Brian Perkins(The Delltones)

On Sunday when i was in the city having Subway I saw on Facebook about the passing of the original founding member of the legendary Australian group the Delltones Brian Perkins which i was sad to hear that and it's an great loss to the Australian music industry and to his family. The Delltones were formed in 1958 with Brian who came from an duo called the Harmony Boys, Warren Lucas who came from the Sapphires, Noel Widerberg and Ian 'Pee Wee" Wilson and it was Warren Lucas who came up with the name The Delltones after buying an album . They sang anywhere including street corners, toilets and doorways mainly for nothing or an bowl of spagetthi and beer and their very first paid gig was at the Broadway Theatre April 26th 1959 doing 3 songs . The next big break for the Delltones was when they went to 2UE visiting disc jockey Bob Rogers which they sang Who's That Knockin and it impressed Bob who mentioned on air that if Lee Gordon was listening he should ring the station ASAP which he did and also then the Delltones appeared on their first Lee Gordon tour which was the Everly Brothers tour with Tab Hunter, Sal Mineo, Johnny O'Keefe and the Dee Jays, Col Joye and the Joye Boys, Johnny Devlin and the Devils(also first time), Johnny Rebb and the Rebels and Princess Rora in May-June 1959 that included Brisbane on June 1st and 2nd. Lee Gordon was an American born promoter who brought people out like Johnny Ray, Nat King Cole, Bill Haley and His Comets, The Platters, Little Richard and many others to Australia for the Big Show. The Delltones began recording for Leedon which their first hit single was an cover of the Crows song Gee and it went to number 16 in Sydney with the b side Why written by lead singer Noel Widerberg. They did 2 more Lee Gordon tours Battle of the Big Beat with Dig Richards and the R'Jays, Johnny O'Keefe and the Dee Jays, Johnny Rebb and the Delltones, Johnny Devlin and the Devils, Linda Laurie, Lloyd Price, The Kalin Twins and Conway Twitty in July including Brisbane on July 23rd and the Fabian tour with Johnny O'Keefe and the Dee Jays, Johnny Rebb and the Rebels, Col Joye and the Joy Boys and Johnny Devlin and the Devils in October including Brisbane on October 16th with Brisbane group the Planets on the bill. They backed up Johnny O'Keefe on many of the recordings including Shout and Why Do They Doubt Our Love as well as Johnny Rebb and the Rebels including Pathway To Paradise, Slim Dusty, Lionel Long,Reg Lindsay, Digger Revell and among others and they did appearances on TV shows including Six O'Clock Rock,Bandstand, The Bobby Limb Show, The Bryan Davies Show, The Johnny O"Keefe Show, Sing Sing Sing and many others. They had 3 more singles on Leedon Every Little Thing That I Do (an Dion and the Belmonts cover) with the b side Tonight written by Noel Widerberg, Yes Indeed (no 44 in Australia, number 35 in Adelaide and Number 30 in Sydney) in 1960 and Land of Beauty and then signed up with Coronet which their single with them was Little Miss Heartbreak written by Graham Turnbull which went to number 97 in Australia in 1960 and in 1961 their real big hit with You're The Limit an cover of the Diamonds song goping to number 15 in Australia, number 4 in Adelaide and Sydney and number 5 in Brisbane(their first) and Hobart. They recorded for HMV which they had 2 singles Even Thou number 86 in Australia and A Teenager In Love number 42 in Australia and it was an double sided hit with Wonder number 31 in Perth and Wonder was the hit single in Sydney going to number 11. They re-signed with Leedon which was owned by Festival and their first single with the label was an cover of the Bill Anderson song Get A Little Dirt On Your Hands with the b side A Happy Pair which went to number 3 in Australia, number 10 in Sydney and Adelaide, number 5 in Brisbane, number 14 in Perth and number 17 in Melbourne in 1962 as it was sadly to be the last single for lead singer Noel Widerberg who was tragically killed in an car crash July 7th 1962 in Brighton-Le Sands aged 26 which he left behind an wife and son. The group cancelled all engagements and were persuaded by friends and business associates to seek an replacement and continue with their careers which that spot was taken by Col Loughnan who was from the vocal group the Crescents who had the hit single Mr Blue and was also that was the line up that would last for nearly 4 years. The first single with Col on lead vocals was Come A Little Bit Closer which was an cover of the Willy and Ruth song written by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller which went to number 3 in Sydney, number 2 in Melbourne, number 5 in Brisbane, number 4 in Perth and number 6 in Adelaide in 1963 with the b side Joanie and their 1st album self titled was released in 1962 as well as the Come A Little