JON DEREK

Following the demise of the 'stand alone' cooperative Country Fever in the latter half of 1974, Jon Derek, vowed to pursue a solo career going forward. Having legally owned the rights to the name - 'Country Fever' since 1969, he was in the position to reassemble the band under the name Jon Derek & Country Fever for major tours and shows. 

A good example of this was in 1975, when Jon was approached by the UK's top country music promoter, Mervyn Conn who asked him if he could reassemble Country Fever for some forthcoming work he had lined up. Jon, who was known for gathering around him great musicians and, for his ability in putting together good 'scratch' bands, soon acquired three original members of Country Fever; Pete Oakman, Graham Walker and Jed Kelly. Together with Bob Haskell on steel guitar and Brian Golbey on fiddle - collectively 'Jon Derek & Country Fever' carried out various projects for the 'Mervyn Conn Organisation', over the coming months. 

Jon Derek & Country Fever featured in their own right at the 'International Festival of Country Music' in March and also backed other artists on the main Wembley stage including; Marvin Rainwater, Jeanne Pruett, Wanda Jackson, Jimmy Payne and Miki & Griff. Prior to the Wembley weekend, they provided the entertainment at the pre-festival Dinner/Dance banquet in London backing guest acts such as Marty Robbins. Jon was also promoting his latest single 'All I Want To Do Is Say I Love You' which was released on Mervyn Conn's 'Jem Records' label to coincide with the festival.   

In June 1975, Jon Derek & Country Fever took part on a show recorded 'live' at the notorius, high-security psychiatric hospital in Berkshire 'Broadmoor'. American country music act Jimmy Payne was on the bill and the entire show was compered by Jimmy Saville. The album 'Jimmy Payne & Friends Live at Broadmoor Hospital' was released in the latter part of that year.

Having completed the work for promoter Mervyn Conn, Jon parked Country Fever for the forseeable future and, in the summer of 1975, he toured England's west country as a trio with two leading musicians, Fritz Fryer (ex lead guitarist/songwriter of 'The Four Pennies) and Keith Nelson (a highly regarded US session artist).

Following his tour of the west country, Jon worked primarily under just his own name and was featured on a number of package shows and tours. He invariably used the services of the well-established Jeannie Denver Band, to back him. In the autumn of 1975, they toured with American star Marvin Rainwater and a great year was topped off when Jon received the 'New Frontier Country Music Club' Top Soloist award.

In March/April 1976, Jon Derek together with Jeannie Denver and her band embarked on a 36-date UK tour of major theatres and civic halls with Slim Whitman. The tour included a date at the 'London Palladium'. Jon, who was also compere for the entire tour, introduced veteran radio broadcaster Alan 'Fluff' Freeman to the stage to present Slim with a gold disc for sales of his current album 'Happy Anniversary'. 

Straight after the Slim Whitman tour had ended, Jon appeared once again at the 'International Festival of Country Music' at Wembley. Advertised as 'Jon Derek and Band', Jon was still using the services of Jeannie Denver's band. Appearing in their own right, they also backed Wanda Jackson (Let's Have A Party) and Vernon Oxford (Shadows Of My Mind). Then, for the first time, the festival travelled to Europe to include a performance at 'The Scandinavium' in Gothenberg, Sweden. Jon Derek and Band were the only UK act on a bill which also featured the likes of Dolly Parton, Tammy Wynette, Don Williams, Marty Robbins and, many more top names. Jon Derek and Band backed Jeannie Pruett, George Hamilton IV and Wanda Jackson.

Another Jon Derek 'Wembley Festival' single was released by Mervyn Conn in 1976 on his 'Real Records' label this time. On the A-side 'Five Hundred Miles' (a cover of the Bobby Bare hit).

An accomplished songwriter, Jon released an album of original material in 1976; 'Songs I Have Written…With A Little Help From My Friends'. Released on Westwood Records. Stand out songs; Jon's 'How Wrong A Man Can Be' 'It's In Your Eyes' and his collaboration with Pete Oakman on 'It's So Peaceful'.

He followed this up with another 1976 release - the superlative; 'Country Music Trail' - an album of rearranged traditional, American folk songs featuring an array of the finest British country musicians of the time including, Pete Oakman, Brian Golbey, Graham Walker and B J Cole. The album was very well received and popular tracks included: 'Fare Thee Well', 'Barbara Allen' and 'Wreck Of The Old 97'.

1977 was a real turning point for Jon. He collaborated with 'Decca Records' once again and recorded five tracks for them, two of which were released as a double A-sided single; 'Till The Rivers All Run Dry' and 'Making Believe'.

Jon put together a new band called The Jon Derek Trio with bass player, Chris Dunn and lead guitarist, Dave Waite and together they toured the length and breadth of the British Isles promoting the single with Jon carrying out countless radio interviews on their travels. 

