1960s. We have done our very best to track down information. Should any of our regular readers or
posters have any additional information to offer we, along with the person posing the initial
question, would be grateful to receive it.
It was difficult to find extensive information however here are the notes that we have been able to"My wife's granddad's brother was in a black band from Liverpool called the Inn Crowd, but we cannot
find any information on them on the internet and he wants to find any information on them that he
can, as his brother passed on many years ago. All that I can tell you was they were the 1st black
band to be signed by EMI and that there were 4 members in the group. They were Walter Quarless,
Tony, Little Wally and I think the other member was George. There is a poster up in the Liverpool
Museums' music display at the moment, but any other information you could provide would be greatly
appreciated."
compile at present based on some digging by Mr. Geoff Hogarth. We offer the following hodgepodge of
comments that we believe to be close to the truth. Should we be in error or failed to cite the
original author we invite you correction and hope you will be patient with us. As always, trying to
research the 50s and 60s is a difficult task. We will do our best to comment on the personalities
that you have mentioned in your brief description of the group.
Mr. George Dixen, a Liverpool musician, was perhaps best known as a member of one of the best
harmony groups to come out of the famous shipping hub, The Inn Crowd. As the story goes,George was
released from the army in 1958. Shortly thereafter, he started playing guitar with friends Wally
Quarless and Norman Frazer. Perfectionists they would practice a song Whether owing to military
discipline or a family compulsive trait George was a perfectionist who, along with his band mates,
would "practice a song for weeks on end until it was exactly right."
As luck would have it the group would eventually obtain a booking in the White House where they
performed their first gig. This venue, as you might have guessed was not in Washington, D.C but a
public house in Duke Street. Commensurate with the wages of the day, it is reputed that they
received the tidy sum of £4 for their talents. Before long they apparently became quite popular with
the patrons of this pub such that they were regular performers at the Club from playing Friday to
Monday.
As happens with most communities, after a while word spread of the Inn Crowd and many other groups
stopped by to watch them play on Monday nights. Folklore has it that, in particular, two lads always
dressed in black from a new group called the Beatles were often in attendance.
The Inn Crowd continued to play at the White House for a further five years before Norman Frazier
was the first to leave. About the same time George Dixen, then taking saxophone lessons, convinced
Gerry Stewart to join the band. Gerry Stewart was known to the music community having been a regular
with a Blues' group at The Blue Angel. Shortly after the group would welcome Gerry's brother-in-law
Dave Stead.
A new group was then formed with Tony Fayle as lead singer and with the introduction of John Carney
George Dixon and Wally Quarless formed the 'In Crowd.' Notice the change in spelling to accompanying
the new group. The group took on the residency at the Masonic Pub in Berry Street Liverpool for a
couple of years. John Carney left was replaced by Tony Adams a young singer who was only sixteen with an outstanding voice. The group would turn professional and toured Europe for a time. It is believed that he group played together until 1976.
In the meantime, George Dixen had the group in 1971 about eighteen months before he joined a new group called 'Just Us.' Just Us was comprised of George Dixen, Willie Wenton, Ken Ross, Dave Stead and Eric Hanson and apparently stayed together for five years.
At the time of this posting we are seeking the knowledge of Joey Ankerah who we hope will fill in
the blanks for us. Of course, we would dearly love to have additional information to add to the
story including recordings and photos were possible. Your patience is appreciated and your critiques of this history welcomed. We want it to be right.
