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The Family Dogg

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The Family Dogg
OriginEngland
GenresRock, pop
Years active1966–1976[1]
Past membersAlbert Hammond
Steve Rowland
Mike Hazlewood
Christine Holmes
Doreen De Veuve
Pam "Zooey" Quinn
Kevin Lamb
Ireen Sheer
Sue Lynn
Sherri Lynn
Pat Arnold

The Family Dogg were a British vocal group, noted for their harmony vocals. They are best known for their debut album, A Way of Life, and the subsequent single of the same name.

Career

The idea was born when the Anglo-American singers of the Spanish groups, Los Flaps and Diamond Boys, Albert Hammond and Steve Rowland met for the first time at a concert in Madrid in 1964.[1] In 1966, The Family Dogg was formed in England with the participation of the singers Mike Hazlewood and Pam Zooey Quinn. The debut album, A Way of Life was released in 1969,[2] and the title track scored a number 6 hit in the UK Singles Chart.[3] Jimmy Page, John Bonham and John Paul Jones of Led Zeppelin were guest musicians on this album, along with Elton John.[1]

In 1970, the group was renamed 'Steve Rowland and The Family Dogg'.[1] In April 1970, they had a Number 2 hit in the Netherlands with the song "Sympathy", previously recorded by the group Rare Bird in 1969.[1] In 1972, Steve Rowland released a last Family Dogg album, The View from Rowland's Head,[4] with guest musicians Chris Spedding on guitar and Ireen Sheer as singer. This album had two pressings, one in the UK and one in the US.[4] Between the two, were included six cover songs that were written by Sixto Diaz Rodriguez.[1] Five of them were previously recorded on Rodriguez's album, Cold Fact. The sixth, "Advice To Smokey Robinson", was never recorded by Rodriguez.

The Family Dogg also released the singles "Family Dog" / "The Storm" in 1967[5] (the latter is a song originally written by the Bee Gees in Australia) on the MGM label, and "Silly Grin" / "Couldn't Help It",[6] and "Brown Eyed Girl" / "Let It Rain" in 1968;[7] on the Fontana label.

Their final release in 1976 was a cover version of "Uptown Uptempo Woman".[1]

Christine Holmes had earlier recorded 7 solo singles between 1964 and 1971 which were released on the Mercury and Polydor labels, and had appeared as a presenter on the BBC children's show Crackerjack in 1966–69. On 31 December 1974 she appeared on UK television singing on the Wheeltappers and Shunters Social Club introduced by the late Bernard Manning. Her stage name at that time was Kristine Sparkle, under which she recorded 5 singles and an album (Image) for the Decca label. She went on to co-write and record Devil Woman with Terry Britten, which became a 1976 top 10 hit for Cliff Richard, and released a further 7 singles and an album (I'm a Song), under the name Kristine, on the United Artists and husband J. J. Barrie's Power Exchange labels.

Group members

Original line-up

Later members

  • Ireen Sheer – vocals
  • Sue Lynn – vocals
  • Sherri Lynn [Brenda Pidduck] – vocals
  • Pat Arnold – vocals

Discography

Albums

  • 1969: A Way of Life
  • 1972: The View from Rowland's Head[8]
  • 2014: A Way of Life Anthology 1967-1976

Singles

  • 1967: "The Storm"
  • 1968: "Silly Grin"
  • 1968: "Brown Eyed Girl"
  • 1969: "A Way of Life"
  • 1969: "When Tomorrow Comes Tomorrow"
  • 1970: "Sympathy"
  • 1971: "Coat of Many Colours"
  • 1972: "Sweet America"
  • 1976: "Uptown, Uptempo Woman"

Charted singles

Year Title Peak chart
positions 		Album
UK[3]
1969 "A Way of Life" 6 A Way of Life

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Mark Deming. "The Family Dogg | Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved 23 July 2014.
  2. ^ "Family Dogg, The* – A Way of Life at Discogs". discogs. Retrieved 23 July 2014.
  3. ^ a b Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 195. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  4. ^ a b "Family Dogg, The* – The View From Rowland's Head at Discogs". discogs. Retrieved 23 July 2014.
  5. ^ "Family Dogg, The* – Family Dog (Vinyl) at Discogs". discogs. Retrieved 23 July 2014.
  6. ^ "Family Dogg, The* – I'll Wear A Silly Grin (Vinyl) at Discogs". discogs. Retrieved 23 July 2014.
  7. ^ "The Family Dogg – Brown Eyed Girl / Let It Rain – Hansa – Germany – 14 129 AT". 45cat. Retrieved 23 July 2014.
  8. ^ "The Family Dogg | Discography". AllMusic. Retrieved 23 July 2014.
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