Biography
The Boston Dexters originated in 1964 when Edinburgh club proprietor Brian Waldman assembled the lineup in Scotland. Ex-Heartbeats Tam White on vocals and Toto McNaughton on drums teamed with guitarist John Turnbull and bassist Alan Coventry. Their stage presentation drew directly from American gangsters of the 1930s, complete with costly pin-striped suits and replica firearms brandished during performances. Although the group delivered robust R&B, their first single, ‘I’ve Got Something To Tell You Baby’—penned by Tin Pan Alley veteran Bill Martin—deviated from that sound. The B-side, a fervent take on Ray Charles’ ‘I Believe To My Soul’, offered a truer showcase of the band’s ability, especially White’s. Turnbull contributed to the Curtis Mayfield-inspired follow-up ‘Try Hard’, yet the original Boston Dexters disbanded in 1966 after an unproductive period in London. White and Turnbull subsequently launched the brief project Buzz, while McNaughton sustained the Boston Dexters name for several months alongside vocalist Linnie Patterson, who would later join Writing On The Wall. White eventually embarked on a solo path as a pop balladeer, later achieving recognition as an R&B and jazz performer whose vocals featured in the BBC Television series Tutti Frutti.