The popularity of this single throughout the UK also brought Jon some success overseas – both songs reached No.1 on the Mediterranean island of Malta, just months later. Even the quiet man himself Don Williams apparently told Jon what a great job he had made of his song 'Till The Rivers All Run Dry' when they were sat together on a flight bound for Stockholm having both just featured at the 1977 ‘International Festival of Country Music’ at Wembley Arena. 

Having received plenty of radio airplay in Britain, 'Till The Rivers All Run Dry'  was still being played regularly on the Maltese radio stations and the BBC's British Overseas Network programmes. Jon made his first promotional trip to Malta in the early part of 1978. He made several cabaret appearances throughout the visit and also performed the single's B-side 'Making Believe' on Maltese television. Back home, the press wrote, "Jon Derek has recently returned from Malta where he is in the superstar category!"

In 1979, Jon Derek & Country Fever won three top club awards in quick succession. In September they appeared on a show with American country singer/songwriter, Tommy Collins who was instrumental in creating an early day 'Bakersfield' sound, and, who had five 'Top 10' hit songs on the US country chart and, throughout October, November and into into December, they toured with Jon's good friend, Marvin Rainwater.

In 1980, due to popular demand, Jon returned to Malta for a series of cabaret shows. Unable to take his own band this time, he was backed by Malta's very own Joe Portelli Quintet. On his return to the UK, Jon was back at Wembley for the 'International Festival of Country Music' that Easter. He met up with good friend and former Country Fever member Albert Lee who was also appearing at the event as part of 'Emmylou Harris' Hot Band' and together they were caught on camera by top professional photographer Graham Barker having a few laughs and a 'jam session' backstage with Don Everly (one half of The Everly Brothers). Before the year was out, Jon did a tour with multi-award winning American fiddle player Billy Armstrong and, furthermore, dubbed, 'the year of the festivals' due to their ever-increasing popularity, he performed at many of them including the 'Best of British' events, Peterborough and Harlow and, international festivals, Caister, Portsmouth and Essex where Jon graced the stage with the likes of Johnny Cash, Glen Campbell, Billie Jo Spears, Don Gibson, Carl Perkins, Web Pierce, The Wilburn Brothers and, many more. 

Jon appeared at all the top events during the 1980's, including five consecutive appearances at Jed Ford's 'Peterborough Country Music Festivals' (1980-84). Tours with Marvin

Rainwater remained a common occurence and together with 'Country Fever' a second billing with Patsy Montana took place and they also backed Hank Locklin once again on another visit to the UK, in addition to Barbara Fairchild and Tommy Cash (younger brother of Johnny).

Jon's 1981 single release 'Hey Duke, You Got True Grit' (a tribute to his movie hero John Wayne) was extremely well received in the years which followed, as was a new recording, 'As Far As I'm Concerned'. Both songs were included on the 1984 release 'Goin' Back' (celebrating 21 years as a professional artist). Released on cassette, 'Goin' Back' became the fastest selling British country music album of it's time. Till The Rivers All Run Dry and Making Believe made the cut too as well as three previously unreleased songs recorded some years earlier for 'Decca Records'.

Having relocated from London to Huddersfield in west Yorkshire shortly after his divorce in 1984, the harsh Yorkshire winters soon took their toll on Jon. He moved south to better climates a few years later, residing in Peterborough, Cambridgeshire. This remained his hometown for the next 27 years. He put together a new-look 'Country Fever' in 1987 and they toured one final time with Marvin Rainwater.

In 1991, after more than 30 years on the road, Jon announced that he would be going into semi-retirement at the end of that year. He did make a promise though, that he would still be available for 'selected dates', consequently, ensuring the top quality show that his fans had come to associate with him. He was quoted to have said, "I shall always carry wonderful memories of the artists, promoters, musicians and most of all the public who have so generously supported me through all my years in the music business." Jon had his reasons for deciding to cease full-time performing, which subsequently came as a complete shock to many. He was also quoted to have said, "The rigours of life on the road and the hardships of perpetual travelling have taken their toll on my physical and mental capacity to face more of the same." Furthermore, as a traditionalist, he had become somewhat disillusioned with the direction in which the British country music scene was going - with an ever-increasing number of clubs turning towards the latest craze 'line-dancing'. Jon was not prepared to alter his show/style at this late stage in his career.

Jon Derek & Country Fever played out a busy year of bookings including one final appearance for Jon at the 'International Festival of Country Music' at Wembley in March 1991 - his seventh billing in his own right,  It was fitting that the 'Wembley Festival' programme write-up should read...

"Jon has always maintained a standard of music that has been a credit to British country music, and would probably have made him a major star, had he been promoted in the USA during this time. Jon's pedigree is second to none, having shared the stage with a plethora of superstars such as George Jones, Tammy Wynette, Jim Reeves, Glen Campbell, Hank Locklin, Don Gibson, Johnny Cash, Bobby Bare etc. Add to this two appearances at the Royal Albert Hall, five at the London Palladium and just about every major festival that has ever been put on, stir in two No.1 hit records in Malta and we have probably the hottest singing property Britain has produced in the realms of country music."