Brendan Bowyer
Encyclopedia
Brendan Bowyer, born 12 October 1938 in Waterford, Ireland, is an Irish
singer best known for fronting The Royal Showband, who had five number one hits in Ireland, and The Big Eight. He is also renowned for having The Beatles
open for him at a concert in 1962 at the Liverpool Empire Theatre
, and being regarded as one of the first headlining Elvis impersonator
s. Elvis Presley
himself was a big fan of Brendan's performances and would often attend Brendans concerts in the Stardust Resort & Casino
, Las Vegas during the 1970s.
. Don't Lose Your Hucklebuck Shoes returned the band to the number one position later in 1965.
In 1971 Bowyer left The Royal Showband, joining the Las Vegas
circuit with his new band, The Big Eight. He has been based in Las Vegas since then, though he makes frequent trips back to Ireland. In 1977 he made a brief return to the Irish charts with his tribute Thank You Elvis.
Having enjoyed a "semi retirement" phase , Bowyer has returned to the spotlight, touring Ireland each year, some for months on end, with his daughter Aisling Bowyer, and a six piece band. They perform his showband era hits, dance numbers, nationalist songs, modern contemporary songs and concert hits.
2001 saw the release of Follow On, a covers album, where Bowyer performs some of the most popular Irish songs, such as Summer in Dublin, What's Another Year, Past the Point of Rescue and I Don't Like Mondays.
2005 saw Brendan and Aisling headlining the entertainment list for the Tall Ships Festival in Waterford, performing in the open air to an estimated crowd of 12,000.
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
singer best known for fronting The Royal Showband, who had five number one hits in Ireland, and The Big Eight. He is also renowned for having The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
open for him at a concert in 1962 at the Liverpool Empire Theatre
Liverpool Empire Theatre
Liverpool Empire Theatre is located on the corner of Lime Street and London Road in Liverpool, Merseyside, England. The theatre is the second to be built on the site, and was opened in 1925. It has the largest two-tier auditorium in Britain and can seat 2,350 people...
, and being regarded as one of the first headlining Elvis impersonator
Elvis impersonator
An Elvis impersonator is someone who impersonates or copies famed American musician Elvis Presley. Professional Elvis impersonators can work all over the world as entertainers, and such tribute acts are in great demand due to the unique iconic status of Elvis...
s. Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
himself was a big fan of Brendan's performances and would often attend Brendans concerts in the Stardust Resort & Casino
Stardust Resort & Casino
The Stardust Resort & Casino was a casino resort located on along the Las Vegas Strip in Winchester, Nevada.The Stardust opened in 1958, although most of the modern casino complex was built in 1991. At its March 13, 2007 demolition it was the youngest undamaged high-rise building to ever be...
, Las Vegas during the 1970s.
Biography
Brendan Bowyer began his career with the Royal Showband in 1957. His ability to tailor American rock 'n' roll music to the tastes of Irish audiences, and his athletic, spirited on-stage performances made him a popular vocalist of the 1960s showband era. On 6 September 1963, Brendan Bowyer and the Royal Showband became the first Irish artists to top the Irish singles chart, with the hit Kiss Me Quick, which stayed at the number one position for seven weeks. They were to return to the top position later that year with No More, and repeated the feat in 1964 with Bless You. Brendan took part in the 1965 Irish National Song Contest for a chance to represent Ireland at the Eurovision Song Contest in Naples with the song Suddenly in love but could only manage 5th place. Their greatest success was to come in 1965 with The Hucklebuck, which spent a further seven weeks at the top and charted in the United KingdomUnited Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. Don't Lose Your Hucklebuck Shoes returned the band to the number one position later in 1965.
In 1971 Bowyer left The Royal Showband, joining the Las Vegas
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
circuit with his new band, The Big Eight. He has been based in Las Vegas since then, though he makes frequent trips back to Ireland. In 1977 he made a brief return to the Irish charts with his tribute Thank You Elvis.
Having enjoyed a "semi retirement" phase , Bowyer has returned to the spotlight, touring Ireland each year, some for months on end, with his daughter Aisling Bowyer, and a six piece band. They perform his showband era hits, dance numbers, nationalist songs, modern contemporary songs and concert hits.
2001 saw the release of Follow On, a covers album, where Bowyer performs some of the most popular Irish songs, such as Summer in Dublin, What's Another Year, Past the Point of Rescue and I Don't Like Mondays.
2005 saw Brendan and Aisling headlining the entertainment list for the Tall Ships Festival in Waterford, performing in the open air to an estimated crowd of 12,000.