The Miami Showband

No other band in the world has the pedigree or history of The Miami Showband. Undoubtedly it has achieved mythical status and its musicians indelibly written into music and social folklore.

Nevertheless it would be all too easy to let the legend obscure the music, but it was the music that really mattered to the millions of people around the world who loved The Miami Showband from the very beginning.

During the 60s and 70s, hundreds of thousands of adoring fans packed dance halls and concert venues throughout Ireland, the UK and the USA to catch a glimpse of and listen to the band.

It is universally accepted that The Miami Showband reached its artistic pinnacle in the mid seventies when fronted by the young and outrageously talented Fran O’Toole. Fran was accompanied by the very best young musicians in the country, Des Lee, Stephen Travers, Ray Millar, Tony Geraghty and Brian McCoy. This band was loved by their countless fans and respected by their peers. They seemed unstoppable until fate intervened and took the young lives of Fran, Tony and Brian. It was indeed “The Day the Music Died”.

In 2005, during "The Miami Showband 30th Anniversary Concert", Des, Stephen and Ray once again performed together and such was the clamour for a reunion that it simply had to happen.

The Miami Showband is back. Des Lee, Stephen Travers and Ray Millar together with the massively talented Barry Woods, Gerry Brown and Johnny Fean will once again get the audiences "clapping their hands and stomping their feet".

It has taken three years to achieve but now the legend is once more a reality!

The Miami Showband 2008

Des Lee, (Vocals, Saxophone and Keyboards).
A native of Belfast, Des joined The Miami Showband with Fran O'Toole, Brian McCoy and Paul Ashford in 1967. Like his young colleagues, Des was head-hunted by the management of Ireland's most popular Showband because of his musical ability, image and charisma. Following the events of 1975, Des fronted The Miami Showband for some years prior to leaving for South Africa where he forged a successful live and recording music career. Des Lee is a name synonymous with the halcyon years of Irish Showbands. He still personifies the very best of those exciting times.

Stephen Travers, (Bass Guitar).
From Carrick-on-Suir, County Tipperary, Stephen completed The Miami Showband's most famous line-up in the summer of 1975. As bass guitarist, Stephen was the final piece of the jigsaw prior to what should have been their full-frontal assault on the American music market. With Des and Ray, Stephen helped to rebuild The Miami Showband following the events of 1975. He left the band in late 1976 to pursue a career in original music composition and studio production. Collaborating with Celtic-Rock guitar legend Johnny Fean, Stephen has been on the cutting edge of Celtic/Rock/Blues/Jazz fusion for over two decades. 

Ray Millar (Drums).  
A son of Antrim, Ray became a member of The Miami Showband on his return from Canada in 1973. Together with Des and Stephen, Ray played a vital part in reconstructing The Miami Showband after 1975. Because of his rock-solid style, Ray is universally credited with being "The Miami Beat for Dancing Feet" and has influenced countess drummers across the world. He has been a valued endorsee of some of the world's finest drum and percussion manufacturers such as Sonor.

Barry Woods (Vocals, Keyboards, Sax, Trumpet and Guitar).
Multi-instrumentalist Barry Woods from Bangor, County Down, plays no fewer than thirteen instruments. He has a showband pedigree too long to list here, suffice to say it includes The Real McCoy, The Newmen, Tweed and Lyttle People. He also wrote the winning song to represent Ireland in The Eurovision Song Contest in 1995. Barry was a good friend of Fran O’Toole and is a long standing pal of Ray Millar.

Gerry Brown (Vocals and Keyboards).
From Derry City, Gerry is a respected vocalist, musician, arranger and producer on both sides of The Atlantic. He has toured the world as musical director to his Eurovision-winning sister Dana and, over the years, has produced a vast array of original music. His voice is constantly compared to the best in the world. He has also collaborated on many projects, live and in the recording studios, with his long-time friend and co-writer Stephen Travers.

Johnny Fean (Vocals, Lead Guitar, Banjo and Mandolin).
Shannon legendary guitarist Johnny Fean needs no introduction to music fans the world over. His unique style and sound was immensely important in the development of the “Celtic Rock” genre. As lead guitarist and vocalist with Horslips, Johnny influenced countless musicians, not least among them, U2 guitarist “The Edge”. Johnny and Stephen have been playing together for many years and they share a great love for the rock and pop classics of the sixties and seventies.

David Hull Promotions Limited
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