THE FOREDAY RIDERS

The Riders emerged in the wake of the British “blues boom” of the early 60’s, initially inspired by outfits such as the Rolling Stones, Yardbirds and Manfred Mann. These bands were always ready to acknowledge their musical sources and so introduced the Riders to what became their primary influence - the “golden age” of Chicago blues in the 1950’s: the bands of Muddy Waters, Little Walter, Jimmy Reed, Jimmy Rogers etc.

What began in the mid-60’s as a loose association of school friends dabbling in electric blues developed over a year or so into a 7-piece band featuring young singer Jill Drury and Swiss piano man Rolli Utzinger. Material ranged from the country blues of Memphis Minnie & Lightning Hopkins through to urban R & B by Willie Dixon and Ray Charles, incorporating jazz-flavoured instrumentals and jump tunes. Since then, after a brief stint as a quartet in the early 70’s, the band has settled for a 5-piece line up such as the current one, often augmented at Riders gigs by guests dropping in on guitar, sax, harp, keyboards - whatever you can use for the blues.

Highlights in the band’s history include support acts with B.B.King; Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee; Freddie King and Hound Dog Taylor, Gatemouth Brown, the “Delta Blues Legends” show, Chris Cain and others. The Riders have backed Bo Diddley in Sydney and were joined on stage by Junior Wells during his 1972 tour. In 1975 the Riders were part of the “History of the Blues” concert tour which included Dutch Tilders, Judy Bailey and Margret Roadknight. Other names associated with the band are Jeannie Lewis and Broderick Smith, and former Riders have moved into major local blues acts such as the Bondi Cigars and The Hippos. Apart from appearing at Sunbury in 1975, the Riders played at the now legendary Alice Springs Blues Festival in 1986, along with Chain, Renee Geyer, Kevin Borich, Ian Moss and others. More recent festival appearances include the East Coast Blues Festival at Byron Bay, the Lithgow, Goulburn and Thredbo Blues Festivals, and the Wangaratta, Manly and Hawksbury Jazz Festivals.

In 1996 the Riders were awarded the inaugural Hall of Fame Award at the Lithgow Blues Festival and in following years received the Chain Heritage award at Goulburn (and were later inducted into the Hall of Fame), the 2MBS-FM Stormy Monday Lifetime Achievement award, and the Sydney Blues Society “Services to the Blues” Award. The Riders were also included in a series of blues concerts at the Sydney Opera House in 1999, “Sundays ‘round the House”, with Mal Eastick, The Mighty Reapers and Matt Walker. Throughout the band’s history, the King Brothers have been privileged to work with an imposing array of leading Australian blues performers, and hope to continue doing so, always aiming to see audiences have as much fun as the band. The Foreday Riders celebrated 50 years as a working band in 2017.

Members

Ron King (harmonica vocals) Jeff King (guitar) Rosscoe Clark (drums) Stan Mobbs (bass) Tony Pedroza (guitar vocals) Jill Drury (vocals) Roli Utzinger (piano) Phil Colson (guitar)

SINGLES

''Once A Week / Liberated Women'' 1975 Eureka
''Big Rig / Caldonia'' 1975 Eureka

ALBUMS

'Blues Live At 'Frenchs' 1974 EMI
'Once A Week' 1975 Eureka
'Playin' Up' 1977 Eureka
'Riders Digest' 1987 Avan-Guard
'Riders Groove' 1993 Larrikin
'Shake A Leg' 2005 Full House
'Herding Cats' 2015 Foreday Riders