Don Fardon (born 19 August 1940, Coventry, Warwickshire, England) is an English pop singer, best known for his cover of the song "Indian Reservation" (1968), a UK number 3 hit and global million selling disc. He also wrote the football anthem "Belfast Boy" about George Best.
He was born Donald Arthur Maughn in Coventry, Warwickshire, England. Don's interest in music began at an early age when, on Sunday evenings, he would to go to the Coventry Hippodrome to see the big band concerts performed there. Later on, when he had begun work as an apprentice draughtsman with an engineering company, he took on an extra job at The Locarno. It was there that he saw his first 'electric band' The Hawks. Soon afterwards Don became their manager. A month later he had them booked to do a gig in Rugby. The band's lead singer failed to arrive.
Don duly took over vocal duties and when the singer did arrive he was sacked. During his time with The Hawks Don's stage name was Will Pity. Next up for Don was The Vikings, a band he had formed himself along with Coventry guitarist Jim Smith. Jim had contacts in London and was able to get them a gig at the 2i's coffee bar in Old Compton Street, Soho. Known by now as Webb Stacey, it was there that he would rub shoulders with the likes of Cliff Richard and Marty Wilde.
His cover version of John
D. Loudermilk’ s ‘(The Lament Of The Cherokee) Indian Reservation’ gave him his
biggest success (1968, Billboard Hot
100: number 20; 1970, UK: number 3; Australia: number 4). The global sales were
estimated at over one million copies. His follow-up single "Belfast
Boy", composed in honour of the Manchester United and Northern Ireland
player George Best, reached number 32 in the UK single chart. "Follow Your
Drum" reached number 16 on the Australian Singles Chart in May 1972. In
1973, his track "Delta Queen" reached number 86 on the Billboard Hot
100 chart. He covered The Kinks' hit,
"Lola" in 1974. Fardon also released a cover version of "Running
Bear".
Yet despite several further releases in the early 70s, some of which were remakes of former Sorrows material, Fardon was unable to secure consistent success. He went into the licensing trade, running pubs in Coventry and Eathorpe, while continuing to work on the cabaret and country circuits. He later helped run a security firm looking after pop stars, but he had not given up music altogether.In the 1990’s Don formed a country and western band and spent time in Nashville recording line dance albums.
In 2006 he re-released his single, "Belfast Boy", in tribute following the death of George Best. His 1969 recording of the song "I'm Alive" (a cover of Tommy James & The Shondells) has been featured in a UK television advertisement for Five Alive fruit drinks, and a Dutch Vodafone commercial. On the back of the success of the latter, "I'm Alive" was reissued in the Netherlands and in March 2011, it reached the Top 20 of the Dutch singles chart.
In 2011, the Sorrows were re-formed by Fardon and Packham, and they began performing live again. After invited visits to Italy, Spain and various UK Mod weekenders during 2012, the band performed in Los Angeles and Spain in 2013 which marked thier 50th anniversary. According to bandsintown.com., The Sorrows last concert was in Brooklyn N.Y. during June 2020. No other press releases found after that date.
(Edited from
article by Pete Clemon @ Coventry Gigs Blog, All Music & Wikipedia)
For “Don Fardon – Coventry Boy The Anthology (2006 Castle)” go here;
ReplyDeletehttps://workupload.com/file/DrMWWcF9qdH
CD 1
1-1 The Sorrows– Teenage Letter 2:35
1-2 The Sorrows– Come With Me 1:58
1-3 The Sorrows– Baby 2:24
1-4 The Sorrows– Take A Heart 3:16
1-5 The Sorrows– We Should Get A Long Fine 2:28
1-6 The Sorrows– She's Got The Action 1:50
1-7 The Sorrows– Don't Sing No Sad Songs For Me 2:21
1-8 The Sorrows– Cara-Lin 2:40
1-9 The Sorrows– Let Me In 2:46
1-10 The Sorrows– How Love Used To Be 3:22
1-11 The Sorrows– Let The Live Live 2:07
1-12 The Sorrows– Gonna Find A Cave 2:27
1-13 The Sorrows– I Take What I Want 2:49
1-14 The Sorrows– Baby All The Time 2:32
1-15 Don Fardon– Baby Let Me Take You Home 2:35
1-16 Don Fardon– Do You Know What I Mean 2:47
1-17 Don Fardon– On The Beach 2:30
1-18 Don Fardon– The Letter 2:17
1-19 Don Fardon– Indian Reservation 3:27
1-20 Don Fardon– Dreaming Room 1:59
1-21 Don Fardon– I Get So Excited 2:39
1-22 Don Fardon– Back In The USSR 2:42
1-23 Don Fardon– Keep On Loving Me 2:15
1-24 Don Fardon– Coming On Strong 2:20
1-25 Don Fardon– Ruby's Picture On My Wall 3:00
1-26 Don Fardon– Take A Heart 3:13
1-27 Don Fardon– Running Bear 3:09
CD 2
2-1 Don Fardon– Gimme Gimme Good Lovin 2:14
2-2 Don Fardon– Treat Her Right 2:38
2-3 Don Fardon– How Do You Break A Broken Heart 2:44
2-4 Don Fardon– Captain Man 4:18
2-5 Don Fardon– Sally Goes Round The Moon 3:10
2-6 Don Fardon– Sunshine Woman 3:13
2-7 Don Fardon– We Can Make It Together 3:07
2-8 Don Fardon– Goodbye 2:57
2-9 Don Fardon– Mr Stationmaster 2:47
2-10 Don Fardon– I'm Alive 2:34
2-11 Don Fardon– It's Been Nice Loving You 3:05
2-12 Don Fardon– Let The Live Live 2:03
2-13 Don Fardon– Belfast Boy 2:17
2-14 Don Fardon– Hudson Bay 2:22
2-15 Don Fardon– New York City 3:06
2-16 Don Fardon– 6.10 Phoenix Gone 2:56
2-17 Don Fardon– Delta Queen 3:19
2-18 Don Fardon– Cheyenne 1:59
2-19 Don Fardon– Mississippi Woman 2:10
2-20 Don Fardon– Girl 2:51
2-21 Don Fardon– Follow Your Drum 3:11
2-22 Don Fardon– Get Away John 2:35
2-23 Don Fardon– Night And Day 2:34
2-24 Don Fardon– Louisiana 2:45
2-25 Don Fardon– St Matthew, St Mark, St Luke, St John 2:47
2-26 Don Fardon– Lola 3:31
2-27 Don Fardon– Belfast Boy 2006 2:39
Tracks 1-12 to 1-17 and 2-23 not originally issued.
A big thank you to Denis for suggesting today’s birthday singer and also for the loan of the above album.