Showaddywaddy's 50th Anniversary
Showaddywaddy formed early in 1973 from two bands, Choise and Golden Hammers, who both performed at The Fosse Way pub in Leicester. The bands became acquainted, and after number of months playing separate gigs, each performed on the same evening, and joined together on stage at the end of the night to play rock 'n' roll numbers. This amalgamation went down a storm, and Showaddywaddy quickly became an act in its own right, quickly building up a loyal following around the Midlands. During August 1973, Showaddywaddy won the national Top Town Talent contest at Leicester Bailey's, and with this winning a cheque for £1,000 and a run of gigs at Bailey's nightclubs across the UK. Also during August, a debut TV appearance on ATV's New Faces brought Showaddywaddy to a national audience and a clamour from record labels to sign the band. A contract was signed with Bell Records with whom they released their first single, 'Hey Rock And Roll', in April 1974, reaching #2 in the UK charts. That single set Showaddywaddy on the road to 23 top 40 hits over the next eight years, including ten top 10 hits, as well as 12 charting albums, including five top 5 LPs, not to mention hundreds of TV appearances.
2023 sees Showaddywaddy achieve their 50th anniversary, with fans loyal to the band since the 1970s, and picking up thousands of new ones along the way. Showaddywaddy started touring in 1973 and have never stopped, constantly being on the road for 50 years. The band has continued to evolve, and the Showaddywaddy name remains as strong as ever, with sold out shows being performed all over the country, testament to their outstanding reputation as live artists.
To celebrate this milestone, a Showaddywaddy Anthology 5CD box set is being released in February, featuring 106 tracks from across the band's career, including all 23 top-40 hits, a remix of 'Sweet Little Rock 'n' Roller' by Ladies on Mars, and a limited edition print signed by Dave Bartram. Order your copy of this wonderful collection here!
