More (Mostly) Folk Music

The Cumberland Three   •   Introducing The Cumberland Three

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  • Introducing The Cumberland Three
    • 1964 - Parlophone PMC 1223 LP (UK)
  • Side One
    1. Blow Ye Winds
    2. Wild Mountain Thyme
    3. The Cumberland Crew
    4. Whisky In The Jar (Captain Farrell)
    5. Banua
    6. Sur La Route De Dijon (Arr. Lewis)
    7. Whip Jamboree (Coll. and Arr. Cecil Sharp)
  • Side Two:
    1. The River Is Wide (Reynolds)
    2. When I Was Young (Bowers, Guard)
    3. Chilly Wl Nds (Arr. Phillips, Stewart)
    4. Had A Little Girl (But She Left Me) (Sturrock, Beaton, Fogarty)
    5. New Land (Stewart)
    6. Goin' Away For To Leave You (Phillips)
    7. San Miguel (Bowers)
    8. Autumn To May (Yarrow, Stookey)

  • Musicians
    • The Cumberland Three:
    • Additional banjo — Pete Sayers
  • Credits
    • Produced by Terry Kennedy
    • Recording first published 1964
    • Musical Associate — Kenny Lewis
    • All Tracks Trad., Arr. Sturrock, Beaton, Fogarty, unless otherwise noted.
    • An Iver Recording

Sleeve Notes

The three are Alex Beaton, Brian Fogarty and Leonard Sturrock. All are 19 years old, all attended the same school and all became engineering apprentices on leaving.

Their first contact with the world of music came when they formed a skiffle group in school. On leaving, the boys lost touch with one another although Brian and Leonard did sing in clubs together and Alex did some singing on his own. At this time they were all ardent 'pop' music fans. Their conversion to folk music began when Brian and Leonard went on holiday together. They made friends with a German student who ran a folk group in his own country and was over here looking for new songs. The boys were so impressed with his brand of music that they immediately began experimenting and studying groups like The Kingston Trio, who played the sound they liked.

The group really came about when Leonard had an accident. He was involved in a car crash which Alex and Brian knew nothing about until they read it in the newspaper. They began visiting him in hospital and this is how the three got together again. Later, at a party, they decided to form the group. For months, the boys experimented and practised, learning songs and developing a more commercial style as opposed to the usual Scottish folksound.

Early in 1963, The Cumberland Three visited Glasgow's top jazz club. The Royal Garden, where proprietor Ian Forrest gave them a two-week trial. They sang a selection of popular folk material and were such a success that they were offered a residency, playing alternate weeks with Josh McRae. In the summer they appeared at a big folk concert in Glasgow with Robin Hall and Jimmie McGregor which was followed by numerous radio dates and engagements at top Glasgow clubs. The boys quote Robin and Jimmie as one of the biggest influences on their career and they are second in popularity to this famous pair in Scotland.

The time came when The Cumberland Three decided they had gone about as far as they could go in Scotland, so in August 1963 they came to London for an "exploring holiday". Although not a concentrated effort, the boys visited a few agents — with no luck. Then, on the last day of the trip they met agent Malcolm Nixon who was very impressed and arranged for them to come down again for an audition. Passing this successfully and signing with Malcolm, the boys moved down to London and are currently fully occupied with engagements and radio dates. Although they would naturally like a hit disc, this doesn't worry them. They'd hate to see a folk 'boom' in Britain as they feel the music might then be ruined. To remain steadily popular and progress is their main ambition, and as long as they do quite well — The Cumberland Three will be happy.

Alex Beaton was born on July 15, 1944, is 6ft. 1½ins. tall and has dark hair. At school. Alex shone at athletics which he still follows closely. He likes — collecting bookmatches, oil painting and commercial art. He dislikes — having too little time to do everything he wants to do.

Brian Fogarty was born on January 31, 1944. is 5ft. 7½ins. tall and has fair hair. He likes — cycling, reading, and listening to classical guitar. He dislikes — the state of British Railways.

Leonard Sturrock was born on March 16,1944, is 5ft. 9½ins. tall and has fair hair. He makes model aeroplanes as a hobby and is keen on motor racing. He dislikes — non-conformists.

All three like The Kingston Trio, The Everly Brothers, Peter, Paul and Mary, Robin Hall and Jimmie McGregor. They all have a liking for London restaurants and have a joint ambition to play in the major capitals of Europe.