British Invasion Artists Not from England Quiz

Answer: Pete Best

Randolph Peter "Pete" Best was born in the city of Madras in India. His mother moved to Liverpool and opened The Casbah Coffee Club in the their cellar. Pete performed there with his group called The Black Jacks and the club became a popular hangout with Liverpool youths including members of the Beatles. In 1960 The Beatles asked Best to play drums for them in Hamburg, Germany.
The Beatles returned to England later the same year without bassist Stu Sutcliffe and reformed to return to Germany in early 1961. After the band's second trip to Germany they auditioned for Decca Records and were rejected. In June of 1962 Brian Epstein notified Best that he was not longer with the band.
Stu Sutcliffe was born in Edinburgh, Scotland. George and Ringo were born in Liverpool.

Answer: Danny Williams

Danny Williams was born in Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape, South Africa, where he won a talent contest at age 14. He joined a touring show titled The Golden City Dixies which brought him to England. A representative of EMI Records was impressed with Williams and signed him to a contract. He recorded a few singles and struggled for chart success until he released a UK Number One recording of "Moon River".
Danny then starred in a movie with Billy Fury titled "Play It Cool" (1962) and went on tour with Helen Shapiro and The Beatles. After recording "White on White" in 1964 Danny failed to release any further successful singles in the US and left the music business in 1967. He tried to revive his career in the seventies but failed to have another Top Ten hit.
Ian Whitcomb was born in Woking, Surrey, England. Billy Fury was born Ronald Wycherley in Liverpool and Adam Faith hails from London.

Answer: The Bachelors

The Bachelors formed in 1957 in Dublin as an instrumental harmonica group calling themselves The Harmonichords. They gained international attention playing "Danny Boy" when Ed Sullivan broadcast a St. Patrick's day show from Dublin. They were signed to Decca Records in 1962, changing their name to The Bachelors. They began releasing records in the UK and achieved chart success in America in 1964 with the Number Ten hit "Diane" and the Top Forty single "No Arms Can Ever Hold You".
Their live shows were known for record-breaking attendance wherever they performed. The original lineup of Conleth (Con) Cluskey, Declan (Dec) Cluskey and John Stokes remained together until 1984.
The Tremeloes formed in Dagenham, East London. The Pretty Things were from London and The Fortunes formed in Birmingham, England.

Answer: Glasgow, Scotland

Donovan Philips Leitch was born in Maryhill, Glasgow. As a young boy he contracted polio which left him with a limp. When he was ten years old his parents relocated to Little Berkhamsted in Hertfordshire, England, to get treatment for his polio. By the time Donovan was 14 he was influenced by the Folk Music scene and took up the guitar.

He started performing in local pubs and busking with other Folk artists. In 1964 he was offered his first publishing contract and recorded a demo tape featuring ten songs.

The following year he met Bob Dylan when Dylan toured the UK. Donovan was introduced to Mickie Most, a promoter who handled artists including The Animals, Herman's Hermits and Lulu. He released "Catch the Wind" in 1965 which made the US Top Forty.

The following year he topped the US charts with "Sunshine Superman" and took "Mellow Yellow" to Number Two.

Answer: Manfred Mann

Manfred Mann was born Manfred Sepse Lubowitz in Johannesburg, Transvaal, Union of South Africa. He is a keyboard player and a founding member of Manfred Mann, later named Manfred Mann's Earth Band. In the early sixties he was a member of one of South Africa's pioneering Rock bands called The Vikings.

After relocating to England Mann met drummer Mike Hugg and formed the Mann-Hugg Blues Brothers. In 1963 after signing a recording deal with EMI the label suggested naming the band Manfred Mann. After the success of "Do Wah Diddy Diddy" in the US the group became part of the British Invasion. Billy J. Kramer is from Bootle, Lancashire, England. Spencer Davis was born in Swansea, South Wales and Wayne Fontana was born in Manchester, Lancashire, England.

Answer: It's Not Unusual

Tom Jones recorded "It's Not Unusual" as a demo for British singer Sandie Shaw. When she heard his rendition she suggested he release the song himself. The song topped the UK charts and reached Number Ten in the US, launching Jones' career.
Tom was born Thomas John Woodward in Pontypridd South Wales. He became the singer for Tommy Scott and the Senators. Jones came to the attention of a promoter from London. He released the unsuccessful single "Chills and Fever" which he followed with "It's Not Unusual". Jones sang the theme for the James Bond film "Thunderball" (1965) and was awarded a Grammy for Best New Artist for 1966.
"What's New Pussycat?" followed "It's Not Unusual" in 1965 and reached Number Three in the US. "Green, Green Grass Of Home" was released the following year and "I'll Never Fall in Love Again" was released in 1967.

Answer: Them

Van Morrison was one of the original five members of Them. Morrison recruited a group to back him at a local nightspot from local bands and called themselves The Gamblers. Before opening at The Club Rado they changed their name to Them, after a 1954 Horror film of the same name.

The band took the club by storm and ended up with a recording contract with Decca Records. In 1965 they toured England and appeared on "Ready Steady Go". "Here Comes the Night" (1965) and "Mystic Eyes" (1966) became US Top Forty singles.

In 1967 Morrison left for New York to embark on a solo career. The Searchers formed in Liverpool. The Troggs originated in Andover, Hampshire, England. The Zombies formed in 1962 in St Albans, England.

Answer: Shirley Bassey

Shirley Veronica Bassey was born in Tiger Bay, Cardiff, Wales. In 1953 she began her singing career as part of an variety show called "Memories of Jolson". She was unhappy with the music business and returned home to be a waitress. In 1955 she met an agent who urged to utilize her talent and began performing in shows and recording.

In 1957 she had a UK hit with "The Banana Boat Song". In 1962 she made her first appearance on "The Ed Sullivan Show". Three years later she had her only US Top Forty single when she recorded the theme to "Goldfinger".

She continues to perform live and record into the twenty first century. Cilla Black was born Priscilla White in Liverpool, England. Dusty Springfield was named Mary O'Brien at birth in West Hampstead, North London. Marianne Faithfull is from London.

Answer: To Sir, with Love

Glasgow, Scotland, native Marie McDonald McLaughlin Lawrie embarked on her singing career in her early teens with a group called the Bellrocks. By age 15 she had recorded a version of "Shout" for Decca Records using the name Lulu and continued to release successful singles in the UK.

In 1967 she debuted as an actress in "To Sir With Love" and sang the title track. The song reached Number One in the US, becoming a bigger hit for her than in England. The following year she hosted a television show in England. Lulu sang the theme for the James Bond film "The Man with the Golden Gun" in 1974 and appeared in five more films between 1970 and 1999. Nancy Sinatra recorded the theme to "You Only Live Twice" (1967). Neal Hefti recorded the music for "Barefoot in the Park" (1967). "(Theme from) Valley of the Dolls" is a 1967 Dionne Warwick single.

Answer: True

Gordon was a native Scotsman and met Peter Asher while the pair were attending Westminster School. They promptly formed a duo and began creating their unique harmonies. Peter's sister, Jane, was dating Paul McCartney who wrote "A World Without Love" (as Lennon-McCartney) which the group recorded. "A World Without Love" topped both the US and UK charts, becoming the first and biggest of their many successful singles.

In 1968 the duo disbanded and Waller released a solo album entitled "And Gordon".

In 1971 he performed as The Pharaoh in a London production of "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat". In February, 2009, Gordon reunited with Asher performing at the Surf Ballroom marking the 50th anniversary of "The Day The Music Died". He died later that year.