Entertainer

I had classical piano lessons for most of my early years. When Bill Haley and Jerry Lee Lewis came on the scene I was hooked on rock and tried to copy every sound I heard.

The first band I played with around the mid to late1950s was "Wade Peters & The Hellcats" 4 piece: Drums John Muir, Guitar brother Robbie Muir, Vocalist Wade Peters (Peter Ward) and myself bashing the piano. Peter was a local "bodgie" mate with plans to be a singer.
We played around the Lane Cove - Chatswood area, Our first gigs were a monthly dance at Chatswood West Council Pre-school hall for a Youth Club our parents started. My mum would hire an amp with two 12" speaker boxes and a mike from AWA.
My sister, Ruth Hambly, worked at Festival records back then and with her help, Wade landed an appearance on "Bandstand". Then we played weekly at the "Troc" in George St, revolving stage, big jazz band one side and then around we would come, a very young rock band playing covers. Almost nobody in the audience. It didn't last long.
Mum said there was no future or money in music and made sure I finished my teachers college training. She was right. I thought I'd teach until the big money came rolling in. Stll teaching !
Next I played with lots and lots of pick up bands, single gig jobs, different musos, whoever was available. I remember playing with Ronny Kitchen, can't remember where, one of the best guitarists I've ever heard. Piano lessons from John Charter really made a difference to my understanding of chords and chord progressions. Thanks John.
Did a few months at Villawood Hotel, 4 piece, with Jimmy Little. I did an audition for a vacant Deltones spot, failed miserably.
Then house band, 2 nights per week with Tricky Vissere-Vocals/Bass, Allan Hall†-Drums, Pete-Guitar, "The All Star Typhoons" etc 1960s Blue Gum Hotel, Waitara. How about the purple jackets with leopard skin lapels, (Andy Ellis) !
Next I moved from piano to Farfisa keyboard, playing in a house rock band, "Trevor Ford & The Staccatos" with regular gigs at Sefton Hotel, Macquarie Arms Windsor and others I have forgotten. Mick Jurd on guitar. (Civic Hotel City?) (Stardust Cabramatta ?)

Next was a 15 or so year stint with "Cash King & The Protojays". Cash King-Vocals/Bass, Peter Rowan†-Guitar, Col Baigent (ex original Aztecs)-Drums, myself-keyboard/vocals. Starting at The Manly Hotel, moving to Balgowlah RSL and then Forestville RSL until I retired around 1978 (?)

After 40 years as a full time primary school teacher, I retired, aged 60, from that also in 2002, just teaching a few days a week casual.
Being a computer nerd from their beginnings, I became fascinated with the idea of MIDI and did a lot of sequencing of songs I had sung with bands.
The next logical step was to get a few solo gigs to see how they were received. With a song list of about 50 tracks I started once a week for a while at Springwood Golf Club raffle night. Advice from a local muso, family friend (Greg Agar), suggested that using professional mp3 backing tracks might be easier for me and sound better. Set up with a dvd player and small mixer balanced on the keyboard it did the job.
There-after till now I have done quite a few pubs and bowling club gigs, repertoire about 150 songs, and the odd spot or 2 at our local annual festivals in Springwood that I help organise.

I have memories of playing in bands at different times with drummers Catfish Purser† and Devie Grace. I can't remember which bands and when !

I'll try to add some more if the failing memory permits. Ken.

Blue Gum Hotel Poster Back in the 60s

October 10th 2011 Macquarie Arms Hotel, Windsor — Macquarie Arms Hotel Windsor

This is a venue I played at every Sunday afternoon back in the Sixties with a rock band, "Trevor Ford and the Staccatos"

Below: Festivals in Springwood.

Entertainer

Venues Played