THE INTERNATIONAL FESTIVALS OF COUNTRY MUSIC AT WEMBLEY

As much as I appreciate all the hits, this is NOT the official site for Wembley 2012. Sadly the site is no longer on line. Please do not write to me asking if you can appear next year. I am not the booking agent!

Photograph © Doug McKenzie/Country Music People

Mervyn Conn, Tammy Wynette and Tony Byworth at the Country Music Association (GB) Awards Dinner in 1976. Tony, former editor of the magazine Country Music People, was Chairman of the CMA (GB) at the time and Tammy was their dinner guest.

1969 (April 5th)

Bill Anderson & The Po Boys, Phil Brady & The Ranchers, Wes Buchanan, George Hamilton IV, The Hillsiders, Jan Howard, Loretta Lynn Show, Merrill Moore, Orange Blossom Sound, John Wesley Ryles, Conway Twitty & The Lonely Blue Boys, Larry Cunningham & The Mighty Avons, Charlie Walker. Murray Kash, David Allan and Stephen West shared the master of ceremonies.

1970 (March 28th)

Roy Acuff, Lynn Anderson, Country Fever, Skeeter Davis, Roy Drusky & The Loners, Don Gibson, Tompall & The Glaser Brothers, George Hamilton IV, The Hillsiders, David Houston & The Persuaders, The Loretta Lynn Show, Orange Blossom Special, Bashful Brother Oswald (part of Roy Acuff's Show) Willard Pearce, Peggy Sue (part of Loretta Lynn's Show), Tex Ritter, Charlie Walker, Doyle Wilburn (part of Loretta Lynn's Show) with MC's Murray Kash, Pat Campbell & Wally Whyton.

1971 (April 10 & 11)

Roy Acuff & The Smokey Mountain Boys, Tommy Cash, Brian Coll, Lee Conway, Larry Cunningham, John Hartford, George Hamilton IV & The Numbers, Waylon Jennings (with Jessi Colter), Merle Kilgore, Ray Lynam & The Hillbillies, The Loretta Lynn Show, Patsy Powell & The Honky Tonk Playboys, Hank Snow & The Rainbow Ranch Boys, Hank Williams Jr. & The Drifting Cowboys and The Jonny Young Four. George Hamilton IV was MC with Murray Kash.

Conway Twitty © mca

1972 (April 1st & 2nd)

Bill Anderson & The Po Boys, Country Fever, Larry Cunningham, Tom T. Hall & The Storytellers, George Hamilton IV & The Numbers, Loretta Lynn & The Coal Miners, John D. Loudermilk, Ray Lynam & The Hillbillies, Margo & Country Folk, Anne Murray, Terry McKenna, Del Reeves, The Earl Scruggs Revue, The Stonemans, Tex Withers, Jonny Young Four, Conway Twitty & The Twittybirds, Dottie West, Hank Williams Jnr. & The Cheatin' Hearts. George Hamilton IV was MC (Saturday) and Bill Anderson was MC (Sunday) with the Billboard/Record Mirror Awards presented by Mary Reeves.

Photograph © Doug McKenzie/Country Music People

Many of the stars that appeared at Wembley in 1973. They are (back row) Murray Kash, Mac Wiseman, Jim Glaser, Mervyn and Laura Conn, Jim Ed Brown, Bryan Chalker and Hank Thompson. In the middle row is Ray Lynam, Chuck Glaser, Ernest Tubb, Diana Trask, Dottie West, Skeeter Davis, Jeannie Seely, Jack Greene and Del Reeves. Seated are Hank Snow, Ferlin Husky, Wally Whyton, Nada Urbankova, Johnny Paycheck, George Hamilton IV, Larry Cunningham and Frankie McBride.

1973 (April 21st & 22nd)

Jim Ed Brown, Cates Sisters, Bryan Chalker and New Frontier, Country Fever, Larry Cunningham, Skeeter Davis, Tompall & The Glaser Brothers & The Nashville Studio Band, Jack Greene & The Jolly Green Giants, George Hamilton IV, Ferlin Husky (with his alter-ego Simon Crum), Ray Lynam & The Hillbillies, New Strangers, Johnny Paycheck, Del Reeves & The Good Time Charleys, Jeannie C. Riley & The Homesteaders, Jeannie Seely, Hank Snow, Pete Sayers, Hank Thompson & The Brazos Valley Boys, Diana Trask, Ernest Tubb & The Texas Troubadours, Nada Urbankova & Country Beat, Dottie West, Mac Wiseman and The Jonny Young 4. The MC was Wally Whyton. Billboard/Record Mirror Awards were presented by Bill Williams (Billboard Nashville editor) and Tony Byworth (Billboard/Record Mirror European country music editor).

