The Nashville Teens - History

History

Arthur Sharp began his career in music as the manager of Aerco Records in Woking, Surrey. The group's line-up eventually comprised singers Sharp and Ray Phillips, with former Cruisers Rock Combo members John Hawken (piano), Mick Dunford (guitar), Pete Shannon Harris (bass) and Dave Maine (drums). Roger Groome replaced Maine shortly afterwards but was in turn replaced by Barry Jenkins in 1963, in which year a third vocalist, Terry Crowe, joined briefly and Dunford left, to be replaced by John Allen. (Crowe and Dunford later formed 'The Plebs' with Danny McCulloch and were re-united with Hawken in Renaissance in 1970).

While playing in Hamburg (as several British bands of the era did) the Teens backed Jerry Lee Lewis for his Live at the Star Club, Hamburg album, widely considered one of the greatest live rock and roll albums ever. Music critic Stephen Thomas Erlewine writes, "Live at the Star Club is extraordinary, the purest, hardest rock & roll ever committed to record."

They later backed Carl Perkins on his hit single "Big Bad Blues" (May 1964), and also played with Chuck Berry when he toured Britain. At one concert they were spotted by Mickie Most who subsequently produced their June 1964 debut single, an interpretation of the John D. Loudermilk penned song, "Tobacco Road", which reached number 6 in the UK Singles Chart and number 14 in the U.S.Billboard Hot 100 chart. Big Jim Sullivan and Jimmy Page played guitars on the studio cut of "Tobacco Road". The follow-up, another Loudermilk song, "Google Eye", reached number 10 in the UK in October 1964. The Nashville Teens' record producers also included Andrew Loog Oldham and Shel Talmy.

A further three top fifty singles, "Find My Way Back Home" and "This Little Bird", followed in February and May 1965 and "The Hard Way" made a brief appearance the following year but three subsequent records ("I Know How It Feels To Be Loved", "Forbidden Fruit" and "That's My Woman") all failed to chart. Jenkins left in 1966 to join The Animals, and was replaced by his predecessor Roger Groome. Reportedly Ray Phillips got an offer to join Cream in 1966. He refused.

Although musically as competent as any of their contemporaries, the group's lack of distinctive personality contributed to their lack of long-term success, as did Decca's poor promotion. (By 1970, Decca's only remaining rock acts were The Rolling Stones and The Moody Blues, both of whom handled their own promotion.) In the late Sixties the group returned to its old craft: backing other artists like Carl Perkins, Chuck Berry and Gene Vincent. In 1971 they released a single, "Ella James", a Roy Wood-penned song originally recorded by The Move, on the Parlophone label, again without success.

Arthur Sharp left in 1972 to join their one-time manager Don Arden, and Trevor Williams joined. Despite Phillips's efforts the Nashville Teens split in 1973. They reformed in 1980, however, with Phillips as the only original member, joined by Peter Agate (guitar), Len Surtees (bass) and Adrian Metcalfe (drums). The band is still working. Phillips joined The British Invasion All-Stars in the 1990s and made three albums with the group, consisting of members of The Yardbirds, Procol Harum, The Pretty Things, Downliners Sect and other groups. They did a cover of "Tobacco Road" that still receives airplay on XM Satellite Radio. The current line-up is Phillips, Metcalfe, Colin Pattenden (bass and vocals), Simon Spratley (keyboards and vocals) and Ken Osborn (guitar).

A 1993 EMI label compilation, Best of the Nashville Teens, contained a re-recording of their "Tobacco Road" hit which is the only version available on iTunes.

Dunford died of a cerebral hemorrhage on 20 November 2012 in Surrey, England.