Biography
The Dennisons stand among the first Merseyside groups formed in England, yet they never reached listeners beyond the United Kingdom. Their strong opening single paired the original number “Be My Girl” with the Ben E. King composition “You Don't Know What Love Is,” but the choice to pass on recording John Lennon and Paul McCartney's “All My Loving” ultimately blocked wider success. After singer Eddie Parry departed following the November 1964 release of their last single, “Nobody Like Me Baby,” the remaining members found it difficult to continue and finally dissolved the group in 1967.
The Liverpool act the Ravens, later renamed Faron's Flamingos, provided the early model for the Dennisons, who spent their formative period overshadowed by that ensemble. Regular attendance at the Ravens' rehearsals allowed them to master the same chord progressions and stage approach.
Steady support built through Saturday-night appearances at the BICC Club in Melling led to a management agreement with Kennedy Street Enterprises in early 1963. The arrangement soon produced frequent Cavern Club bookings, many of them shared with the Beatles.
Reunions occurred at intervals throughout the twenty-five years after the breakup. A memorial concert honored the 1991 death of bassist Terry “Tex” Carson. In 1997 the three surviving original members—Steve McLaren, Ray Scragg, and Clive Hornby—appeared on Hornby's solo album This Is Your Life. A new configuration anchored by founding member Scragg resumed performances in 2000, only to end with Scragg's death in February 2001.
The Liverpool act the Ravens, later renamed Faron's Flamingos, provided the early model for the Dennisons, who spent their formative period overshadowed by that ensemble. Regular attendance at the Ravens' rehearsals allowed them to master the same chord progressions and stage approach.
Steady support built through Saturday-night appearances at the BICC Club in Melling led to a management agreement with Kennedy Street Enterprises in early 1963. The arrangement soon produced frequent Cavern Club bookings, many of them shared with the Beatles.
Reunions occurred at intervals throughout the twenty-five years after the breakup. A memorial concert honored the 1991 death of bassist Terry “Tex” Carson. In 1997 the three surviving original members—Steve McLaren, Ray Scragg, and Clive Hornby—appeared on Hornby's solo album This Is Your Life. A new configuration anchored by founding member Scragg resumed performances in 2000, only to end with Scragg's death in February 2001.