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Shadows music biography continued...

name. The original members of the band included Hank Marvin (lead guitar), Bruce Welch (rhythm guitar), Jet Harris (bass guitar) and Tony Meehan (drums). They got their first break when they were selected to be the backing band for Cliff Richard in the popular British TV program, 'The Cliff Richard Show" and became stars in their own right when their single "Apache" hit the number one spot on the British chart in 1959, and remained there for several weeks. This was followed by a string of number one hits including "KonTiki", "Atlantis", "Wonderful Land", "Foot Tapper" and "Dance On," all distinguished by Marvin's innovative lead guitar. The group's first two LPs, The Shadows (1961) and Out of the Shadows (1962), both topped the album charts as well, and their next three long-players, Greatest Hits (1963), Dance with the Shadows (1964), and Shadow Music, all made the Top Five (the first two at number two), and served as inspiration for another up and coming British band called The Beatles.



With the passage of time, the line-up changed several times and The Shadows brand of music gradually faded in popularity. In 1968, the group disbanded, but they reformed in 1973 with a new lineup, and were tapped by BBC Boss Bill Cotton to perform the Song for Europe in the 1975 Eurovision Song Contest. Though they were not selected, the band continued to perform and record until 1990, with most of their 1980s albums performing well in the charts. With the exception of Guardian Angel, an album of new material, most of 1980s albums featured covers of pop songs, with little original material. The group broke up again, only to reform for a final time in 2004, to mount a farewell tour. They recorded a new track "Life Story" and a new greatest hits package of the same name, which featured 1980s re-recordings of all their 1960s and 1970s hits. The tour was so successful it was extended through 2010, demonstrating that the Shadows had created a legacy that all guitar music lovers will forever appreciate.