Danny King and The Royals

BIRMINGHAM

Last updated October, 2006

Danny King

lead singer (left 1966)

Tom Owen

lead guitar

Garth Quirke

bass guitar

Bob Sheward

drums

Barry Smith

drums

In 1960, Birmingham singer Danny King, previously of Danny King and The Dukes became the frontman for a group called The Andy Capps (not to be confused with The Andicaps whose members included Jeff Lynne). Danny King re-named the group The Royals and members included drummer Bob Sheward, and guitarists Tommy Owen and Garth Quirke. Danny King and The Royals were soon booked to appear at the Top Ten Club in Hamburg, Germany alongside other groups including The Beatles who were unknown outside of Liverpool at the time.

When London record producer Norrie Paramore went to Birmingham in 1963 to check out local groups, Danny King and The Royals were one of the acts to be signed up at the Moat House Club auditions. Despite a recording contract however, things did not turn out the way Danny King wanted with Norrie Paramore insisting on using Mike Sheridan's group The Nightriders to provide the backing on Danny King's records as well as selecting the material that he should record. Somewhat disillusioned, Danny King split from The Royals and started performing around Birmingham sporadically while looking to start a new project. The Royals also had disbanded by the end of 1963.

An opportunity came in early 1964 when Danny King joined up with his former bass player from the Dukes, Clint Warwick along with drummer Graeme Edge from the Avengers. They wanted to form an outfit similar to the Spencer Davis Group and play rhythm & blues, a style of black American music much favoured at that time by college and university students. Singer/guitarist Denny Laine from the Diplomats also wanted to get involved, so the new group started rehearsing and came up with the name R&B Preachers. Before long, singer Ray Thomas and piano player Mike Pinder who had both played in a local group called El Riot and The Rebels had also joined but perhaps feeling the need to strike out on his own, Danny King lost interest in the project and left (see Danny King and The Mayfair Set). Within a year, the R&B Preachers evolved into The Moody Blues and were enjoying world-wide success with their hit record Go Now.

Danny King and The Royals Record Releases

Single:

Tossin' And Turnin'/Young Blood (Columbia DB 7276) 1963

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