HEADLINE CONCERT
Saturday 5th May : Evening, Time tbc
Venue : Ballydehob Community Hall.
Ticket : €tbc.
Known as Irelands King of Jazz, Paddy Cole first entered the showbusiness world at the age of 9. He spent his early years entertaining audiences throughout Ireland and the UK until the emerging Showband craze caught up with him. The newly formed ‘Capitol Showband’ was made up of members from all over the country and Paddy was one of the lucky few to be invited to join the band as their saxophone and clarinet player. They were an overnight success.
The ‘Capitol Showband’ went on to become the first Irish band to record an LP and they were also the first Irish band to appear on ‘Sunday night at the Palladium’, performing to a television audience of 30 million. Their popularity soared throughout the 60′s and went beyond Ireland and the UK as they also did extensive tours of the United States.
Paddy subsequently had the opportunity to join with other Showband stars and ‘The Big 8′ was formed. The band concentrated on the bright lights of Las Vegas where they lived and performed for 7 months of each year.
After several very successful years playing to sell out crowds on the ‘Strip’ Paddy decided to return to life in Ireland, and on his return set up his own band and ‘The Paddy Cole Superstars’ was born.
The band concentrated mostly on the North of Ireland and quickly became very popular. Paddy continued to perform with the group for a few years until they finally went their seperate ways. Paddy went in to the bar business for 12 years, but music was in his blood and he eventually found himself back performing.
Renowned for playing good time Jazz, Rock ‘n’ Roll, Sixties and Swing, he and his band possess that rare quality of being able to transmit their own enthusiasm for their music to their audience, and he remains one of the country’s top entertainers to this day.
