The Adderley Smith Blues Band
Alongside Brisbane's Bay City Union
and Sydney's The Foreday Riders, Melbourne's Adderley Smith Blues
Band is recognised as one of the first authentic blues bands
Australia ever produced.
Blues enthusiasts Kerryn Tolhurst and Mark Dindas formed the
band, taking their inspiration from the Chicago blues masters like
Muddy Waters, Junior
Wells, Sonny Boy Williamson
and Howlin' Wolf.
The line-up shifted constantly. Broderick Smith joined in 1966
on vocals and harp, and over the years other members included Gary
Collier (guitar), Fat Fred Bond (vocals), Joe Camilleri - aka Jo
Jo Zep (vocals and sax), John O'Brien (vocals), Colin Graham -
who would become Lighting Director for the Australian Ballet
(bass), Ron Issac (drums), Paul Lever (vocals and harp) and Doug
Stirling (bass).
The band played regularly at dances and blues clubs around
Melbourne, and while Smith and Tolhurst were called up for the
Army draft in 1968, Tolhurst kept a line-up running (with drummer
Noel Herridge and bassist Mark Kozuch) until 1970.
Although the Adderley Smith Blues Band did not release any
records, live recordings and demos are known to exist.
Tolhurst and Smith teamed up again in 1973 with The
Dingoes.
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