Johnny Chester - Shakin’ All Over (1962)

(Frederick Heath [Johnny Kidd])
 Australia
#4 Melbourne

See Shakin’ All Over by Normie Rowe (Australia, 1965) for more versions.

This was a favourite amongst Australasian artists in the 60s, recorded by The Blue Jays (1962), The Missing Links (1964), Ray Columbus & the Invaders (NZ 1965), Ray Brown & the Whispers (1965), Roland Storm & The Epics (1965 single).

See Paul Scott’s 1998 post to rec.music.rock-pop-r+b.1960s, in which he discusses the influence of Johnny Chester’s Shakin’ All Over, often heard by a young Normie Rowe while performing at Preston Town Hall in Melbourne. 

Johnny Chester: Melbourne singer, guitarist and songwriter who started out with the Chessmen in the late 50s, performing at dances he organised in the northern suburbs. Signed to Melbourne’s W&G label, he had a number of Top 10 hits in Melbourne from 1961: see, for example, Shame And Scandal (In The Family) (1972, #1 Melbourne, also #2 Brisbane #2 Perth).

Chester – “Chess” to his fans – became a disc jockey with Top 40 station 3UZ in 1966. He has also hosted TV shows and broadcast on Radio Australia. He built a successful national career in country music from the 1970s: he was Male Vocalist of The Year for three years in a row in the Country Music Awards (The Golden Guitars) 1981-1983. More recently he wrote Rebound: The Musical for the stage. His website is at johnnychester.com.

Thanks to Terry Stacey for extra information.