BILL AND BOYD

William "Bill" Cate (born 1940) and William "Boyd" Robertson (born 1941) both attended Naenae College, a secondary school in Lower Hutt NZ, in the mid-1950s. They started practising pop music in Robertson's bedroom and recorded a home version of "Angel" in about 1956. They formed a duo, Bill and Boyd, with both on vocals and guitar. They began public performances at local halls including a residency at Lower Hutt's Town Hall. Their early repertoire was cover versions of overseas artists, especially The Everly Brothers and Elvis Presley. In 1959 they supported local rock and roller, Johnny Devlin, in Wellington.

By 1960 they had signed with Peak Records label and recorded their debut single "Fall in Love with You / Little Bitty Girl" in 1960. A few singles followed on that label including a cover of "Corrina, Corrina". Late in 1961 they switched labels to Philips Records and two years later relocated to Auckland. During 1963 they toured with Peter Posa, Max Merritt and Dinah Lee. By 1964 they had relocated to Sydney with the release of their self-written single, "Chulu Chululu", receiving attention in Australia. 

Through to the late 1960s they released further singles, EPs and albums, gained popularity, toured the club circuit and regularly appeared on national TV shows, Bandstand and Six O'Clock Rock. During February 1966 they supported an Australian tour by folk-pop group, The Seekers. The Canberra Times' Garry Raffaele caught their performance in Canberra and felt the duo were "more suited to night-club work although they were very well received by last night's audience. Their boy-next-door image even allowed Boyd to get away with a couple of slightly queer jokes". In September 1967 Bill and Boyd's version of the Fiddler On The Roof track "If I Were a Rich Man" was issued on Sunshine Records and peaked at #24 on the Go-Set National Top 40. In 1968 they toured United States supporting The Supremes and Herb Alpert.

By 1970 they had signed with independent label, Fable Records, which released Bill and Boyd's version of "It's a Small World". On Christmas Eve and Christmas Day 1974 Cyclone Tracy devastated the Northern Territory capital, Darwin. Cate wrote "Santa Never Made It into Darwin", which appeared as a charity single in January the following year by Bill and Boyd to support the city's rebuilding. It peaked at #2 on the Australian Kent Music Report Singles Chart. At the Country Music Awards of Australia of 1976 "Santa Never Made It into Darwin" won APRA Song of the Year for the duo and Cate its writer. A follow up single, "Put Another Log on the Fire", was a cover version of Tompall Glaser's hit from the same year. Bill and Boyd's version reached #5 on the New Zealand Singles Chart, and #23 in Australia. The duo's self-titled album was issued in December 1975 and peaked at #1 on the New Zealand Albums Chart.

In June 1976 visiting US artist, Glen Campbell, hosted Down Home, Down Under on the Nine Network with guests including the duo alongside Olivia Newton-John, John Meillon and Sherbet. In 1977 they supported Janis Ian on her Australian tour. Bill and Boyd continued performing on the club circuit until 1989. During their career the duo won nine Mo' Awards for best vocal duo. In 2003 Bruce Ward curated a CD compilation album, 'The Very Best of Bill and Boyd' which was issued by EMI Music New Zealand. Bill Cate died in Sydney in 2020 aged 80.

SINGLES

''Don't Take It Away / Laughing Girl'' 1964 Philips
''Holiday Hootenanny / Just Another Fool'' 1964 Philips
''Chulu Chululu (#13) / Habit Of Loving You'' 1964 Philips
''Bee-Boop / Please Go Away'' 1965 Zodiac
''Cloudy Summer Afternoon (#71) / Once In A While'' 1965 Philips
''Edelweiss (#59) / Don't Ever Change'' 1966 Zodiac
''Two By Two / Symphony For Susan'' 1967 Sunshine
''If I Were A Rich Man (#17) / Little Miss Sorrow, Child Of Tomorrow'' 1967 Sunshine
Les Marionettes / She Chased Me'' 1967 Sunshine
''It's A Small World (#51) / Meanwhile Back In Abeline'' 1970 Fable
''Aussie / Schwabadaba Ding Ding'' 1974 Fable
''Santa Never Made It Into Darwin (#2) / Chulu Chululu'' 1975 Fable
''Union Silver (#98) / Country Wine'' 1975 Fable
''Put Another Log On The Fire (#23) / Slap Your Draughty Blue Jeans'' 1975 Fable
''Question (#84) / Cloudy Summer Afternoon'' 1976 Fable
''So Sad / Love Me Back'' 1978 Warner Bros
''Where There's A Love There's A Way / Companions'' 1979 Elektra
''Decade / Me And My Radio'' 1980 WEA
''Queen Of The Silver Star / Fool Ya'' 1980 WEA
''(I Need A) Live In Sober Woman / Bird Dog'' 1983 J&B

EPs

'Bill And Boyd' 1965 Philips

'If I Were A Rich Man' 1967 Sunshine

ALBUMS

'Chulu Chululu' 1964 Philips

'Interfusion Talent Plus' 1967 Sunshine

'Bill And Boyd' (#83) 1975 Fable

'Companions' 1979 Elektra

References

http://www.sergent.com.au/music/billboyd.html

http://top100singles.blogspot.com.au/