(Bill Anderson)
Australia
#10 Sydney #17 Melbourne #5 Brisbane #10 Adelaide #14 Perth
Single on Leedon by nationally popular Sydney vocal group featuring the bass of the ironically nicknamed ‘Pee Wee’ Wilson.
Formed by four members of the Bronte Surf Club near the end of the 50s, The Delltones became a fixture of the Australian rock’n’roll and surf music scene, often on the charts and on national TV pop shows Bandstand and Six O’Clock Rock. Their official site is at delltones.com.
The original line-up, heard on this single, was Noel Widerberg, Warren Lucas, ‘Pee Wee’ Wilson and Brian Perkins. In 1962, after a period of inactivity following the death of lead singer Widerberg in a car accident, The Delltones’ recruited Colin Loughlan from The Crescents.
See also, for example, The Delltones’ hits Come A Little Bit Closer (1963) and Hangin’ Five (1963).
(Bill Anderson)
USA
Original version
Single on Decca label.
Country singer and songwriter, known as Whispering Bill Anderson, charted in Australia with Still (1963) and Mama Sang a Song (1962; Walter Brennan also had a charting version here). A parody of Still by Don Bowman was also played on Australian radio.
Further reading: Biography and other content at BillAnderson.com.
Thanks to John Yeager for suggesting this one.
(Bill Anderson)
Australia
Later version
#9 Brisbane #32 Perth
Sydney studio band successful in 1968 with a version of The Lion Sleeps Tonight that charted Top 10 in Sydney and Brisbane.
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