Country and Western Band Photos (A through B)
- 202 photos
Click on letters for sorted photos
A-B C
D-H
I-L
M-P
Q-Z
Big Tom
On this page, we pay tribute to the hundreds of country bands that entertained Irish audiences back in the "good old days."
After the steam ran out of the showband engine, bands generally disbanded or
regrouped as either "pop" or "country." In the beginning, the bands played the
same circuit as the ballrooms were large enough to accommodate alternating pop
and country nights outfits without affecting attendance. However, as the
ballroom crowds shrunk and more hotels got into the dance business, the gigs got
more specialized, further increasing competition among the bands.
"Country music"
nights became a regular feature of hotels and clubs around the
country. Country acts also found it easier to move into the cabaret
scene. While discos appealed to the young crowds, in the end, it was
the country segment of the industry that survived the longest. Most
likely, this was because of the broader appeal of country music to
an aging audience.
One of the most unusual aspects of the Irish
country scene was the "invention" of a new musical style particular
to Ireland, dubbed "Country and Irish." With the success of artists
like Big Tom, Margo, Larry Cunningham, Philomena Begley, and others,
this new style of bastardized country music took the dancing public
by storm, while also creating a divide between those that enjoyed
the new music and those that preferred their country music on the
"western" side. As American country music (on which the Irish model
had been based) continued to morph through the seventies and
eighties, the Irish version remain relatively unchanged, causing
some critics to further deride the music as unoriginal and without
merit.
If anyone takes exception to having these photos exhibited on our website, please let us know and we'll
remove them immediately. Thanks. By the way, if you know where any of these bands are today, please click here.
Acknowledgements: Our special thanks to Shaun Magee, Dick Lynott, David Dwane, Anthony Grace, Francis Kennedy, Teddie Palmer,
Jan Lynch, Kathleen Smith, Declan Colgan, Peter Kinsey, Joe Dodd, Brian "Shorty" O'Kane, Andy
Monk, and Alan Carr for additional photos. All photos are identified with
contributor's initials (see full details at
bottom of page).
Click on a thumbnail photo to see a full size image
and additional information.
