Band History

As you will gather from the barely recognisable black and white images from an age gone by, John, Ray and Rich have a long history as stage performers. John and Ray first got together back in 1962 playing with whatever equipment they could lay their hands on as part of a five piece band. As success came their way, so did the better class equipment and the all important 'sound of the sixties' so essential at the time. They soon developed a strong following on the Club scene in and around Yorkshire and Lincolnshire and were never short of stage work.

Rich was still 14 when he first hit the stage playing guitar in an already well established five piece group back in 1961. He even had a short six month period playing bass guitar which he remembers fondly. After turning professional in 1963, the band toured the length and breadth of the country even making an appearance on BBC Television on Jimmy Young's 625 Show. The lack of success on the recording scene and a realisation of what really went on 'behind the scenes' were factors that eventually led to the demise of the band. After a short period with a Rhythm and Blues band around 1965, Rich successfully auditioned for a place in John and Ray's well established band and they have remained friends ever since. Rich also had an early taste of what it was like to play a country repertoire with a Country and Western outfit in the early seventies which really set the scene for his interest in the genre. In 2000, a chance 'phone call from Ray to Rich started the ball rolling again.

GUNSMOKE began life as ReRUN COUNTRY which in turn, was an off shoot of their 50's and 60's stage show at the time which they performed and promoted under the name of ReRUN.

Although ReRUN were well received wherever they performed, Clubland were obviously looking for young acts to attract younger audiences in an attempt to boost falling memberships and unfortunately for our trio, youth was not on their side. Salvation, however, was just around the corner in the bosom of country music enthusiasts who didn't care about the age of their performers so long as they produced good music. As John, Ray and Rich all loved country music anyway and could often be seen down at their local country music club when they were not performing, this was the road that the boys chose to travel. Since their introduction on the country scene, they've never looked back and see it as the best move they ever made. Although they still perform their 50's and 60's act occasionally for private functions, they see themselves primarily as a country band through and through and are dedicated to the furtherance of country music in the UK.