Ray Lynam - Photograph © Declan Barnes

Saturday, April 13th 1974

Pete Brady introduced Rankarna & Mats Radberg, The Hillsiders, Terry Stafford, Jeanne Pruett, Bill Monroe & The Bluegrass Boys , Bill Anderson, The Jonny Young 4, Kathie Kay, Ray Lynam & Philomena Begley, Wanda Jackson, Tompall Glaser, Kitty Wells & Johnny Wright (with Tennessee Mountain Boys), There was also a special presentation: The International Festival 1974 Billboard/Record Mirror Country Music Awards.

Sunday, April 14th 1974

Murray Kash presented the Miss Country Music Competition. Bill Anderson introduced Frisco, Caroline Hall, Czech Country Beat, Larry Cunningham & The Country Blue Boys, The Oakridge Boys, Johnny Rodriguez, Mac Wiseman, Miki & Griff, David Rogers, Patsy Sledd, Narvel Felts with George Jones & Tammy Wynette. There was also the Miss Country Music Awards and the British Country Music Festival Awards. ** Mary Lou Turner and Kelvin Henderson were also mentioned as appearing this year.

Saturday, March 29th 1975

George Hamilton IV introduced The Kelvin Henderson Country Band, Vernon Oxford, Molly Bee, Johnny Carver, Ray Lynam & Philomena Begley and Marty Robbins. Following the interval there was the Billboard Publications Country Music Awards followed by the Cass Family, The Tumbleweeds, Jon Derek & Country Fever, Miki & Griff, Mac Wiseman and Dolly Parton & Her Travelling Family Band.

Sunday, March 30th 1975

George Hamilton IV introduced Frisco, Sydney Devine, Red Sovine, Barbara Mandrell & The Do Rights, David Frizzell and Wanda Jackson. Following the interval there was The British Country Music Festival Awards and then the Billboard/Record Mirror Awards were presented by Lyn Paul, Hughie Green and Dorothy Ritter. The show continued with Larry Cunningham & the Country Blue Boys, Jeanne Pruett, Jimmy Payne, Melba Montgomery, Jean Shepard and George Jones. Other names mentioned as appearing at the festival this year included Jeannie Denver & Vernon Oxford. ** The programme also showed Lefty Frizzell as a guest - but, of course, Lefty died in July 1975 so we don't know whether he was booked to appear.

Marty Robbins in the BBC marquee recording for the radio programme "Country Club" in 1976. Photograph courtesy of Snowy & Heather Walker.

1976 (April 17th, 18th & 19th)

Kathy Barnes, Country Gazette, Dick Damron, The Dillards, Johnny Gimble, Jack Greene, Lloyd Green, George Hamilton IV, John Hartford, Wanda Jackson, Waylon Jennings, Jim & Jesse McReynolds, Vernon Oxford, Ozark Mountain Daredevils, Carl Perkins, Jeanne Pruett, Dolly Parton, Marty Robbins, Pete Sayers, Jeannie Seely, Buffy St. Marie, Red Sovine, Connie Smith, Dottie West, Don Williams, Tex Withers, Tammy Wynette with Murray Kash as MC.

1977 (April 9th, 10th & 11th)

Carroll Baker, Philomena Begley, The Cotton Mill Boys, Don Everly, The Dillards, Don Gibson, Larry Gatlin, Crystal Gayle, Lloyd Green, Emmylou Harris, Frank Jennings Syndicate, Albert Lee, Ray Lynam and The Hillbillies, Keith Manifold, Jim & Jesse McReynolds, Mercy Brothers, Jody Miller, Mickey Newbury, Oak Ridge Boys, Tommy Overstreet, Carl Perkins, Jean Shepard, Billie Jo Spears, Hank Thompson and The Brazos Valley Boys, Don Williams and Dennis Weaver.

Saturday, March 25th, 1978

George Hamilton IV introduced Jeannie Denver & The JD Band, Fonograf, Barbara Fairchild, The Wilburn Brothers, Carroll Baker and Don Everly. After the first interval, the show featured Carl Smith, Freddie Hart, Vernon Oxford and Jody Miller. The final part of Saturday's show had Don Williams topping the bill.

