Soul and R&B singer/songwriter and pianist Doris Troy is perhaps best known for her hit “Just One Look” and as a session singer after she relocated to Britain in 1969.
Her popularity in Britain prompted her first tour in the summer of 1965. It isn’t clear who backed on these dates so we’d welcome any further information in the comments below.
This isn’t a complete list
Tour dates:
11 June 1965 – Flamingo, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with Chris Farlowe & The Thunderbirds and Geno Washington & The Ram Jam Band (two sessions including an all-nighter) (Melody Maker)
12 June 1965 – Oasis, Manchester with Alexis Korner Blues Incorporated and The Myaks (Manchester Evening News)
13 June 1965 – The Place, Hanley, Staffordshire with Alexis Korner & His Blues Incorporated (Evening Sentinel/Staffordshire Newsletter)
17 June 1965 – Capitol Theatre, Aberdeen, Scotland with The Rolling Stones, The Checkmates, Cannon Brothers (Johnny & Mike) with The Shades and The Hollies (Aberdeen Evening Express)
18 June 1965 – Caird Hall, Dundee, Scotland with The Rolling Stones, The Hollies, The Cannon Brothers and The Shades (Dundee Courier & Advertiser)
23 June 1965 – Cromwellian, South Kensington, west London (Melody Maker)
23 June 1965 – Flamingo, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with Chris Farlowe & The Thunderbirds and Herbie Goins & The Night-timers (Melody Maker)
23 July 1965 – Flamingo, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with Chris Farlowe & The Thunderbirds (Melody Maker)
23 July 1965 – Flamingo, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with Chris Farlowe & The Thunderbirds and The Shevells (All-nighter) (Melody Maker)
For this second British tour, promoter Roy Tempest used northwest London group Bluesology who featured a very young Elton John known as Reg Dwight at the time to back Doris Troy. It’s not clear whether Bluesology backed her on all the gigs, so we’d welcome any further information on this.
At the time, Bluesology comprised Stu Brown (guitar/vocals); Reg Dwight (keyboards/vocals); Rex Bishop (bass); Pat Higgs (trumpet); Dave Murphy (sax); and Mick Inkpen (drums)
This isn’t a complete list
Tour dates:
4 February 1966 – Starlight Ballroom, Wembley, northwest London (Melody Maker)
4 February 1966 – In Place, Baker Street, central London (Melody Maker)
4 February 1966 – Flamingo All-nighter, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with The Chessmen (Melody Maker)
5 February 1966 – Club Cedar, Birmingham with Bluesology Incorporated and The Move featuring Carl Wayne (Birmingham Evening Mail)
7 February 1966 – Cavern, Liverpool with Bluesology, Earl Prestons Realms and The Fix (Liverpool Echo)
9 February 1966 – Beachcomber Club, Nottingham with Julian Covey & The Machine (Nottingham Evening Post)
9 February 1966 – Cromwellian, South Kensington, west London (Melody Maker)
10 February 1966 – Blue Moon, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire (https://garagehangover.com/blue-moon-cheltenham-gigs-july-1965-may-1967/)
11 February 1966 – Cue Club all-nighter, Paddington, west London with Herbie Goins & The Nightimers (Melody Maker)
11 February 1966 – El Partido All-nighter, Lewisham, southeast London with Duke Lee (Melody Maker)
12 February 1966 – Oasis, Manchester with Bluesology and Manchester Playboys (Manchester Evening News & Chronicle)
12 February 1966 – Twisted Wheel, Manchester with Alan Bown Set and Bluesology (Manchester Evening News & Chronicle)
13 February 1966 – Flamingo, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with The Chessmen (Melody Maker)
18 February 1966 – Club West Indies, Stonebridge, Harlesden, northwest London with The Caribbean Show Band (Melody Maker)
18 February 1966 – Refectory, Golders Green, north London (Melody Maker)
18 February 1966 – Flamingo all-nighter, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with John McCoys Crawdaddies (Melody Maker)
According to an article in the Neath Guardian, dated 11 February, Bluesology Incorporated backed Ben E King on a tour that ran from 18 February to 6 March. I have located some of these dates but they don’t list Bluesology. However, it’s not clear whether Bluesology backed Doris Troy on the following dates that clash with this period or whether it was another band
19 February 1966 – Carousel Club, Farnborough, Hants with The Trekkers (Aldershot News)
19 February 1966 – New All-Star Club, Artillery Passage, Bishopsgate, east London with Captain Fish (Melody Maker)
20-21 February 1966 – Club Cedar, Birmingham with Bluesology Incorporated and The Move featuring Carl Wayne (Birmingham Evening Mail)
22 February 1966 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with The Spencer Davis Group (London Live book by Tony Bacon)
26 February 1966 – Beachcomber Club, Nottingham (Nottingham Evening Post)
Record Retailer lists her latest single “I’ll Do Anything” in its 23 October 1968 issue on page 22 (see above)
In 1969, Doris Troy relocated to London and recorded for Apple Records. She also became an in-demand session singer. While based in Britain, she played live and this is one advertised show I’ve found.
