Plattermen
From Left: Ray Moore,Billy McGinty,Sean "Kingsize"
Hamilton (Died July 2003)
Pat Chesters,Leo Doran,Arty McGlynn,
Brian Coll,Johnny Murphy
The Band was formed by Mr. Brendan O'Donnell,
in 1959,
Brian Coll did not join until some time later,
he only stayed around for approx 2 yrs when
he left to form his own band.
Aiden O'Neill was the first vocalist with
Sean Hamilton Singing Rock-
Davey Thornton and Simon Scott replaced Coll
and then each other -
Rob Strong
joined when Arty McGlinn and Sean left.
I was Band leader and manager in the early
sixties as Brendan left to become an Accountant.
The band was first called The Melody Boys
-
changed to the Platters
then the Platters Paramount Showband then
The Plattermen and made a record in London
under the name Hammer.........
Regards Pat Chesters.
The Plattermen,(Orignally name The Platters)
were one of the country's foremost 60s showbands.
The band enjoyed huge success, not only in Ireland,
but tours also brought them to Britain, Canada and the States.
Television and recording work also kept them busy throughout the
following decade.
Brian Coll
A native of Omagh, County Tyrone, Brian Coll
has been one of the stalwarts of the
Irish country music scene for over four decades.
Having gained his first break as lead vocalist
in the 1960's showband the Polka Dots,
Coll formed his own band, The Plattermen,
and later Buckaroos, in 1968.
Among his many hit singles, both These Are
My Mountains , and Home Town On The Foyle
enjoyed long runs on the Irish pop charts.
A True Legend To Country Music,
is how we can best describe Brian Coll.
Brian has topped the Country Music
Charts for over 40 Years,
and is one of the most sought after
artists in the business,
with top hits, top selling albums,
Brian Coll is indeed a household name,
not only in Ireland, but from UK
to the USA.
He has performed with practically
every singer right across the country music world,
and he is singing today as he was
40 years ago
His brother Frank fronted the Big
Valley
Brian Coll recorded " I'll Take You Home Again Kathleen"
"The Rose Of Tralee" and "Ireland Swings "
A popular song from the era by Brian Coll and the Plattermen had
the lines
"Dickie, The Capitol, The Royal Blues/And not forgetting
Brendan and his Hucklebuck Shoes."
Ace Guitarist--Arty
McGlynn
Played with The Plattermen and Brian Coll's
Band The Buckaroos
Also with Frankie McBride and the Polkadots
The Platters were playing, and though I wasn’t madly struck on Brian
Coll’s country and Western yodelling,
my eyes were drawn to a painfully thin, shy youngster playing a
huge red Gibson 335.
The most wonderful sounds were coming from his creamy coloured Fender
amplifier
and it was the first time I would see, and more importantly hear,
Arty McGlynn.
He looked like a child in the company of adults.
The Plattermen, originally called the Platters, were a high class
musically strong outfit,
indeed quite a contrast to many of the Showbands then who were mascarading
as musicians.
Led by the legendary Pat Chester and Ray Moore, it was strange that
the
Plattermen would employ a wet-behind-the-ears 14-year-old.
But Arty McGlynn was no weak link in the band. He was an exceptional
musician,
with exquisite taste and a penchant for perfection.
Always looking for the exact right tone,the exact right sound.
Whenever Arty McGlynn appeared in the locality I, a budding guitarist,
was there, in front of the stage, gazing in rapt concentration while
trying to fathom
out how he got the sounds he did.
Needless to say I never find out, and over a span of time I grudgingly
came to except that
those sounds, those clear, haunting pitch-perfect rifts, runs and
chords were not to be mine:
they belonged exclusively to Arty McGlynn and they were the
hallmarks of an extraordinary musical genius.
Arty McGlynn was replaced by guitarist Alan McCartney
Alan also played with Clubsound
Courtesy of Liam O'Reilly Collection