Sunday, March 26th, 1978

George Hamilton IV introduced Colin Christian and Culpepper County, Saskia & Serge, Kelvin Henderson, Lynch & Lawson, Skeeter Davis and Marty Robbins. Dave & Sugar followed after the interval with appearances from Lloyd Green, Charlie McCoy, Hargus 'Pig' Robbins, Carl Perkins and Donna Fargo. We are informed that Ronnie Milsap was scheduled to appear on this day but didn't make Wembley.

Monday, March 27th 1978

Dick Damron, Raymond Froggatt, Barbi Benton, Ronnie Prophet and Tompall Glaser opened the first part of the show and were introduced by George Hamilton IV. Following the first interval Larry Gatlin opened the proceedings with music from Joe Ely, Dottie West and Kenny Rogers. The International Country Music Awards was a feature before the show came to a grand finale with Ray Lynam & The Hillbillies, Moe Bandy and Merle Haggard.

In 1978, to coincide with the Tenth International Festival of Country Music, the magazine Music Week, launched a 20-page souvenir issue, edited and compiled by Tony Byworth, which sold for the grand sum of 15p. You can view larger images of the cover (on the left) and an advertisement inside the supplement (on the right) by clicking on the above photographs which are © Music Week.

1979 (April 14th, 15th & 16th)

Billy Armstrong, Bobby Bare, Moe Bandy, Boxcar Willie, Jeannie Denver, Ray Dexter, Lonnie Donegan, The Drifting Cowboys, Floyd Cramer, Dottsy, Buddy Emmons, Barbara Fairchild, Freddy Fender, Ken and Billie Ford, Crystal Gayle, Don Gibson, Gloria, Terri Hollowell, Jana Jay, Sleepy LaBeef, Ray Lynam & The Hillbillies, Charlie McCoy, Jim & Jesse McReynolds, Ronnie Milsap, Vernon Oxford, Poacher, Ronnie Prophet, Marty Robbins, Lanie Smallwood, Billie Jo Spears, Joe Stampley, Conway Twitty, Frank Yonco and Tammy Wynette.

Irish star Gloria celebrating her gold disc for sales of her song "One Day At A Time."

1980

Roy Acuff, Bobby Bare, Philomena Begley, Bellamy Brothers, Boxcar Willie, Roy Clark, Commander Cody & The Lost Planet Airmen, Eddie Eastman, Don Everly, Barbara Fairchild, Janie Fricke, Raymond Froggatt, Johnny Gimble, Tompall & The Glaser Brothers, Lloyd Green, Emmylou Harris, Frank Ifield, Tom Jennings, The Kendalls, Albert Lee, Brenda Lee, Little Ginny, Ray Lynam, Matchbox, Susan McCann, Charlie McCoy, Bill Monroe, The Mintings, Jimmy C. Newman, Stella Parton, Peggy Sue, Colleen Peterson, Charley Pride, Ronnie Prophet, Charlie Rich, Kenny Seratt, Joe Sun, Shoji Tabuchi, Billy Walker, Kitty Wells, Sonny Wright and Faron Young.

Tammy Wynette © Epic

1981

Suzie Allanson, Rex Allen Jr., American Express, Hoyt Axton, Bellamy Brothers, Johnny Cash, Buddy Emmons, Frank Ifield, George Jones, Paul Kennerley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Jim & Jesse McReynolds, Terry McMillan, Jimmy C. Newman, Carl Perkins, Diane Pfeifer, Marty Robbins, Rose Marie, Roxon Roadshow, Doc and Merle Watson and Tammy Wynette.

Friday, April 9th 1982

Ronnie Prophet introduced Tammy Cline, Bob Young & The Double M Band, Dale Brady, Guy Clark, Cynthia Clawson, Mel Tillis, Brendan Quinn, Philomena Begley, Jerry Foster, The Dillards, Billy Swan and Kris Kristofferson.

Saturday, April 10th 1982

George Hamilton IV introduced AG & Kate, Tony Goodacre, Susan McCann, Grandpa Jones, Kitty Wells, Roy Clark, The Wilburn Brothers, Rose-Marie, Roxon Roadshow, Porter Wagoner, Jimmy C. Newman, Colorado and Boxcar Willie. There was also The Country Music Roundup & Mervyn Conn Promotions International Country Music Awards 1982. ** The souvenir programme mentions Grandpa Jones but we are not sure whether he appeared.

