One Night Only

One Night Only assembled in 2003, opening with a blend of cover material and original songs before developing into a gold-certified British rock group. Mark Hayton on guitars and vocals, bassist Daniel Parkin, drummer Sam Ford, and lead guitarist Kai Smith formed the early lineup, which lacked a singer until George Craig arrived; Craig’s insistence on serving as both frontman and lead guitarist then prompted Kai Smith’s exit. The refreshed ensemble played its debut show in December 2003 while Craig was still 13, later enlarging its sonic palette by recruiting keyboardist Jack Sails.

Following the late-2007 release of the band’s first single “You and Me,” One Night Only created national momentum in January 2008 when its next single “Just for Tonight” began climbing the U.K. charts. The debut album Started a Fire appeared the following month, entering the Top Ten on its first week and eventually earning gold status. Attention also focused on the members’ youth—Craig reached 18 only midway through the Started a Fire tour—and on their origins in Hemsley, a small market town in the unfashionable county of North Yorkshire.

By early 2010 the lineup had changed once more with the arrival of James Craig, who replaced Sam Ford on drums, and the group had finished recording its self-titled second album, issued that summer.