15 June 1969 – Cue Club, Praed Street, Paddington, west London with Billie Preston (Melody Maker)
We’d welcome any further information below
Hi Nick,
Your Doris Troy 1960s gigs. Another great piece of work.
I am doing some work on Doris who lived in West Hampstead.
I have lost your direct email. Please contact me.
Dick
Hi Dick
I was in the British Library yesterday and found some more information that might be of interest/use.
The Daily Mirror’s 10 June 1965 issue (page 19) mentions Dusty Springfield’s latest single “In The Middle of Nowhere” and says that Doris Troy is among the backing singers along with Madeline Bell. It also mentions that Alan Price plays piano. Several other sources on the British Newspaper archive confirm this information.
Also, the Pontypridd Observer from 25 June 1965 (page 14) mentions the Eden Kane single “If You Want This Love” with ex-Searcher Chris Curtis organising the session. Again, it mentions Doris and Madeline as backing singers. However, on listening to this track there are no backing singers!
It does look, however, like Doris was in the studio during this time.
Melody Maker’s 3 July 1965 issue (page 4) has a short snippet on Doris which notes that Doris Troy came to Britain for a nine-day trip and plans to stay indefinitely.
Hi Nick
It’s been a very interesting project trying to unravel the who’s who behind the Doris Troy acetate.
The narrative I’m exploring is there were 3 tracks at Atlantic Recording US listed on their database at the period she left the States – noted that her career was stalling nose diving under that label and management.
She comes to the UK and meets 100% with Tony hall and Solomon Burke (pictures articles showing this).
Spinning back to the 16.7.1965 acetate; it was cut, no matrix and lost for over 60 years with no record of the session or the tracks but a physical asset proving the recording session had to have taken place.
The narrative I am exploring is at Decca Hampstead (off book) where it was cut; all the clues: Decca label, red type and no further credits even to the engineer cutting the acetate.
I am very eager to speak with Chris Farlowe or Albert Lee on potential involvement in the session?
However, they were well known and sneaking into Decca Studios if that narrative is followed would be hard to do unseen but the question needs to be asked; they are prime candidates eight days before the appearance with Doris and the Shevells.
But the other narrative is Reg Dwight & Bluesology were on wages so an easy alternative to have them lay down the rhythm section.
Another narrative is the (Session Elite) a young Jimmy Page and other session musicians at Decca.
There is also an interesting narrative with Immediate Records being formed at that very moment Jimmy Page, Tony Hall, Andrew Loog Oldham, Chris Farlowe & Thunderbirds can all be tied to the Immediate label in its infancy – NEW ACTS NEEDED – Doris Troy? The label’s first release August 1965.
Again it’s hypothetical until someone/s can be tied to this session either rhythm or backing singers.
I have reached out with many enquiries in a hope that I’ll get a bite.
Madeline Bell has confirmed no involvement.
Geno Washington – part answer, memory is failing but awaiting a further answer.
I reached out to Chris Farlowe but no responses yet a trip to Islington maybe on the cards.
I was contacted by DJ Bobby Alanta who heard a rumour that Doris Troy has recorded a version of One Room Paradise but was dispelled as a MYTH! This is no longer a myth it is fact.