DIG RICHARDS AND THE R'JAYS

In August 1958, during a chance meeting at the Nock and Kirbys record bar with already established R'Jays band foundation members, drummer Barry Lewis and guitarist Jon Hayton, Dig Richards was offered the spot, untested, as The R'Jays lead singer. This meeting was fortuitous for all, as the band had already booked a venue for a dance night in two weeks time and unfortunately their then singer had turned out to be somewhat average and had departed the scene. Band practice with Richards started the very next night, he did not disappoint.

The R'Jays played their first dance in August 1958 at Castlecraig Community Hall, with a line-up of Richards, Jon Hayton on lead guitar, Barry Lewis on drums, Ken Conyard on rhythm guitar, Peter Marris on saxophone, and Roger Palfreyman on tea chest bass. They auditioned with Festival Records in 1959 and were the third rock and roll act to be signed to a recording contract; the previous two were Johnny O'Keefe, and Col Joye and the Joy Boys.

During an impromptu chat at Channel 9 between TV presenter Brian Henderson and R'Jays band members Barry Lewis and Roger Palfreyman, Henderson took a chance and invited the R'Jays to perform live on Bandstand. Just one week later, the R'Jays became the first band in Australia to play live on a TV pop music show, Bandstand, and became one of the regular performers. They were also regulars on rival TV show, Six O'Clock Rock. From August 1959 they were the house band on music TV show, Teen Time, which ran on Sydney's ATN-7 until about 1962. In mid-October 1959 they were due to support United States singer, Fabian, on his tour of Australia. However, Richards was hospitalised after a car accident and was unable to tour for months.

By July 1959 the band had become Dig Richards and the R'Jays. They released their first single, "I Wanna Love You", which was written by Richards' 15-year-old brother, Douglas. It peaked at #8 on the local radio station, 2UE's Top 40 records chart. By that time the line-up was Richards, Hayton, and Lewis with Jay Boogie on piano and Peter Baker on electric bass. The group's second single, "I'm Through", also written by Doug, followed in September and reached the Top 40.

Richards became the first Australian rock and roll artist to record a 12" LP record when 'Dig Richards and The R'Jays' was released in November 1959. Australian Women's Weekly's entertainment reporter, Ainslie Baker, felt it had "tunes nicely judged to show off the paces of this young rocker". Richards was backed on all tracks by the R'Jays and used The New Notes as his backing vocalists on three tracks. In January 1960 Richards supported a tour by US rocker, Billy "Crash" Craddock, promoted by Lee Gordon. Also, that month Richards and the R'Jays issued a single, "(Real Gone) Annie Laurie", on Festival Records' label, Rex. Leon Isackson replaced Lewis on drums in 1959. The group, with Richards, issued a further six singles on Rex. In September 1960 they supported visiting US singer-actor, Ricky Nelson. Richards' second album, 'Bad Boy', appeared in November. In the studio, for different tracks, he was backed by the R'Jays, The Crescents, or The Graduates. Richards left the band in 1962 to become a solo performer.

Members

Digby Richards (vocals), Jon Hayton (guitar), Kerry Konyard (guitar), Peter Maris (sax, clarinet), Roger Paulfreman (bass), Barry Lewis (drums), Jay Boogie, (piano), Laurie Goodfellow (sax), Peter Baker (bass), Bob Bertles (sax), Peter Cross (sax), Ron Patton (sax), Brian Smith (sax), Brian Kelly (bass), Leon Isackson (drums)

SINGLES
''Kansas City / I Wanna Love You'' (#15) 1959 Festival

''You Are My Sunshine / I'm Through'' (#55) Festival
''(Real Gone) Annie Laurie (#35) / South Of The Border'' 1960 Rex
''Comin' Down With Love (#48) / Ain't She Sweet'' 1960 Rex
''The Gal Who Invented Kissin' / That's How I Go For You'' 1961 Rex
''(My) Little Lover (#23) / Quarrels (Are A Sad Sad Thing)'' 1960 Rex
''You Gotta Love Me / My Baby's Not A Baby Anymore'' 1960 Rex
''Midnight Stage / Ebb Tide'' 1961 Rex
''Alice (In Wonderland) / I'm In The Mood For Love'' 1961 Rex

EPs

'Dig Richards Sings Ain't She Sweet' 1960 Rex
'Dig Richards At Melbourne Town Hall' 1960 Rex

ALBUMS
'Dig Richards And The R'Jays' 1959 Festival Records

References

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dig_Richards

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