finger Of Suspicion / STARGAZERS : Vaya Con Dios / STARGAZERS with Jimmy YOUNG : One Moment More / STARGAZERS : The Day Of Jubilo / STARGAZERS with Dick JAMES : My Truly Truly Fair / STARGAZERS : Make It Soon / STARGAZERS with Ray ELLINGTON : Feet Up / STARGAZERS : Somebody / STARGAZERS with Stanley BLACK & Dick JAMES : Mary Rose / STARGAZERS : Bonnie Bonnie Charlie / I Love Love, Love It / Crazy Otto Rag / Close The Door / Eh Cumpari / The Gathering Of The Clans / Twenty Tiny Fingers / The Tender Trap |
| 05/2007 | CD Hallmark 706722 (UK) |
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Broken Wings - Broken Wings / I See The Moon / Happy Wanderer / Finger Of Suspicion / Somebody / Crazy Otto Rag / Close The Door / Twenty Tiny Fingers / Hot Diggity (Dog Ziggity Boom) / Make It Soon / Eh Cumpari / (Love Is) The Tender Trap / Around The Corner / Just A Dream Or Two Ago / Look At That Girl / One Moment More / An Old Beer Bottle / Rockin' And Rollin' / Sugarbush / Old Days Of Jubilo / Little Fir Tree / Zambesi |
© Rocky Productions 9/02/2019
