Showaddywaddy - Band Members

Band Members

The original Showaddywaddy line-up was:

• Dave Bartram (born 23 March 1952, Leicester) — vocals;
• Buddy Gask (born William Gask, 18 December 1945, Leicester – 7 June 2011, Spain) — vocals;
• Russ Field (born James Lewis Russell Field, 1 September 1949, Berwick Upon Tweed) — lead guitar;
• Trevor Oakes (born Trevor Leslie Oakes, 9 September 1946, Leicester) — guitar;
• Al James (born Geoffrey Betts, 13 January 1946, Leicester) — bass;
• Rod Deas (born 13 February 1948, Scarborough, North Yorkshire) — bass;
• Malcolm "Duke" Allured (born 27 August 1945, Leicester) — drums;
• Romeo Challenger (born 19 May 1950, St John's, Antigua, West Indies) — drums.

Malcolm Allured left the group in 1984, followed by Russ Field in 1985, and Buddy Gask in 1987. Al James retired from the band in 2008, playing his last gig with the band at The Cheese & Grain in Frome, Somerset, on 20 December 2008. In early 2009, Trevor Oakes decided to take a break from the band due to ill health. He left the band and officially retired on 1 May 2009, meaning his last gig was also at The Cheese & Grain.

Danny Willson also left the band during 2009 to join Martin Turner's Wishbone Ash, and his last gig was in Denmark on 8 August. Willson had been in the band since 1995, and replaced Ray Martinez who had a ten year stint in the band, having replaced the departing Russ Field in 1985. Trevor Oakes is the father of footballers Scott Oakes and Stefan Oakes. Contrary to popular belief, Challenger is not the father of footballer Dion Dublin but is the father of Benjamin Challenger who trialled for Leicester City F.C. before playing basketball for Leicester Riders then moving into athletics, gained medals in the high jump at the 2002 and the 1998 Commonwealth Games. Gask retired to Spain in 2005, and died in 2011 after suffering with ill health for a number of years, whilst Field runs a guest house with his wife in Beadnell, Northumberland. Allured owns a nightclub called MFN at Shipley Gate, Eastwood, Nottinghamshire.

Lead singer Dave Bartram left Showaddywaddy on 3 December 2011 after 38 years fronting the band, and his last gig was at the Kings Hall Theatre in Ilkley, West Yorkshire. Bartram continues as the band's manager, a role he has undertaken since 1986. The Ilkley gig also marked saxophonist David Graham's last gig, who had been touring with the band since August 2009.

The remaining originals, Deas and Challenger, continued to perform, along with guitarist Paul Dixon (a member since December 2008), and new members Andy Pelos (lead vocals), Dean Loach (keyboards) and Rob Hewins (drums).