Why Didn't the Shadows Chart in North America?

[admin]

I first learned of the Shadows when I heard records by Cliff Richard such as Bachelor Boy and Summer Holiday.

Cliff soon left the charts in North America and I don't ever recall hearing a Shadows song in the charts in Canada in the 1960s.

How is it that such a talented and popular instrumental group had little impact in Canada and the United States as far as the charts went?

[nick_allen]

Quite possibly record company politics for one thing. Remember Capitol flatly refused to issue the first FOUR Beatles singles... Also they may well have felt that whatever the market for guitar instrumentals, there was already a sufficient supply in the States - Duane Eddy, Ventures, Dick Dale, Link Wray and a multitude of other one-hit bands, studio bands (Champs), etc.

[royclough]

At the time The Shadows were riding high in UK before the beat boom, very few UK acts had any success in states.

Cliff and the Shadows did one tour then and according to them it went well, but I suppose to be a success they would have need to spend more time in States.

Radio stations chose to play Jorgen Ingmann's version of Apache, plus the Shadows first releases in States were under the name The Four Jets if memory serves me right.

There was already a band called The Shadows who backed Bobby Vee, Bobby's older brother was a member and as they already had been forced to change name from Drifters to Shadows, that was probably a reason.


Hank sometimes tells a great tale, though doubt it's true,of time they played Lubbock where of course Buddy Holly was from, he says he was playing alone on stage one afternoon and BH's father was watching.

"Seeing me on stage with the Fender, Horn rimmed glasses,probably brought memories back, he walked up to me, looking a bit emotional, he took my hand" and said.

"Can you get me Cliff's autograph"

[gemini_iii]

I was in the British Merchant Navy during the very early sixties, and our ship called into Port Alberni, Vancouver Island in December 1963. A guitarist friend and I walked into the town to top up with fresh strings etc., and bumped into a guy in a music store (Holloway's). He said he was in a local band - The Belaires - and they were playing that evening. We went along (this is a greatly cut-down version of events), and I recall that they played F.B.I. I was greatly envious of all the Fenders on stage !! Shads' stuff was certainly around, then. I've been back since, even to Cherry Creek Hall where the gig was. Happy days.......