THE TWILITERS

The Twiliters formed in Western Australian in Perth around 1962. The folk scene in Perth was just emerging from the beatnik era. The Twiliters were the first high profile folk-act to emerge, and they remain one the best-remembered performers of the era. The Twiliters had its origins at Perth’s Christian Brothers College. Kerry White and Hans Stampfer were senior classmates there. Jim Maguire, a former student, was working as a psychiatric nurse after having dropped out of first year medicine.

 
The boys first performances were at school functions late in 1962 and then they began playing in a little coffee shop known as The Quitapena. This was remembered as the first real folk venue in W.A. The Quitapena was a cosy cafe in Hay Street that could accommodate between 30 and 40 patrons. It was run as a hobby by Brian Allen, a clinical psychologist, who jumped at the opportunity to offer customers something other than taped background music. The youthful Twiliters subsequently spent two years as resident attraction there. The Twiliters shared billings with local and visiting pop singers and rock bands, among them Ian Turpie. When they first started off, they used to rehearse at 4.30 in the morning at Hans’s mum’s or the boiler room of the mental hospital.

The Twiliters found an early promoter in DJ Keith McGowan and through him they became regulars on the teen TV show Club 17' and appeared to positive acclaim on variety programs and at rock and country dances, even Hootenanny Stomps, as far away as Bundaberg. They appeared on Adelaide's The Country and Western Hour. In the wake of The Beatles’ Australian tour, Adelaide teenagers decided to give the out-of-town boys the “full treatment” at folk clubs and rock dances. The Twiliters enjoyed a frenzied response as they did in Adelaide when they got back to WA. The band then moved on to Melbourne and were introduced to Frank Traynor. They played at night spots like the Peppermint Lounge and on on the TV pop show Kommotion. At the start of 1965 Stampfer quit the band and returned back to Perth after he was accepted back into medical school at the University of WA. 

With an enviable amount of work in the offing, White and Maguire elected to replace Stampfer. The new recruit was Greg Ferris, a Chemical Engineering drop-out, 12 string guitar whiz and former musical partner of Dick McKay. (Dubbing themselves The Travellers, Ferris and McKay had been grounded in the infant Hobart folk scene – sometimes performing with Patsy Biscoe – before hitchhiking and ‘singing for their supper’ around New Zealand then across to – and throughout – WA). Ferris fitted in really well. He played a different style to Stampfer and the group quickly established a new spirit . The Twiliters quickly relocated to Sydney. Within 6 months of Ferris’ arrival, the trio was being dubbed ‘Australia’s foremost folk group’.

They were booked to support Johnny Young at a rock concert in Fremantle. The trio reached a peak in popularity (and visibility) in 1968, supporting Marlene Dietrich at the Adelaide Festival of Arts and on tour. Later that year they recorded their own well-received ABC television series, Good Grief, It’s The Twiliters. Songs included ''Mary Don’t You Weep'', ''Whiskey in the Jar'', Tom Paxton’s ''Bottle of Wine'' and ''Where I’m Bound'', ''The Ox Driver’s Song'' and ''Green Green''. The Twiliters produced two albums, 'The Twiliters in Concert'  and 'Great Day with The Twiliters' both in 1966, as well as a handful of singles and a couple of EPs from their TV show all on RCA. Realising that the bubble must burst inevitably, The Twiliters disbanded at the end of the TV series with Maguire returning to University.

The Twiliters’ story had a tragic footnote. With an offer to tour the top end and American army bases in the Far East the trio reformed late in 1969, however, the reunion proved brief and painful. Greg Ferris had first exhibited signs of epilepsy during the Dietrich tour (much to that lady’s annoyance). His seizures and mood changes were aggravated by the tropical heat and he had to be flown back from Malaysia to Sydney where he died a few weeks later in January 1970. An autopsy revealed an inoperable brain tumour. White and Maguire played a few tour dates in Japan and Thailand before returning home and disbanding for good. Kerry White died in the late 1980s. Jim Maguire is in medical practice in Sydney.

Members

Kerry White (vocals guitar), Hans Stampfer (vocals guitar), Greg Ferris (vocals guitar), Jim Maguire (vocals)

SINGLES

''Creamsleeves (Greensleeves) / Dismal Currency'' 1966 RCA
''With You All The Way, L.B.J. / Waltzing Matilda'' 1966 RCA
''Chilly Winds (#87) / Thanks For The Hand To Hold'' 1966 RCA
''Go Where You Wanna Go (#86) / Hurry Sundown'' 1967 RCA
''Bottle Of Wine (#95) / The Mermaid'' 1968 RCA

EPs

'Waltzing Matilda' 1968 RCA
'Good Grief, It's The Twiliters' 1968 RCA

ALBUMS

'The Twiliters In Concert' 1966 RCA
'Great Day with The Twiliters' 1967 RCA

References

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