Nashville Teens

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Nashville Teens

Little is known of the founding musicians, except that Arthur Sharp began his career in music as the manager of Aerco Records in Woking, Surrey, but the 'Mark II' line-up comprised original singers Arthur Sharp and Ray Phillips, with former Cruisers Rock Combo members John Hawken (piano), Mick Dunford (guitar), Pete Harris (bass) and Dave Maine (drums). Additional guitarist Pete Shannon completed the band. Roger Groome replaced Maine shortly afterwards.
In 1963, third vocalist Terry Crowe joined briefly; but later that same year Dunford and Groome left and were replaced by John Allen and Barry Jenkins. (Crowe and Dunford later formed 'The Plebs' with Danny McCulloch, and were re-united with Hawken in Renaissance in 1970).
Whilst playing in Hamburg (as most British bands of the era did), the Teens backed Jerry Lee Lewis for his Live at the Star Club, Hamburg album. It is widely considered one of the greatest live rock and roll albums ever.Music critic Stephen Thomas Erlewine writes, "Live at the Star Club is extraordinary, the purest, hardest rock & roll ever committed to record." They later backed Carl Perkins on his hit single "Big Bad Blues", and also played with Bo Diddley. At one such gig, they were spotted by Mickie Most who subsequently produced their June 1964 debut single, an interpretation of the John D. Loudermilk penned song, "Tobacco Road", which reached number 6 in the UK Singles Chart and number 14 in the U.S.Billboard Hot 100 chart. Jimmy Page played guitar on the studio cut of "Tobacco Road". The follow-up, another Loudermilk song, "Google Eye", reached number 10 in the UK in October 1964.