The Shadows

E442047

The Shadows were a pioneering British instrumental rock group, best known as Cliff Richard’s backing band and for their influential, twangy guitar sound that shaped early rock and roll.

All labels observed (8)

How this entity was disambiguated

Statements (97)

Predicate Object
instanceOf British instrumental rock group
rock band
activeYearsEnd 1990
activeYearsStart 1958
alsoKnownAs The Drifters
associatedAct Cliff Richard
chartAchievement multiple UK number-one singles
cityOfOrigin London
linked to: London, England
countryOfOrigin England
United Kingdom
eurovisionResult 2nd place in Eurovision Song Contest 1975
eurovisionSong Let Me Be the One
formedIn 1958
genre beat music
easy listening
instrumental rock
jazz fusion
pop rock
rock and roll
rockabilly
surf rock
hasDiscographyItem At Their Very Best
Change of Address
Dance with The Shadows
Guardian Angel
Jigsaw
Moonlight Shadows
Out of the Shadows
Reflection
Shadow Music
Simply Shadows
Specs Appeal
String of Hits
Tasty
The Final Tour
The Shadows (1961 album)
linked to: The Shadows
hasInfluenceOn development of British rock music
electric guitar playing techniques
instrumental pop music
inceptionPlace London
linked to: London, England
influenced Brian May
British Invasion bands
Dire Straits
European instrumental rock bands
Mark Knopfler
Mike Oldfield
Queen
The Beatles
instrument bass guitar
drums
electric guitar
piano
language English
member Alan Hawkshaw
Alan Jones
Alan Tarney
Brian Bennett
Brian Licorice Locking
Bruce Welch
Cliff Hall
Hank Marvin
Jet Harris
John Farrar
John Rostill
Mark Griffiths
Norrie Paramor Orchestra (touring collaboration)
Tony Meehan
notableEvent backing Cliff Richard in the Eurovision Song Contest 1973
represented United Kingdom in Eurovision Song Contest 1975
notableFor being Cliff Richard’s backing band
influencing early rock and roll guitar style
twangy guitar sound
notableWork Apache
Atlantis
Dance On!
F.B.I.
linked to: The F.B.I.

Foot Tapper
Genie with the Light Brown Lamp
Geronimo
Guitar Tango
Kon-Tiki
linked to: Kon-Tiki (book)

Let Me Be the One
Shindig
linked to: Shindig!

The Rise and Fall of Flingel Bunt
The Savage
Theme for Young Lovers
Wonderful Land
recordLabel Columbia Records
EMI
Polydor Records
Universal Music Group
reunionYears 2004
2009
styleCharacteristic clean echo-laden lead guitar
melodic instrumental compositions
tight ensemble playing
use of Fender Stratocaster guitars

How these facts were elicited

Referenced by (33)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Hey Joe hasNotableCoverArtist The Shadows
Do You Wanna Dance? hasCoverVersion Cliff Richard and the Shadows
linked to: The Shadows
Cliff Richard associatedBand The Shadows
That'll Be the Day hasCoverVersionBy Cliff Richard and the Drifters
linked to: The Shadows
Stardust (1974 film) musicBy The Shadows
Brian Bennett memberOf The Shadows
Brian Bennett associatedAct The Shadows
Brian Bennett joined The Shadows in 1961
linked to: The Shadows
The Shadows hasDiscographyItem The Shadows (1961 album)
linked to: The Shadows
Bobby Vee associatedAct The Shadows (Bobby Vee's backing band)
linked to: The Shadows
Julian Mendelsohn workedWith The Shadows
Hank Marvin memberOf The Shadows
Hank Marvin associatedAct The Shadows
Hank Marvin associatedAct The Drifters (UK backing band)
linked to: The Shadows
John Farrar associatedAct The Shadows
Harry Rodger Webb associatedAct The Shadows
Harry Rodger Webb associatedAct The Drifters (UK backing band)
linked to: The Shadows
The Young Ones starring The Shadows
The Young Ones featuresBand The Shadows
Summer Holiday starring The Shadows
Summer Holiday musicBy The Shadows
Summer Holiday (song) performer The Shadows
subject linked to: Summer Holiday
We Don’t Talk Anymore associatedWithArtist The Shadows (as Cliff Richard’s long-time backing group, though not credited on the single)
linked to: The Shadows
David Richards notableWorkWith The Shadows
Rockestra associatedAct The Shadows
Alan Hawkshaw memberOf The Shadows
Sixteen Tons recordedBy The Shadows
Sunny hasBeenCoveredBy The Shadows
Brian Bennett memberOf The Shadows
subject linked to: Margaret Bennett
A Little Bitty Tear recordedBy The Shadows