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Ray Dales

The Real McCoy

A rare photograph with Ron Aspery, Ray Dales and John McCoy.

New releases from Fontana and Mercury includes "Show Me How To Milk A Cow" by The Real McCoy.

This press article, from the Northern Echo on February 17th, 1967 said: "This lot are The Real McCoy a group from Middlesbrough who have a new release in the shops. The farmyard scene - the title is Show Me How To Milk A Cow - became a bit hectic when the animal turned out to be a grumpy bull". The group is good, but the material weak, says John Exelby. I bet he wasn't welcome at The Kirk after that comment!

This press cutting came from the Sunday Sun on February 19th, 1967 and read: "Show me the way to milk a cow - sing Teesside beat group The Real McCoy's, who put in a personal appearance at a Stockton cinema yesterday to sign autographs for children and to mark the release of their first record...called "Show Me The Way To Milk A Cow." Pictured here are six members of the group Alan Fearnley, Terry Sidgwick, Ray Dales, Ken Thwaites, Austin "Ottie" McLoughlin and the leader, John McCoy - and the "cow". If I had written this article I would have checked to see if I had the title of the record correct!

Teesside's beat group, The Real McCoy, who appeared at a Stockton cinema on Saturday, to sign autographs and sing their first disc Show Me The Way To Milk A Cow. They are, left to right, Alan Fearnley, Terry Sidgwick, Ray Dales, Ken Thwaites, Austin "Ottie" McLoughlin and John McCoy with the cow's head. This cutting appeared in the Northern Echo on February 20th, 1967.

The four photographs above, as you might gather, were taken directly from a television screen. The images were promoting the release of the record "Show Me How To Milk A Cow" - long before the days of promotional videos were available. The quality is rather poor but we thought we would still include them here as it is part of the history of The Real McCoy.

Thanks to Alan Fearnley, John McCoy and Ottie McLoughlin for sharing their photographs and memories on this page. Photographs © Fearnley Studios, Middlesbrough.

 

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Copyright © Stan Laundon

The Real McCoy

 

The Real McCoy was born in 1966. They started life as The Crawdaddies - or John McCoy and The Crawdaddies - but when they signed a management deal with Rik Gunnell (the manager of Georgie Fame) he said they had to change their name because another band with a similar name were operating in London - Tony Colton and The Crawdaddies - so The Crawdaddies became The Real McCoy.

The Real McCoy signed a record contract with Fontana Records in 1967 and their single "Show Me How You Milk A Cow" was released. Promoting their record with their Ford Transit is Tony Ayres, Ottie McLoughlin, John McCoy, Alan Fearnley, Ken Thwaites, Ray Dales and Terry Sidgwick.

A portrait by the Fearnley Photographic Studios in Middlesbrough with Ottie McLoughlin, Ron Aspery, Ken Thwaites, Alan Fearnley, John McCoy, Terry Sidgwick and Ray Dales.

Dedicated followers of fashion - Alan, Terry, Ron, Ray, Ken, John and Ottie in 1967.

Also from 1967, their Ford Transit takes a back seat. Left to right on this are Alan, Ray, John, Ken, Ron, Ottie with Terry kneeling at the front.

In the park - Ottie, Alan, Ron, Ken, Terry, John and Ray.

Another publicity photograph - this time from the 1967/8 period - and showing Ottie, Terry, Ron, John, Ray, Ken and Alan in Stewart Park, Middlesbrough.

Ottie, Alan, Terry, John and Ray at the back with Ron and Ken kneeling.

Ken Thwaites, Ron Aspery, Ray Dales, John McCoy, Ottie McLoughlin and Alan Fearnley.

Having fun in the park - Ron, Ken, Ottie, Terry, John, Ray and Alan.

Terry, Ottie, John, Ray, Ken, Alan and Ron - a great setting.

Ron, Ken, Terry, John, Ray, Alan and Ottie in the park.

A very live performance with an equally enthusiastic audience - left to right are Ken Thwaites, Ray Dales, Ron Aspery, John McCoy, Terry Sidgwick and Alan Fearnley.

Here it is - a great new release by The Real McCoy. This was a half page spread in the Evening Gazette, Middlesbrough, on February 16th, 1967. Click on the image to see a larger version of this photograph.

A potted history of The Real McCoy by Alan Fearnley:

After changing their name from John McCoy's Crawdaddies, The Real McCoy released their only record in 1967, "Show Me How" on Fontana Records. Although a popular stage number, not the band's ideal choice. Famous jazz sax player, Ron Aspery, joined the band at this time in place of Tony Ayres and they continued with local residencies and touring round the country in their distinctive yellow Transit bus. Over the years, the band played alongside just about every big name in rock music. From The Animals to Zoot Money, The Rolling Stones, The Who, Jimi Hendrix etc... Paul McCartney once asked the band to play a number again which he had particularly liked, featuring Ron and Ray on flutes.  1968 saw musical differences causing the band to split. John McCoy and Terry Sidgwick forming Tramline with Mick Moody & Terry Popple, while Alan Fearnley, Ron Aspery and Ray Dales formed Rivers Invitation with Alan Ludley, Peter 'Tubby' Ayton and Merv Jones.

This page is dedicated to the memory of Ron Aspery

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Copyright © Stan Laundon.com

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