Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube
    Nostalgia Central
    • Home
    • Blog
      • Lists
    • Television
      • TV by Decade
        • TV – 1950s
        • TV – 1960s
        • TV – 1970s
        • TV – 1980s
        • TV – 1990s
      • Comedy
      • Drama
      • Kids TV
      • Variety
      • News & Sport
      • Advertisements
    • Music
      • Music by Decade
        • Music – 1950s
        • Music – 1960s
        • Music – 1970s
        • Music – 1980s
        • Music – 1990s
      • Artists – A to K
        • Artists – A
        • Artists – B
        • Artists – C
        • Artists – D
        • Artists – E
        • Artists – F
        • Artists – G
        • Artists – H
        • Artists – I
        • Artists – J
        • Artists – K
      • Artists – L to Z
        • Artists – L
        • Artists – M
        • Artists – N
        • Artists – O
        • Artists – P
        • Artists – Q
        • Artists – R
        • Artists – S
        • Artists – T
        • Artists – U
        • Artists – V
        • Artists – W
        • Artists – X
        • Artists – Y
        • Artists – Z
      • Artists – 0 to 9
      • Genres
      • Music on Film & TV
      • One-Hit Wonders
      • Playlists
      • Online Radio
    • Movies
      • Movies by Decade
        • Movies – 1950s
        • Movies – 1960s
        • Movies – 1970s
        • Movies – 1980s
        • Movies – 1990s
      • Movies – 0 to 9
      • Movies – A to K
        • Movies – A
        • Movies – B
        • Movies – C
        • Movies – D
        • Movies – E
        • Movies – F
        • Movies – G
        • Movies – H
        • Movies – I
        • Movies – J
        • Movies – K
      • Movies – L to Z
        • Movies – L
        • Movies – M
        • Movies – N
        • Movies – O
        • Movies – P
        • Movies – Q
        • Movies – R
        • Movies – S
        • Movies – T
        • Movies – U
        • Movies – V
        • Movies – W
        • Movies – X
        • Movies – Y
        • Movies – Z
    • Pop Culture
      • Fads
      • Toys & Games
      • Fashion
      • Decor
      • Food & Drink
      • People
      • Technology
      • Transport
    • Social History
      • 1950s Year by Year
      • 1960s Year by Year
      • 1970s Year by Year
      • 1980s Year by Year
      • 1990s Year by Year
      • Events
    Nostalgia Central
    Home»Music»Artists - A to K»Artists - F
    Artists - F Music - 1960s 3 Mins Read

    Fortunes, The

    Share
    Facebook Twitter Pinterest WhatsApp Reddit Email

    The Fortunes began life as a Birmingham-Welsh vocal trio fronting The Cliftones – whose repertoire was based around easy-listening songs (including Maria from West Side Story).

    With the coming of the Beat Boom the singers, Rodney Allen, Glen Dale and Barry Pritchard – now sporting electric guitars and bass – began auditioning for an organist (David Carr) and a drummer (Andy Brown).

    Under the watchful eye of manager Reg Calvert, they retained their smart suits and haircuts while scrutinising the latest material by the likes of Gene Pitney and Dionne Warwick for inclusion in their act.

    Their debut single (Summertime Summertime) passed without notice, but after their second single, Caroline, was adopted as the theme tune of the Pirate Radio station of the same name, it was only a matter of a year before You’ve Got Your Troubles.

    Their second hit, Here It Comes Again, was once more heavily orchestrated by Les Reed and characterised by an overdubbed vocal counterpoint by Barry Pritchard near the finale. It was unfortunate that on this occasion, it seemed to fade in on a flatulent vulgarity which rhymed with ‘heart’ at the end of the next line . . .

    Before their chart run ended with This Golden Ring in April 1966, The Fortunes chose to reveal that, though they were competent instrumentalists in concert, session players had been used in the studio. This mattered little in itself as their records relied heavily on massed strings and overdubbed vocals anyway. But the realisation that Glen, Barry and Rod were the only members of the band actually heard on their A-sides certainly damaged their career.

