Freddie & The Dreamers biography

This Manchester, England-based 60s beat group, comprising Freddie Garrity (14 November 1940, Manchester, England; vocals), Roy Crewsdon (b. 29 May 1941; guitar), Derek Quinn (b. 24 May 1942; guitar), Pete Birrell (b. 9 May 1941; bass) and Bernie Dwyer (b. 11 September 1940, Manchester, England d. 4 December 2002; drums), was briefly renowned for its mixture of beat music and comedy. Garrity formed the group in 1959 and it remained semi-professional until passing a BBC audition in 1963. Although their debut, "If You Gotta Make A Fool Of Somebody", was an R&B favourite (James Ray and Maxine Brown), subsequent releases were tailored to the quintet's effervescent insouciant image. "I'm Telling You Now" and "You Were Made For Me" also reached the UK Top 3, establishing the group at the height of the beat boom. Although Garrity displayed his songwriting skill with strong ballads such as "Send A Letter To Me", his work was not used for a-side recordings. Further hits followed in 1964 with "Over You", "I Love You Baby", "Just For You", and the seasonal favourite "I Understand".

The group's appeal declined in the UK but early in 1965, they made a startling breakthrough in America where "I'm Telling You Now" topped the charts. American audiences were entranced by Garrity's zany stage antics (which resulted in frequent twisted ankles) and eagerly demanded the name of his unusual dance routine. "It's called the Freddie", he innocently replied. A US Top 20 hit rapidly followed with "Do The Freddie". Although the group appeared in a couple of movies, Just For You And Cuckoo Patrol, their main audience was in pantomime and cabaret. They broke up at the end of the decade, but Garrity and Birtles remained together in the children's show Little Big Time. Garrity revived the group during the mid-70s, with new personnel, for revival concerts at home and abroad. By the late 80s Garrity was attempting to establish an acting career, but has since returned to the cabaret circuit with a new line-up of the Dreamers.