Carl Barron and The Cheetahs

BIRMINGHAM

Last updated January 12, 2002

Carl Barron lead vocal (left in 1963)
Euan Rose drums
Nigel Wright guitar
Rodney Wright bass guitar
Roy Bridger lead vocal (joined in 1964)

This West Midlands group were one of the five to be signed up by Columbia Records producer Norrie Paramour at the famous Moathouse Club auditions in 1963. They were previously known as The Eko's, a group originally put together in Longbridge by the brothers Nigel and Rodney Wright.

The Eko's had formed in 1961 and that group had also included bass guitarist Roy Austin who left to join the Birmingham group The Rockin' Berries over in Germany. After lead vocalist Bobby Ash also left the Eko's in 1963, the remaining group members enlisted singer Carl Barron from Jimmy Powell's old group The Detours to be the group's new front-man. Carl Barron (real name Colin Smith) was previously the singer for the Dominettes (see The Uglys) and his place in that group was taken by Steve Gibbons. Bobby Ash meanwhile, joined the Diplomats for a short time before being offered the job of singer for the Plazents, a group that would later be signed to a record deal by the Decca Records label and change their name to the Brumbeats.

As well as getting their new singer, the Eko's decided that a new image for the group was required to make them stand out from all the other groups so they hit on the idea to have stage outfits made from a leopard-print material. This new appearance on stage certainly got them noticed more and soon after, a name change was decided upon to go along with the new visual image and so they became Carl Barron and The Cheetahs.

It was not long before Carl Barron and The Cheetahs were finding bookings all over Birmingham and their popularity grew to a point that they were able to make an appearance on the popular BBC television show For Teenagers Only. The groups' big chance for fame came in June of 1963 when they were auditioned and signed by Norrie Paramour to a Columbia Records recording contract. Their first release was a single in January 1964 entitled Only The Beginning (a recording sometimes mistakenly attributed to Carl Wayne of the Vikings).

Despite this success, the Cheetahs front-man Carl Barron unexpectedly left the country, never to return, soon after the release of the single. With their future now in doubt The Cheetahs were unceremoniously dropped from their EMI/Columbia contract but undaunted, the Cheetahs decided to carry on with Roy Bridger recruited as the group's new vocalist. The suitably abbreviated Cheetahs - still sporting their leopard print outfits then managed to attract the attention of the Phillips Records label who fortunately saw the potential of the group and signed them to a contract in 1964.

The first record release from the new line-up of the Cheetahs was a Gene Pitney cover entitled Mecca that managed to gain a No. 36 chart placing in October of 1964. The next single release Soldier Boy, also managed a chart placing, but subsequent records including Whole Lotta Love which was an original composition by the group, made little impact. and the Cheetahs had retired their act along with the leopard-print suits for good before the end of the 1960's.

Cheetahs drummer Euan Rose remained involved in the music business and has recently collaborated with well known Brummie personality and Brum Rocked! author Laurie Hornsby in writing the music for and staging the theatrical production Wallop Mrs. Cox which has been performed successfully in Birmingham.

Carl Barron and The Cheetahs 1960s Record Releases (highest UK chart position in brackets)

Singles:

• Only The Beginning/Beg Borrow Or Steal (Columbia DB 7164) 1964 - with Carl Barron
• Mecca/Goodnight Kiss (Philips BF 1362) October 1964 (36)
• Soldier Boy/Johnny (Philips BF 1383) January 1965 (39)
• Goodbye Baby/That's How It Goes (Philips BF 1412) 1965
• Whole Lotta Love/Party (Philips BF 1453) 1965
• Russian Boat Song/Gamble (Philips BF 1499) 1966