"Paddy Joe O, Donnell  Keynotes performing with Paddy Cole,s Band
Leo's Tavern, Meenaleck, Crolly, County Donegal
John Baird
THE PADDY COLE SUPERSTARS
 The name of Paddy Cole needs no introduction to anyone interested in music, especially Jazz.
The virtuoso sax / clarinettist started in Maurice Lynch, s band from Castleblaney at an early age ,
then to the Capitol Showband, and finally as bandleader of the newly formed Big 8,
featuring ex Royal Showband stars, Brendan Bowyer and Tom Dunphy who were resident in Las Vegas
 

In 1974 , Paddy and his family decided to return to Ireland ,and after a sttling in period adjusting
to Irish life again, Paddy decided to form a new band. Aided and abetted by Tony Loughman Promotions,
and with the help of breakaway members of the Big 8, the Paddy Cole Superstars were born.
The line up of this brilliant band was : Paddy Cole(Bandleader/ Sax./ Clar.) Mickie O, Neill (Drums)
Mike Dalton (Bass),Michael Keane (Keyboards), Jimmy Conway (Guitar/Vocals)
Pat Morris (Trombone/ Vocals ) , Ray Moore (Trumpet / Keyboards)
and Twink (Edel King) Lead female vocalist.
They played their first gig in the Fiesta Ballroom , Letterkenny in the summer of 1974.
The “Superstars” were a band projecting a pop style image but being led by the versatile Cole
they could play anything , from Jazz, Country, Traditional, to the out and out pop classics of the day,
and in Pat Morris and Twink , they had an excellent  vocal duo.
They were hughely popular up North and on one occasion while playing in Cookstown,
there were 1200-1400 people in the hall before they even played a note.
They completed a successful Canadian tour , but elected to concentrate on the home circuit
even though Las Vegas promoter Rocky Sennes wanted them to go out there.
They also recorded two two excellent albums featuring most of the band members.
Three members of the band however decided to return to the Big 8in 1975, but Paddy Cole,s policy
was to replace them with  new and in some cases , better musicians so in came
the vastly experienced brothers , Tony and Colm Hughes along with Jimmy Smyth and
Micky McCarthy from Castleblaney and bassist Pat Sharkey from Derry .

John Baird

Having played with a number of bands(The Maurice Lynch Showband) from  around the country in his youth,
Paddy Cole shot to fame as the sax player with the Capitol Showband, which had several No. 1 hits
throughout the 60s both at home and abroad.
Later he joined the Big 8 Showband, which enjoyed equal success.
The band proved a huge hit in Las Vegas where they spent six months each year,
earning a world-wide reputation for their nightly performances.

  Back in Ireland, Paddy toured the country with his own band, the All Stars which were hugely popular
 with audiences North and South. During his long career in the music industry, Paddy has led tours of the
   USA and Canada, as well as frequent appearances on radio, TV and film. Each year, for the past five years, the band has gone to New Orleans, the home of jazz, and, as a result, have been featured in many
    American Society gigs.

They have also been to the Middle Eastern countries of Dubai, Qatar,Bahrain.
 In 1993 Paddy Cole was awarded 'Showbiz Personality of the Year'. In 1995 Paddy hosted his own TV
 series on RTE for 12 weeks, 'Craic 'n' Cole', which featured top Irish guest acts.
Today the Paddy Cole  All Stars are renowned for their Dixieland jazz music as well as an
outstanding repertoire of sixties Rock   'n Roll standards.
They possesse that rare ability of being able to transmit their own enthusiasm for the
     music they play to their audience.
The result is always the same a enthusiastic response and a spontaneous demand for more

From John Bairds collection
bairdart@iol.ie