Biography
Britten surfaced amid Reg Calvert’s roster of interchangeable pop acts as a tall, Liverpool-rooted lookalike to Buddy Holly whose live shows earned steady respect in the first years of the 1960s. The resemblance drew the attention of producer Norman Petty, who apparently asked the singer to cut tracks in New Mexico and also weighed him for the lead in a planned screen biography of Holly. Britten’s road band, the Regents, functioned as a dependable, no-frills ensemble suited to stage work. Following engagements at several Hamburg venues, Britten shifted toward a harsher Merseybeat approach and issued a potent 45 that paired James Ray’s “If You Gotta Make A Fool Of Somebody” with “Money.” Freddie and the Dreamers’ rival rendition eclipsed the former track, after which Britten’s follow-up releases on Oriole and Piccadilly remained largely confined to Midlands airplay.