Closer album was released in 1963. It was also in 1963 that they had 2 more singles Sittin In The Moonlight which was an cover of the G Clefs song going to number 25 in Sydney and number 10 in Adelaide and the classic surf song Hangin Five writen by Sydney dectective Ben Acton and Fred Kirkham going to number 1 in Sydney and Perth, number 3 in Brisbane and Adelaide and number 14 in Melbourne with the b side an version of the Jan and Dean song Surf City. By 1964 their hitmaking days were starting to come to an end which they had Out the Back written by ben Acton with the b side That's How Many Tears written by Bert Gobbe,Walking Along which was an cover of the Diamonds song went to number 7 in Brisbane and Hey Girl Don't Bother Me which was an cover of the Tams song which went to number 13 in Brisbane as well as the Australian top 30 which was to be their final hit and they had albums out Surf and Stomp, compilations the Best of the Delltones and Golden Hits of the Golden groups and the 1965 album Dellies Burst Out. The group performed in Vietnam several times and then in the mid 60's the line up changes in the group with Warren Lucas leaving in May 1966 which Ray Burton who went on to the Executives as well as writing I Am Woman joined , Col Loughnan left in 1967 which he went to play the saxophone and great success with Ayres Rock in the 70's which both Col and Ray's spots were taken by Bill Kerwin and Wayne Cornell who was an well known singer who had sang on Bandstand and that last until 1968 when they left which they were replaced by both Sep Martin and Bob Pierse who came from the Ambassadors as that line up with the Delltones of Pee Wee, Brian, Sep and Bob would last until 1973 when it ended. The group went over to London to try to get an crack internationally which they did an stint at the Playboy Club and did recordings for EMI with David Mackay an fellow Australian who was based there at the time for an album that would become the London Sessions as well as releasing an version of Gimme Some Lovin (the spencer Davis Song) as well as doing an appearance on Top Of The Pops and touring Europe having also toured the Far East. They came back to Australia by the end of 1970 and in 1971 released the album London Sessions as well as the singles Rock and Roll Will Stand and Birmingham were released but didn't do anything chartwise. The group continue to tour around Australia and on March 8th 1973 the Delltones performed at the Whiskey Au Go Go in Brisbane as they were touring Queensland at that time which they came late and after the show finished 2pm Pee Wee and Brian were leaving while Sep and Bob were having an drink and were doubtful about getting an cab at that hour so they checked if Pee Wee and Brian left but Brian was coming up the stairs to ask if they were sure they didn't want a lift but they all left within 7 minutes driving back to the hotel which then the club burnt down which 15 people were killed. The Delltones broke up in 1973 which they played their very gig at the Auburn RSL June 15th 1973 with ex Delltone Warren Lucas in the audience and Sep and Bob worked together as an duo while Brian and Pee Wee who were the remaining founding members of the group bought and operated an rural property. in 1978 the Delltones with Pee Wee, Brian, Bob and Sep got back together touring wirh Digger Revell backed up with members of the R'Jays/Rajahs Mike Lawler, Jon Hayton and Leon Isackson and did an album called Over The Years in 1979 which they continue TV appearances and touring until 1981 when Sep, Bob and Brian left the Delltones which then Pee Wee then changed the group from the vocal group to the vocal band which proved successful with line ups including Danny Mayers, Merv Dick, Woody Finlayson , Alan Freeman, Nevin McLean and Owen Booth which left until 2016. Brian after leaving the Delltones sang in an group called Sh Boom and then worked in real estate as well as owning an resort and an restaurant in the Byron Bay Hinterland as well as director for his family company in Northern NSW. I met Brian Perkins at the Rainbow Bay Surf Club on Sunday June 12th 2016 during Digger Revell's performance there which also in the audience was legendary Australian singer Tony Worsley and at one of the intervals I got his autograph and an photo which was an honor and an thrill to have met another member of the Delltones as well as an original founding member besides from Pee Wee that I met. It is sad that Brian has passed but he has left an legacy of great music he did with the Delltones which will live forever and let's hope for an compilation CD that should add songs they did for Coronet, HMV, EMI and Starseed along with their 60's hits which would be great as well as an induction into the ARIA Hall Of Fame that is long overdue for their impact on Australian music.