Biography
Even dedicated enthusiasts of country sounds might overlook the long-running partnership of Miki & Griff, whose three decades onstage unfolded almost entirely on British soil after the pair formed in England, although American crowds responded warmly on the occasions they crossed the Atlantic. Born Barbara on Scotland’s Isle of Bute and Emyr in Wales, the Griffiths first crossed paths as members of the George Mitchell Choir between 1947 and 1948. After departing that ensemble they joined Johnny Dennis & The Ranchers, wed in 1950, and later teamed with Max Bygraves for comedy and variety bills under the Miki & Griff name. Their early repertoire drew from pop vocal styles before shifting toward country harmonies patterned after the Louvin Brothers and the Everly Brothers. Lonnie Donegan, then England’s leading skiffle figure, arranged an audition that secured the duo a contract with Pye Records, the same label on which he recorded. Between the late 1950s and early 1960s they notched a brief run of domestic successes with “Hold Back Tomorrow,” “Rockin’ Alone (In An Old Rockin’ Chair),” “Little Bitty Tear,” and “I Wanna Stay Here,” while also contributing vocals to Donegan’s self-titled album sessions. Throughout the first half of the 1960s the pair appeared regularly on British television and broadened their sets to include folk material, among them Bob Dylan’s “Blowin’ In The Wind,” without straying far from country roots. In 1964 they tested the American market, traveling to Nashville and earning appreciative audiences at the Grand Ole Opry. They sustained a viable English career well into the 1970s by serving as opening acts for touring U.S. country artists, though chart entries had ceased long before. The act dissolved upon Barbara Griffith’s death in 1981. Castle Communications later assembled two CD retrospectives of their singles and album cuts, issued in 1999 and 2002.
Albums
