Bredan's Raving on.

IN the swinging 60s, the Dixies were in the premier league of the showbands.

They were Cork's very own musical ambassadors and took their shows to the four corners of the land. On the approach roads to Cork, big showboards proudly proclaimed Welcome to Cork - Home of the Dixies.

They were the magical years of the showband boom. And Brendan O'Brien, Joe McCarthy and the lads combined musical ability with wonderful showmanship.

They came from an era where musicians and singers had a great ability to communicate with the patrons. The Dixies delivered a top class show and the dancers loved them.

Packed halls and marquees were the norn wherever the Dixies were playing back then. While Joe Dolan and the Drifters, Dickie Rock and the Miami, and, of course, Brenan darn Bowyer and the Royal, were chalking up significant hits and No.1s, Brendan and the Dixies had achieved ten Top 20 enetries

The song that provided them with what had eluded them up to 1968 was Little Arrows and it spent five months in the charts. Prior to that, they had twice hit the No.2 spot, first in 1965 with I Love You More Today and again the following year with It Doesn't Matter Anymore.

Throughout his years in showbiz, Brendan has been synonymous with the songs of Buddy Holly. His versions of Rave On and Oh Boy are standards on his shows to this day.

Brendan still commands the height of regard and affection among colleagues in the business.

In his own inimitable way, Brendan O'Brien recalled much of the era in a lovely documentary on RTE Radio One last Friday evening. The programme was compiled by Donna O'Sullivan and took a look at the ups and downs of Brendan's long career in showbiz.

Tese days, Brendan still loves to keep in touch with his friends in the business. An album of his old songs was released in recent weeks and he has been booked for a number of overseas music holiday promotions this year. It's a whole new lease of life for one of Cork's most famous musical sons.

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LEGEND: Brendan O'Brien of the Dixies