The Four Pennies
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The Four Pennies were an English, 1960s pop group.
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[edit] Career
Their biggest success Stateside, was with their song "Black Girl", which was first made popular by Lead Belly, and brought out in 1964. However, in their homeland the group was more famous for having a Number one hit in the UK Singles Chart in the same year, with "Juliet" (Fryer/Wilsh). Initially, their self penned ballad was only intended to be released as a "B" side (b/w "Tell Me Girl"). Interestingly, it was the only 1964 Number one by a UK group, not to chart in America. They finally folded in 1966, when their last single release "No More Sad Songs For Me", failed to chart.
The group's 1965 hit, "Until It's Time for You to Go", written by Buffy Sainte-Marie, was recorded by Elvis Presley in 1972.
After the band's break up, Fritz Fryer formed "Fritz, Mike and Mo" and worked as record producer for Motörhead among others.
[edit] Band members
- Lionel Morton - Vocalist / Rhythm Guitarist - born Lionel Walmsley, 14 August 1942, Blackburn, Lancashire, England
- Fritz Fryer - Lead Guitarist - born David Roderick Carney Fryer, 6 December 1944 Oldham, Lancashire — died 2 September 2007, Lisbon, Portugal, from pancreatic cancer.[1][2]
- Alan Buck - Drummer - born 7 April 1943, Brierfield, Burnley, Lancashire — died (date not known).[3]
- Mike Wilsh - Bassist / Keyboards / Vocalist - born Michael Wilshaw, 21 July 1945, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire
For a fairly short time, late 1965 to early 1966, Fryer left the band and was replaced by David Graham, a highly-regarded guitarist from Reading, Berkshire. Graham left when Fryer returned to the line-up.
[edit] Discography
[edit] Singles
- 1964 "Do You Want Me To" / "Miss Bad Daddy", Philips BF 1296 (UK #47)
- 1964 "Juliet" / "Tell Me Girl", Philips BF 1322 (UK #1)
- 1964 "I Found Out The Hard Way" / "Don't Tell Me You Love Me" (UK #14)
- 1964 "Black Girl" / "You Went Away" (UK #20)
- 1965 "The Way of Love" / "A Place Where No One Goes"
- 1965 "Until It's Time For You To Go" / "Till Another Day" (UK #19)
- 1966 "Trouble Is My Middle Name" / "Way Out Love" (UK #32)
- 1966 "Keep The Freeway Open" / "Square Peg"
- 1966 "No More Sad Songs For Me" / "Cats"
[edit] Album
- 1964 Two Sides of The Four Pennies (UK #13)
[edit] Trivia
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Trivia sections are discouraged under Wikipedia guidelines. The article could be improved by integrating relevant items and removing inappropriate ones. |
- The Four Pennies' lead vocalist, Lionel Morton was, at one time, married to the actress, Julia Foster.
- Alan Buck had drummed for both Joe Brown's Bruvvers, and Johnny Kidd's Pirates, prior to joining The Four Pennies.
- The group's name came after a meeting above the Blackburn music shop owned by Mary Reidy, the shop being situated on 'Penny Street' where it is still located today as "Reidy's Home of Music".[4] The name was chosen as a more commercial alternative to 'The Lionel Morton Four'. The shop is still owned by the Reidy family.
[edit] References
- ^ Musical Map Of East Lancashire (from This Is Lancashire)
- ^ RedTram News Search Engine | News on "Economics & Finance" everywhere
- ^ Knowhere Contacts UK: Burnley
- ^ Musical Map Of East Lancashire (from This Is Lancashire)
- Guinness Book of British Hit Singles - 16th Edition - ISBN 0-85112-190-X
- Guinness Book of British Hit Albums - 7th Edition - ISBN 0-85112-619-7
- Guinness Book of 500 Number One Hits - ISBN 0-85112-250-7