    Though there were other exposes of British bands not playing on their own records (such as Hedgehoppers Anonymous and Love Affair), the media gave The Fortunes’ confession much unwelcome coverage, which could be linked with their failure to make the Top 50 again until 1970.

    To make matters worse, their manager was shot dead in a dispute over the ownership of the UK pirate station, Radio City.

    Their 10th single, The Idol, was a fundamental departure from the orchestral backings that made them. Even aired by ‘underground’ DJ John Peel, it was an intelligent effort in the style of The Hollies – and played by The Fortunes themselves this time.

    By 1980 though, they were singing the praises of a fizzy drink in a TV commercial and these days sustain themselves on the cabaret circuit, albeit with extremely changed personnel.

    Rodney Allen
    Vocals, bass
    Glen Dale

    Guitar
    Barry Pritchard

    Guitar, vocals
    David Carr

    Organ
    Andy Brown

    Drums

    Related Posts

    • Amen Corner
      Amen Corner
      Although it's also the name of a 1954 play by James Baldwin, Amen Corner took their name from a weekly…
    • Sharon Tandy
      Sharon Tandy
      If there was any justice in the world, Johannesburg-born Sharon Tandy (born Sharon Finkelstein) would have been up there with Dionne…
    • Blossoms, The
      Blossoms, The
      When The Blossoms first formed in 1963 it was as a vocal backing group for other artists recording for Phil…
    • Peter Jay & The Jaywalkers
      Peter Jay & The Jaywalkers
      Originally based in East Anglia (they formed at a Norwich college), The Jaywalkers pre-dated the British Beat Boom but scored…
    • Doris Troy
      Doris Troy
      Born Doris Elaine Higginsen in the Bronx, she later took her grandmother's name and grew up as Doris Payne. Her…
    • Flowers
      Flowers
      Flowers was formed in Sydney (Australia) in 1977 by classically trained musician Iva Davies and bass player Keith Welsh. They were…
    • Chambers Brothers, The
      Chambers Brothers, The
      Like their West Coast contemporaries Sly and the Family Stone, The Chambers Brothers shattered racial and musical divides to forge…
    • Electric Flag, The
      Electric Flag, The
      The Electric Flag made their debut at the Monterey Festival in 1967 with Mike Bloomfield on guitar and Buddy Miles…

    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest WhatsApp Reddit Email
    Previous ArticleForeigner
    Next Article Fotheringay

    Comments are closed.

    Follow us
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
    • Instagram
    You May Also Like
    • Savage Innocents, The (1961)
      Visually stunning – colour and Cinemascope allow director […]
    • Xenon
      It wasn’t like pinball machines hadn’t been sexy […]
    • Jungle Jim
      1 9 5 5 (USA) 26 x 30 minute episodes This weekly half-hour […]
    • Dangerous Profession, A (1950)
      Former LA cop Vince Kane (George Raft) and not too scrupulous […]
    • Last Waltz, The (1978)
      This record of The Band‘s last concert – after […]
    • Honey, I Shrunk The Kids (1989)
      Disney revived the bumbling inventor comedy of The Absent-Minded […]
    Twitter Feed
    Please note


    Nostalgia Central covers the period 1950 to 1999 and contains some words and references which reflect the attitudes of those times and which may be considered culturally sensitive, offensive or inappropriate today.
    Popular Tags
    1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1975 1976 Action Figures Amicus Arcade games Australia Beach movies Beatles Blaxploitation Board games Britpop Canada Crime Disco Disney Doo-Wop Elvis Presley Girl groups Glam Goth Hammer Heavy Metal Irwin Allen Labels Merseybeat Mod revival Motown New Romantic New Wave NWOBHM Oi! One-hit wonders Power Pop Pub rock Punk Radio Scotland Ska Soul music Surf music
    Search Nostalgia Central
    Copyright © 1998, 2022 Nostalgia Central
    • About
    • Contact
    • FAQ

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.