Sunday, April 11th 1982

Ronnie Prophet introduced Teddy Nelson, Patrice, Tom Gribbin & The Saltwater Cowboys, Wendy Holcombe, Razzy Bailey, Marty Robbins, Boytorian, Two's Company, Terri Gibbs, Lloyd Green and Jerry Lee Lewis.

Monday, April 12th 1982

Ronnie Prophet introduced Kelly Foxton, Gerry Ford, Mary Bailey, The Nashville Superpickers, Terry McMillan, Roy Orbison, Linda Cassady, Lonnie Donegan, Roy Drusky, Jeannie C. Riley and Don Williams with The Silk Cut Country Music Talent Competition Awards presentation.

Saturday, April 2nd 1983

AG & Kate (Holland), Suzanne Prentice (New Zealand), Ronnie Prophet (Canada) who also acted as compere, Foster & Allen (Ireland), The Dillards, Jim & Jesse & The Virginia Boys, Bill Monroe, Skeeter Davis, Roy Drusky, Billy Walker, Jeannie Pruett, Porter Wagoner, Roy Acuff.

Sunday, April 3rd 1983

Dave Bryant & Moonshine (UK), Linda Cassady, Tony Goodacre (UK), Wesley Parker, Narvel Felts, Tom Gribbin & The Saltwater Cowboys, George Jones, Matchbox (UK), TR Dallas (Ireland), Barbara Fairchild, Terry McMillan, Tompall & The Glaser Brothers, John D. Loudermilk, Tammy Wynette.

Monday, April 4th 1983

Teddy Nelson (Norway), Margo Smith, Raymond Froggatt (UK), Australia (The Legarde Twins, Australia), The Flying Burrito Brothers, Rattlesnake Annnie, Bobby Bare, Free Spirit (UK), Wendel Adkins, Johnny Lee, Bonnie Dobson, Ed Bruce, Billie Jo Spears, Boxcar Willie & The Texas Trainmen.

1984

Lynn Anderson, Moe Bandy, Philomena Begley, Glen Campbell, Freddy Fender, David Frizzell, Jim Glaser, Tom Gribben, Emmylou Harris, Carl Jackson, Tom Jennings, Albert Lee, Ray Lynam, Susan McCann, Jim & Jesse McReynolds, Lee Moran, The Osmonds, Vernon Oxford, Ray Pillow, Paul Richey, Jeannie C. Riley, Ronny Robbins, Ray Stevens, The Stoneman Family, B.J. Thomas, Geoff Turner, Billy Walker, Shelly West and Slim Whitman.

1985

Boxcar Willie, Moe Bandy, Philomena Begley, Bellamy Brothers, Glorianne Carriere with Station Break, Rita Coolidge, Gail Davies, Michael Doucet, Narvel Felts, Freddy Fender, Tompall & The Glaser Brothers, Tom Gribben and the Saltwater Cowboys, Brenda Lee, Loretta Lynn, Jerry Lee Lewis, Ray Lynam, Tokyo Matsu, Susan McCann, Terry McMillan, Jimmy C. Newman, The Osmonds, Ronnie Prophet, Rose Marie, Paul Richey, Johnny Russell, Joe Stampley, Nat Stuckey, Conway Twitty, Billy Walker, Hank Wangford and Tammy Wynette.

Johnny Cash with Stan Laundon in 1966 - photograph © Billy Crallan

1986

Rex Allen Jnr., Carroll Baker, June and Carlene Carter, Johnny Cash, Guy Clark, Lacy J. Dalton, The Drifting Cowboys, Johnny Duncan, Exile, Barbara Fairchild, Janie Fricke, Mark Gray, George Hamilton IV, Jeff Hanna, Becky Hobbs, George Jones, Bill Monroe, The Moody Brothers, The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Marie Osmond, Vernon Oxford, Rattlesnake Annie, Johnny Russell, John Schneider, Connie Smith, Margo Smith, Jerry Jeff Walker and Gene Watson.

1987

Rex Allen Jnr., Boxcar Willie, Moe Bandy, Bobby Bare, Bellamy Brothers, David Allan Coe, Colorado, Tommy Collins, Little Jimmy Dickens, Jerry Douglas, Leon Everette, Forrester Sisters, Janie Fricke, George Hamilton IV, George Hamilton V, Emmylou Harris and the Hot Band, Hogan's Heroes, Sleepy LaBeef, Jerry Lee Lewis, Patty Loveless, Mel McDaniel, Mark O'Connor, Newgrass Revival, Pinkertons Colours, Peter Rowan, Johnny Russell, Connie Smith and Tanya Tucker.

