Band, GB
Pop
British vocal group The Keynotes made their first recording in April 1948, less than a month after their first broadcast. They were the back-up group to the veteran crooner Sam Browne on his Decca recording of "Heartbreaker", which became a huge hit with its cheery, driving beat. The Keynotes would remain with Decca for eight years, usually backing such top of the pops singers as Denny Dennis ("I'd Give a Million Tomorrows"), Anne Shelton ("Put Your Shoes On, Lucy"), Joy Nichols ("Dreamer's Holiday"), Joan Regan ("This Old House"), Dickie Valentine ("Cleo and Me-o"), and Dave King, the comic turned crooner ("Memories are Made of This"). They even recorded with the Johnston Brothers, which must have been tricky as Johnny Johnston not only formed but led that group, too. The Keynotes made their first public appearance at Feldman's Swing Club in May 1948, and made their first film appearance shortly after in Melody in the Dark, a minor musical starring the rubber- necked comedian, Ben Wrigley, impressionists Carl Carlisle and Maisie Weldon, with Alan Dean singing solo. Hardly ever off the radio, they were regulars on Band Parade and Melody Time, singing along with Geraldo and his Orchestra. Johnston made his first contact with commercial entertainment when the Keynotes sang on a Radio Luxembourg Boxing Day Special in 1948, followed later by a 26-week run supporting none other than Gracie Fields in The Wisk Half Hour. Bernard Braden, the Canadian comedian, compered, while they sang to the music of Billy Ternent and his Band. The ex-BBC man John Watt, no less, produced on behalf of Lever Brothers Soap. By 1950, the Keynotes' composition changed again when Alan Dean left to go solo, and was replaced by Harry "Miss" King, an ex-trombonist from Geraldo's band. Joyce Frazer, who had replaced Pearl Carr, was in turn replaced by a bright young Scots lassie, Jean Campbell. Despite these many changes, the Keynotes were voted the country's top vocal group several times, but destiny in the form of rock 'n' roll would shortly cause their collapse. Meanwhile, however, they had made a handful of successful television appearances, from singing with Patricia Dare in Lady Luck to guesting on the ex-bandleader Jack Payne's series Off the Record.
![]() | Johnny Johnston voc 1919-1998 GB |
![]() | Alan Dean voc *1924 |
Track list and 30sec audio provided by
Title | Artist | Year | Type |
---|---|---|---|
Palisades Park / Sing Me A Song Of Romance | The Keynotes | 1965 | Single |
In The Middle Of The House / Hot Potato Mambo | The Johnston Brothers And The Keynotes | 1957 | Album |
Scotland Forever | The Keynotes & The Stargazers | 1957 | Single |
Memories Are Made Of This | Dave King With The Keynotes And The Roland Shaw Orchestra | 1957 | Single |
The Birds And The Bees | Dave King And The Keynotes With The Roland Shaw Orchestra | 1956 | Single |
Relax-Ay-Voo / Steam Heat | The Keynotes | 1955 | Single |
Scotland The Brave | The Keynotes | 1954 | Single |
A Dime And A Dollar | The Keynotes | 1954 | Single |
Wanted | Bobbie Britton And The Keynotes | 1954 | Album |
The Saturday Waltz / Mockin' Bird Hill | Primo Scala With His Banjo & Accordion Band With The Keynotes | 1951 | Album |
Love Me Forever / Whisper While You Waltz | Primo Scala's Accordion Band With The Keynotes | 1951 | Single |
Love Me Forever / Whisper While You Waltz | Primo Scala With His Banjo & Accordion Band, The Keynotes | 1951 | Single |
Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer / The Village Of Christmas Pie | Primo Scala With His Banjo & Accordion Band With The Keynotes | 1950 | Album |
