The Cherokees

The Cherokees originated in Melbourne, Australia, in 1961, taking their name from a well-known ice cream of the era. Assembled from the surviving members of Johnny Chester’s backing outfit the Chessmen, the group initially performed Shadows-styled material across the local circuit.

After signing to W&G Records they issued two singles and the scarce 1965 album Here Come the Cherokees. Adopting a Beatles-flavored pop approach, the band then moved to the short-lived Go! label, where several singles entered Melbourne’s Top 40. By 1967 they had shifted to swing-styled music, again placing multiple singles in the same local chart. The album Oh Monah! appeared next, but Go!’s collapse left the group without a contract. They still managed one further single for Festival Records and supported the Monkees on the Australian dates of their tour in October 1968, before disbanding at the close of the year.