Muriel Day & The Night Squad

L-R Alan Cranny, Eddie McCann, Muriel Day,
 Aidan Scannell, Pat Morris & Billy Burns (R.I.P.)
In 1969 Muriel Day represented Ireland at Eurovision, setting a number of records along the way. As well as being the first female to sing for Ireland, she was also the first of many performers from Northern Ireland to sing the Irish Eurovision song. Like her Irish Eurovision predecessors she was an established name from the showband circuit, but unlike them her song was an uptempo contemporary pop song. "The wages of love" managed to hold Marvin Gaye's "classic "I heard It through the grapevine" off the top spot at the time. In the infamous year of four winners, the Irish entry which came 7th in the contest, was the only chart topper in this country, although the U.K. entry also made the chart.
Muriel also sang with The Saint's Showband and Dave Glover Showband

Billy Price here,
I played guitar for Muriel back in the 70's when I was in my twenty's and I've lost track of her but I believe she is still here in Canada. 'Mo' and Eddie McCann pretty much taught me the business or I should say I learned by watching and listening, she was to this day the absolute consomate entertainer and great singer and by far the most professional musician I've had the pleasure of working with, I'm not sure of the exact years I played in her band here in Kingston Ont. Canada but I believe it was the mid seventys, the band was five piece,
Muriel, Eddie(bass), Jack Proacher(incredible drummer),Jon willis(keys) and me Billy Price (guitar),
Muriel and Eddie married I believe but don't quote me on that, Muriel used to talk quite a bit about the
Dave Glover band and how strict it was back then as I guess he demanded the band to be
dressed and clean shaven at all times

 Eddie McCann lives here in Kingston Ont. and I see him from time to time but we don't keep in touch as he doesn't play anymore, as far as nationality I'm Canadian as of course you've figured out,
If I can find any pictures of old band studio shots I'll certainly send them to you for your site,
the band with Muriel was the Night Squad when she came here to Canada and of course it
changed members quite a bit but I'll try and dig up some photos
I still play live and do a fair bit of studio but it certainly is not like it was all those years ago,..............Billy

Billy Price
bprice@cogeco.ca
 

-->