THE HAYES BROTHERS

Mike and Pete Hayes were born in Henley-on-Thames in England in the early 1940′s. They moved to Australia in the late 40′s, living in Bacchus Marsh for seven years before moving to Melbourne.  Mike Hayes remembered ''We had an old wound gramophone covered with floral cushion material and all the kids would gather round and play country records and all the old Weavers 78's whenever we could. When we came down to the city, we got ourselves guitars and bashed out all the old classics of rock. However, whenever our repertoire got thin, we always found ourselves throwing in a few of the old tunes we learned off the gramophone, and we sounded a lot better doing them. Somewhere along the line Peter picked up his banjo and played Earl Scruggs like by accident. It was then we decided to go bluegrass full time''.

Their first major public performance was at the 3UZ Hootenanny in 1963. They then became regulars on scores of national and local TV shows and travelled far and wide across the country. They formed a backing band called The Bluegrass Ramblers with fiddler Roy Taylor, guitarist George Harris and bassist Allan Pope. In 1967 they were a sensation at the Port Philip Folk Festival. They released two albums on the W&G label and are widely recognised as the first bluegrass band to perform in Australia.

Another family band at the time, The Hawking Brothers featured Russ and Alan Hawking. Pete Hayes also sang with the Hawking Brothers band for around two years, after the death of Russ Hawking in 1976. Pete Hayes settled in Melbourne in 1978, and he and his brother were inducted into the Country Music Hands of Fame. Pete Hayes continued to record with a range of local and international artists including, The Hawking Brothers, The Howie Brothers, Saltbush, Lee Conway, Lionel Rose, Johnny Chester and Charlie Pride. Mike Hayes and his wife Janet began an ABC radio series, The Prickle Farm from their property at Gundaroo, near Canberra. The popular radio program translated into a successful TV series. 

In the late 90s Pete recorded 'Life Goes On', a solo album on which he played every instrument and sang every note. With fellow Victorian musicians Bernie O’Brien, Laurie Allen and Harold Frith, Pete recorded an album, 'Nite Trane' as the Rockabilly, Beatin’ Boogie Band. Pete wrote the song, ''Everything To Me'', and contributed vocals, bass, banjo and fiddle. The band played a couple of gigs in Tamworth during the festival, entered and won a talent quest, which thrilled the Victorian veterans no end. The group disbanded after returning from Tamworth. Pete returned to Tamworth, playing in Andy Baylor’s Cajun Combo and with the band, Hillbilly Lovechild. Mike Hayes died on the 10th of February 2003 and that same year his brother Pete died on the 1st of December.

Members

Mike Hayes (guitar, mandolin, dobro), Pete Hayes (banjo, guitar), Roy Taylor (fiddle), Alan Pope (bass), George Harris (guitar), Doug Wallace (guitar)

SINGLES

''Rambling Boy /What'Cha Gonna Do'' [with Doug Owen] W&G 1964

Have You Lost All The Love You Had For Me / Hot Corn'' 1968 W&G

ALBUMS

'At The Copper Inne' [with Doug Owen] 1964 W&G

'Bluegrass Ramble' 1967 W&G

References

http://australianbluegrass.com/profiles/index.php/the-hayes-brothers/