The Millionaires Showband ( Dublin )
“ Who wants to be a Millionaire”, the phrase has became synonomous
with
Chris Tarrant hosting the popular TV quiz show, but back in 1963
– 64 , six young men and a
young lady were Millionaires when they became founder members
of the showband bearing that name.
Recruited from Cookstown,s Grafton Showband
were guitarist Mickey Conn , Bassist Joe Doherty , later to become known
as “The Yoddeling Twins”, Vocalist Bridget McAnearney ,who adopted the
Stage name
Penny Trent, sax player Gene Bannon joined from the Pat
Cambell Showband and Castleblaney Trumpeter Tommy Walsh played their
fist gig in Dublin,s Crystal Ballroom on Boxing Night 1964 under the management
of Drummer Johnny Davitt.
In 1965, Tommy Walsh left the band and was replaced by well known Tuam Trumpeter Jimmy Higgins who had been a founder member of the International Showband in Manchester . He was joined by Trombonist Billy Doyle and drummer Mick O, Brien and with the “Yoddeling Twins” already a big hit on RTE.,s show “Hoedown” the band really took off and were soon to prove that they were a big hit with dancers at home and abroad. They covered the home circuit countrywide and also the usual Lenten trips to the U K, but it was four trips to the USA and also across the border to Canada that really proved they were a popular outfit. Back home , the band appeared on RTE,s Showband Show and the Go 2 Show. As Jimmy Higgins told me “We had a good musical outfit playing a mixed genre of music and in Mickey Conn and Joe Doherty we had two great vocalists.”
The lads recorded their first single featuring the Duo
Conn and Doherty entitled “Winter Winds” and followed this with a Tommy
Swarbrigg composition “The Natural Thing to Do” featuring some great
“ riffs” by the potent brass section. Penny Trent left the band to join
the Enniskillen based Skyrockets where she
changed her stage name to Penny Starr. She was replaced by Terry Cassidy
who adopted the name Terry Cash continuing “the money theme” in their stage
names. Drummer Mick O,Brien , who had obtained his pilots licence left
to join the staff of Aer Lingus was replaced by Alfie Merrigan who had
been with the Skyrockets. The band played support to many visiting artists
including Dusty Springfield and the Seekers when they toured Ireland. Their
publicity handouts were well planned and many contained images of dollar
notes and other currencies. The also appeared on the inside cover of the
1966 showband annual posing with the latest model of the Volkswagen minibus,
good publicity indeed!. To quote Jimmy Higgins “They were a happy band
and I spent three and a half great years with them until they finally called
it a day in 1970”. Where are they now ? Well Joe Doherty is still involved
in music as is Alfie Merrigan. Gene Bannon runs a pub in his native Cootehill
and fronts his own jazzband, and
Jimmy Higgis is a presenter with Galway Bay FM.. So if you,re in
that area tune into Jimmy every Thursday night between 8 and 10 pm. where
you will hear him echo those immortal words
“ That,s all for now , Your next Dance please”
John Baird
The Millionaires were formed in 1964
Gene Bannon,(Breakaways)(Drifters)(Times)Tommy
Walsh Trumpet later replaced by
Jimmy Higgins ( Paramount,
International,Raindrops,
Big
Time) now a DJ on
Galway
Bay FM
Trombonist Billy Doyle and drummer Mick O'Brien
Moving from The Grafton Showband
were Guitarist Michael Conn Bassist Joe Doherty,and Penny Trent
Penny Trent
left to join The Skyrockets
(as Penny Starr)
Courtesy of Liam O'Reilly Collection
