|
Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular MusicA B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y ZSPRINGFIELDS, TheUK folk trio formed '60 by Mary O'Brien and her brother Tom (b 2 July '34, Hampstead, London), working as Tom and Dusty Springfield at first, joined by Tim Field, who was replaced by Mike Longhurst-Pickworth, who shortened his name to Hurst. UK hits incl. 'Island Of Dreams' and 'Say I Won't Be There'; their big USA hit was 'Silver Threads And Golden Needles' '62, which didn't chart in Britain (a country song from '56, revived '74 by Linda Ronstadt and Charlie McCoy). They split '63. Dusty Springfield has had a long career as one of the most highly regarded British vocalists (see her entry); Tom Springfield went on to manage and write songs for the Seekers (see their entry); Mike Hurst formed the Methods, playing country rock before it became fashionable, with Tony Ashton and Albert Lee in the band; he made two solo albums of his own on Capitol '69--70 using such sidemen as Ashton, B. J. Cole, Clem Cattini, Ian Paice, Jon Lord, Rod Argent, Nicky Hopkins and others. Hurst went on to prod. rock'n'roll revivalists Showaddywaddy '70s for 15 consecutive top 20 UK singles, also formed quartet Fancy (lead singer Helen Caunt) for US top 15 with 'Wild Thing' '74; meanwhile he'd discovered Cat Stevens, who'd been turned down by all the major labels, signed him to Deram and managed him. Along the way Hurst prod. Manfred Mann ('Mighty Quinn'), The Move ('Curly'), Spencer Davies ('Timeseller'), P. P. Arnold ('First Cut Is The Deepest'), the Alan Bown Set, Nirvana, Murray Head and Colin Blunstone (as Neil MacArthur, with 'She's Not There'); also Mud, Cilla Black, the Four Tops, others; managed Shakin' Stevens, signed him to Epic and prod. his first chart album Take One '80 and his first hit single 'Hot Dog'. Hurst carried on in the '80s; lectured on pop music '90s and was working on a TV series about it. The Springfields were not only the first UK vocal group to reach the top 20 in the USA, but individually and collectively were ultimately responsible for selling more records than perhaps anybody else in the UK except the Beatles. Not bad for a folk trio. |