More Beer! / Powder Your Face With Sunshine (Smile! Smile! Smile!) | Primo Scala With His Banjo & Accordion Band With The Keynotes | 1949 | Album |
Dreaming / Cruising Down The River | Primo Scala's Accordion Band With The Keynotes | 1949 | Album |
The Echo Told Me A Lie / I've Got A Lovely Bunch Of Cocoanuts | Primo Scala's Accordion Band With The Keynotes | 1949 | Album |
More Beer! / Powder Your Face With Sunshine (Smile, Smile, Smile) | Primo Scala's Accordion Band With The Keynotes | 1949 | Album |
Be Mine / Time Out For Tears | Anne Shelton With Roy Robertson and His Orchestra, The Keynotes | 1948 | Album |
Underneath The Arches / Side By Side | Primo Scala's Accordion Band With The Keynotes | 1948 | Album |
Johnny Get Your Girl / If You Ever Fall In Love Again | Anne Shelton, The Keynotes, Roy Robertson and His Orchestra, The Wardour Singers | Album | |
The Pussycat Song / Bounce-y Bounce-y Ball-y | Joy Nichols And Benny Lee With Stanley Black And His Blacksmiths With The Keynotes | Album | |
Norah | The Keynotes | Album | |
Bright Eyes / Out Of The Clear Blue Sky | The Keynotes / Primo Scalia And His Banjo And Accordian Band | Album | |
Norah / Tipperary Samba | The Keynotes / The Four Ramblers | Album | |
Aba Daba Honeymoon | The Keynotes | Album | |
You Can't Be True To Two / The Birds And The Bees | Dave King With The Roland Shaw Orchestra And The Keynotes | Album | |
All Over Italy / There's Nothing To Do In Sleepyville | Primo Scala With His Banjo & Accordion Band With The Keynotes | Album | |
Show Me The Way To Go Home / Wheezy Anna | The Keynotes With Primo Scala With His Banjo & Accordion Band | Album | |
Ain't It Grand To Be Bloomin' Well Dead / Joshu-Ah | Primo Scala With His Banjo & Accordion Band With The Keynotes | Album | |
Dreaming / Crusing Down The River | Primo Scala's Accordion Band ,Primo Scala and His Banjo & Accordion Orchestra The Keynotes | Album | |
Bright Eyes / Out Of The Clear Blue Sky | Primo Scala With His Banjo & Accordion Band With The Keynotes | Album | |
The Misletoe Rag / Jingle Bells | Primo Scala's Accordion Band With The Keynotes | Single | |
If You Knock On Any Door On Christmas Day / Snowy White Snow And Jingle Bells | Primo Scala's Accordion Band With The Keynotes | Album | |
Scotland Forever | The Keynotes & The Stargazers | Single | |
Jingle Bells / The Mistletoe Kiss | The Keynotes | Album | |
Hometown / I Want Some Money | Primo Scala's Accordion Band With The Keynotes | Album | |
Willow, Will You Weep For Me / Smile, Smile, Smile | Primo Scala's Accordion Band With The Keynotes | Single | |
The Windmill Song (Daar Bij Die Molen) / In A Shady Nook By A Babbling Brook | Primo Scala With His Banjo & Accordion Band With The Keynotes | Album | |
Dreaming / Show Me The Way To Go Home | Primo Scala's Accordion Band With The Keynotes | Album | |
The Winter Waltz / Skating | Primo Scala With His Banjo & Accordion Band With The Keynotes | Album | |
If You Knock On Any Door On Christmas Day / Snowy White Snow And Jingle Bells | Primo Scala With His Banjo & Accordion Band With The Keynotes | Album | |
The Village Band / Swingin' Down The Lane | Primo Scala With His Banjo & Accordion Band With The Keynotes | Album | |
A Dime And A Dollar / The Bandit | The Keynotes / The Johnston Brothers | Album | |
The Windmill Song / In A Shady Nook By A Babbling Brook | Primo Scala's Accordion Band With The Keynotes | Album | |
The Village Band / Jolly Brothers | Primo Scala's Accordion Band With The Keynotes | Album | |
Norah / When That Harvest Moon Is Shining | The Keynotes | Album |
The Keynotes Rock and Pop Band |
The Keynotes Pop Band |
The Keynotes Folk and World Band |
The Keynotes Jazz and R&B/Soul Band |