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Location: Yorkshire, England | What an interesting post about tambourine playing talent!
Back in the 60's here in the UK, a local band who almost made it, but not quite, going under the name of `Dicky Heart and the Palpitations' had one of the finest tambourine players in the country- Rumour has it that he could also knock a mean tune out of a triangle.
His main day job was that of a ` cloth wringer out' for a one armed window cleaner, but because of his fantastic song writing talent, fame almost came his way.....
He took the song `It's Unusual' to Tom Jones - Tom said he didn't like it - but altered it slightly and re-recorded it - months later `It's NOT Unusual' shot to # 1 in the UK in 1965.
This was the man who wrote the musical score 'Annie Get your Bow and Arrow'... certain people got hold of it, altered it slightly and - the rest is history.
His last effort at song writing was `Tie an Orange Ribbon Round The Old Oak Tree' - It was rejected by all until Tony Orlando got hold of it, altered it slightly and ... need we say more?
Dicky now lives in a home for retired tambourine players in Scotland. |
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Location: closely held secret | Originally posted by Captain Black:
Back in the 60's here in the UK, a local band who almost made it, but not quite, going under the name of `Dicky Heart and the Palpitations' ...it was the name that killed them...
If they had been "DickHeart & Cardiac Arrest" they might have made across the channel. |
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Posts: 270
Location: Yorkshire, England | Wasn't that was the story of his life Wabbit ? ....... take his name ... just change it slightly ... |
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Location: NJ | didn't he have Parkinson's as well??
(which is what made him so good) |
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June 2007
Posts: 270
Location: Yorkshire, England | No, Cliff - I think you're thinking of Shaking Simpkins, the UK's answer to Elvis. (That's another story !) |
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Location: Tennessee | FWIW, I always thought of Dicky as the master of the cowbell. We could all use a little more cowbell. |
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June 2007
Posts: 270
Location: Yorkshire, England | In spite of numerous lessons, Dicky was never able to come to terms with the cowbell - If a cowbell was needed during a live performance with the Palpitations, the honour would go to kazoo player Skip Bifferdy. |
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UNSUNG TAMBOURINE PLAYING HERO