Skeeter Davis

1988

Hoyt Axton, Carroll Baker, Pinto Bennett, Tommy Collins, Colorado, Larry Cunningham, Skeeter Davis, Mary Duff, Carey Duncan, Leon Everette, Freddy Fender, Raymond Froggatt, Crystal Gayle, Don Gibson, Lloyd Green, Tom Gribbin and the Saltwater Cowboys, Merle Haggard, George Hamilton IV, George Hamilton V, Hogan's Heroes, Wanda Jackson, Stonewall Jackson, Jim & Jesse, The Jordanaires, Albert Lee, Jerry Lee Lewis, Patty Loveless, Melba Montgomery, Charlie McCoy, Willie Nelson, Daniel O'Donnell, The O'Kanes, Vernon Oxford, Rose Marie, Marvin Rainwater, Roxon Roadshow, Joe Sun, Hank Thompson, Billy Walker, Mac Wiseman and Tammy Wynette.

1989

Asleep at the Wheel, Bobby Bare, Suzy Bogguss, Larry Boone, Boxcar Willie, Jessi Colter, Earl Thomas Conley, Rosie Flores, Janie Fricke, Carol Gordon, Waylon Jennings, John McEuan, Susan McCann, Lorrie Morgan, Bob Newman, Buck Owens, Pinkertons Colours, Poacher, Kimmie Rhodes, Billy Joe Shaver, Townes Van Zandt, Billy Walker, Keith Whitley and Tammy Wynette.

Saturday, April 14th 1990

Dan Riley introduced The Sarah Jory Band, H.S.Krush with Footloose, Declan Nerney, Logue & McCool with Lateshift, Freddy Fender, Johnny Russell, Poacher, Susan McCann, Doug Kershaw and Emmylou Harris.

Sunday, April 15th 1990

Dan Riley introduced Graham Fenton's Matchbox, Hayden Thompson with Graham Fenton's Matchbox, Judy Lindsey with Memphis Roots, Medicine Bow, Louise Morrissey, David Allan Coe, The Hank Wangford Band, Aine and Lateshift, Pinto Bennett and The Famous Motel Cowboys, Randy Van Warmer with Emerald and Jerry Lee Lewis.

Willie Nelson - Photograph © Eric Whitehouse

Monday, April 16th 1990

Dan Riley introduced Barry McCloud and The Bounty Hunters, Kathy Durkin, George Hug with West Coast, Carole Gordon and Bob Newman with Hogan's Heroes, Raymond Froggatt, Katie Moffatt, Asleep At The Wheel, Bill Conlon, Kimmie Rhodes, Mary-Chapin Carpenter and Willie Nelson.

Saturday, March 30th 1991

John McEuen introduced Country Fever, George Hug, Big Guitars from Memphis, West Coast, Isla Grant & Allon Young, Susan McCann, Charlie Louvin, David Houston & Kathy Raye, Brendan Quinn, Crystal Gayle, West Coast, Matt Leavy, Jean Shepard, Stu Phillips and The Johnny Cash Show.

Sunday, March 31st 1991

John McEuen introduced The United, Tender Mercies, Ian & Andy, The Tony Rouse Band, Aine, Jodle Birge, Michael O'Brien, Sally O'Brien, Canones y Mantequilla, Philomena Begley, Slim & Byron Whitman, A Patsy Cline Tribute with Sharon Haynes & The Jordanaires, Charlie McCoy and Tammy Wynette.

Ricky Skaggs © rickyskaggs.com

Sunday, February 26th 2012

Steve Cherelle introduced Raymond Froggatt, Sandy Kelly & George Hamilton IV, Tim McKay, Pig Earth, Ali Isabella, Will Banister and Jo-El Sonnier. David Allen introduced John McNicholl, George Ducas, Narvel Felts and Asleep at the Wheel. After the interval George Hamilton IV introduced Lonestar and Ricky Skaggs with Reba McEntire appearing after the second interval.

This page is dedicated to the memory of Murray Kash who played a huge part in the Wembley festivals as organiser and compere. Murray - an actor, broadcaster, writer and speech therapist - was born September 16th, 1923 and died March 30th, 2009.

Thanks to David Allan, Dave Barnes, Tony Byworth, Bryan Chalker, Arie den Dulk, Tony Goodacre and Ed Wooden for their help and invaluable contributions to this page.

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