The Greatest Show On Earth

Formed in London during 1968, the octet that would later be known as the Greatest Show On Earth began as a soul ensemble comprising Ozzie Lane on vocals, Garth Watt-Roy on guitar and vocals, Mick Deacon on keyboards, Ian Aitcheson and Tex Philpotts on saxophone, Dick Hanson on trumpet, Norman Watt-Roy on bass, and Ron Prudence on drums. After New Orleans native Lane returned to America, the remaining members recruited Colin Horton-Jennings as their new singer and shifted toward a more progressive approach. Two albums followed, highlighting both their compositional strengths and inventive brass arrangements. The hit single ‘Real Cool World’ briefly boosted their profile across Europe, yet the Greatest Show On Earth found scant support in Britain and disbanded in 1971. Norman Watt-Roy subsequently launched Glencoe and later joined Ian Dury’s Blockheads.