Billy J Kramer & The Dakotas - Original 60's Line-Up - In Person Signed Picture

	£		60
	$		80

This is an In Person signed Black and White Music book picture 7" x 6.5" by the successful 60's English Band which I obtained at the Winter Gardens in Morecambe. It consists of lead singer Billy.J.Kramer and Mike Maxfield, Tony Mansfield, Ray Jones and Robin MacDonald of The Dakotas. Billy J. Kramer (born William Howard Ashton, 19 August 1943, Bootle, Lancashire, England) is a British Invasion/Merseybeat singer. In the 1960s he was managed by Brian Epstein, who also managed the Beatles, and he recorded several original Lennon and McCartney compositions. The Dakotas is a group of British musicians, which initially convened as a backing band in Manchester, England. However, they are most closely associated with the singer Billy J. Kramer, a Liverpudlian who was the lead vocalist for the group during the 1960s.[2] In the USA they are regarded as part of the British invasion. The group's name arose from an engagement at the Plaza Ballroom in Oxford Street, Manchester. Its manager asked the group to return the next week dressed as Indians and called the Dakotas, founded in September 1960 by rhythm guitarist Robin MacDonald, with Bryn Jones on lead guitar; Tony Bookbinder (also known as Tony Mansfield) on drums, and Ian Fraser on bass. Ray Jones joined the band as bassist replacing Ian Fraser, and Mike Maxfield joined the band in February 1962 as lead guitarist replacing Bryn Jones after being with a Manchester band called the Coasters. The group first backed Pete MacLaine (February 1962 – January 1963). However, Brian Epstein, who was managing Billy J. Kramer, made the Dakotas an offer to become Kramer's backing band, which they accepted. Epstein insisted the name was Billy J Kramer with The Dakotas, not "and". The group and Billy J Kramer then went to Hamburg to perfect their act. In addition to backing Kramer on his hits, the group itself is perhaps best known for their instrumental single called "The Cruel Sea", a composition of Maxfield that reached No.18 in the UK charts in July 1963.[3] The track was re-titled "The Cruel Surf" in the U.S., and was subsequently covered by The Ventures. The band released by "Magic Carpet" by George Martin in September 1963. It was not a hit. Their next single, "Oyeh" (November 1964), was not a chart success either. After a row with Epstein, Ray Jones left the group in July 1964. Robin MacDonald moved to bass to make way for a new lead guitarist, Mick Green from Johnny Kidd and The Pirates,[2] and the band continued to record with Kramer and under their own name. Maxfield left to concentrate on songwriting in 1965, leaving The Dakotas as a trio, while ex-Pirate Frank Farley replaced Mansfield on drums in 1966.[2] However, the decline of Kramer's career through alcoholism also caused the decline of the Dakotas' career. He parted from the group in September 1967, and the band folded the following year.

Writestuff Autographs.

Ken Mills of Writestuff Autographs welcomes you to his Ebay Online Shop which represents over 45 years indulgence in a passion for collecting Genuine Autographs. From humble beginnings collecting the autographs of Pop Stars in the early 1960’s in his hometown of Morecambe in the North West of England, Ken has gone on to expand this fascinating hobby into a full time business. The expertise gained over such a long period is key to being able to offer authentic autographs, and in an Industry which has seen a massive rise in the number of forgeries on offer over the past 10 years it pays to buy from someone you can trust.

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