Chas McDevitt
Encyclopedia
Chas McDevitt is a British musician, one of the leading lights of the skiffle
genre which was highly influential and popular in the United Kingdom in the mid-to-late 1950s.
His family moved to Camberley
, Surrey, when he was a child. As a teenager he taught himself the banjo
, and began corresponding with blues
artists including Josh White
. He also joined a local Dixieland
jazz group. By 1955 he had moved to London, and began playing with the Crane River Jazz Band. At the same time, he formed a small skiffle group, which busked
and performed in coffee bars and jazz clubs in Soho
.
In late 1956, whilst recording the song "Freight Train
" - written by folk blues singer Elizabeth Cotten
- for Oriole Records
, studio owner Bill Varley suggested they should add a female singer. As a result, folk singer Nancy Whiskey
was invited to join the Chas McDevitt Skiffle Group, and they re-recorded the song with her vocals. The record became a hit in the UK in 1957 at the height of the skiffle boom, reaching Number 5 in the UK Singles Chart
. In the United States, the song was covered by Rusty Draper
, who had the bigger hit. Nevertheless, McDevitt's group appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show, their record became a million seller, and their success led them to tour with acts such as Slim Whitman
and Frankie Lymon & The Teenagers. They also replaced Jerry Lee Lewis
on his ill-fated 1958 tour of the UK. McDevitt's was the only British skiffle group, other than Lonnie Donegan
's, to achieve international success.
After Whiskey left in 1957, McDevitt had less commercial success, and his group disbanded around 1959. He then formed a duo with his wife Shirley Douglas, until their professional and personal relationship ended in the 1970s. Since then, McDevitt has continued to perform as the leader of a re-formed group, and also remains active in charitable work.
Whiskey died in February 2003. More recently McDevitt appeared on the BBC Television show, Never Mind The Buzzcocks
.
Skiffle
Skiffle is a type of popular music with jazz, blues, folk, roots and country influences, usually using homemade or improvised instruments. Originating as a term in the United States in the first half of the twentieth century, it became popular again in the UK in the 1950s, where it was mainly...
genre which was highly influential and popular in the United Kingdom in the mid-to-late 1950s.
His family moved to Camberley
Camberley
Camberley is a town in Surrey, England, situated 31 miles southwest of central London, in the corridor between the M3 and M4 motorways. The town lies close to the borders of both Hampshire and Berkshire; the boundaries intersect on the western edge of the town where all three counties...
, Surrey, when he was a child. As a teenager he taught himself the banjo
Banjo
In the 1830s Sweeney became the first white man to play the banjo on stage. His version of the instrument replaced the gourd with a drum-like sound box and included four full-length strings alongside a short fifth-string. There is no proof, however, that Sweeney invented either innovation. This new...
, and began corresponding with blues
Blues
Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
artists including Josh White
Josh White
Joshua Daniel White , better known as Josh White, was an American singer, guitarist, songwriter, actor, and civil rights activist. He also recorded under the names "Pinewood Tom" and "Tippy Barton" in the 1930s....
. He also joined a local Dixieland
Dixieland
Dixieland music, sometimes referred to as Hot jazz, Early Jazz or New Orleans jazz, is a style of jazz music which developed in New Orleans at the start of the 20th century, and was spread to Chicago and New York City by New Orleans bands in the 1910s.Well-known jazz standard songs from the...
jazz group. By 1955 he had moved to London, and began playing with the Crane River Jazz Band. At the same time, he formed a small skiffle group, which busked
Busking
Street performance or busking is the practice of performing in public places, for gratuities, which are generally in the form of money and edibles...
and performed in coffee bars and jazz clubs in Soho
Soho
Soho is an area of the City of Westminster and part of the West End of London. Long established as an entertainment district, for much of the 20th century Soho had a reputation for sex shops as well as night life and film industry. Since the early 1980s, the area has undergone considerable...
.
In late 1956, whilst recording the song "Freight Train
Freight Train (song)
Freight Train is a song on the 1989 album by Nitro, O.F.R.. In the video for Freight Train, Michael Angelo Batio uses the one-of-a-kind quad guitar, which is a guitar with 4 necks. The top two necks have 7 strings and the bottom 2 have 6 strings. Unfortunately, that guitar was stolen after the...
" - written by folk blues singer Elizabeth Cotten
Elizabeth Cotten
Elizabeth "Libba" Cotten was an American blues and folk musician, singer, and songwriter.A self-taught left-handed guitarist, Cotten developed her own original style. Her approach involved using a right-handed guitar , not re-strung for left-handed playing, essentially, holding a right-handed...
- for Oriole Records
Oriole Records (UK)
Oriole Records was the first British record label founded in 1925 by the London-based Levy Company, which owned a gramophone record subsidiary called Levaphone Records.-History:...
, studio owner Bill Varley suggested they should add a female singer. As a result, folk singer Nancy Whiskey
Nancy Whiskey
Nancy Whiskey was a Scottish folk singer, best known for the 1957 hit song, "Freight Train".She was born Anne Alexandra Young Wilson, at Bridgeton, Glasgow, Scotland...
was invited to join the Chas McDevitt Skiffle Group, and they re-recorded the song with her vocals. The record became a hit in the UK in 1957 at the height of the skiffle boom, reaching Number 5 in the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
. In the United States, the song was covered by Rusty Draper
Rusty Draper
Farrell H. "Rusty" Draper was an American country and pop singer, who achieved his greatest success in the 1950s....
, who had the bigger hit. Nevertheless, McDevitt's group appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show, their record became a million seller, and their success led them to tour with acts such as Slim Whitman
Slim Whitman
Ottis Dewey Whitman, Jr. , known professionally as Slim Whitman, is an American country music singer and songwriter, known for his yodelling abilities. He has sold in excess of 120 million albums in unit sales and has had numerous successful recordings...
and Frankie Lymon & The Teenagers. They also replaced Jerry Lee Lewis
Jerry Lee Lewis
Jerry Lee Lewis is an American rock and roll and country music singer-songwriter and pianist. An early pioneer of rock and roll music, Lewis's career faltered after he married his young cousin, and he afterwards made a career extension to country and western music. He is known by the nickname 'The...
on his ill-fated 1958 tour of the UK. McDevitt's was the only British skiffle group, other than Lonnie Donegan
Lonnie Donegan
Anthony James "Lonnie" Donegan MBE was a skiffle musician, with more than 20 UK Top 30 hits to his name. He is known as the "King of Skiffle" and is often cited as a large influence on the generation of British musicians who became famous in the 1960s...
's, to achieve international success.
After Whiskey left in 1957, McDevitt had less commercial success, and his group disbanded around 1959. He then formed a duo with his wife Shirley Douglas, until their professional and personal relationship ended in the 1970s. Since then, McDevitt has continued to perform as the leader of a re-formed group, and also remains active in charitable work.
Whiskey died in February 2003. More recently McDevitt appeared on the BBC Television show, Never Mind The Buzzcocks
Never Mind the Buzzcocks
Never Mind the Buzzcocks is a comedy panel game television show with a pop music theme, currently without a permanent presenter. It stars Phill Jupitus and Noel Fielding as team captains. The show is produced by Talkback Thames for the BBC, and is usually aired on BBC Two...
.