Nottingham group 1960 – 1961

Vocalist Farran Kristy was in fact Neil Lakin who took his stage name by combining two names, taken from a grocers shop (Farrands on Main Street, Bulwell) and a hairdressers (Kristy’s) in Hucknall.

1960

1961

Four numbers that Farran Kristy and the Sapphires would perform in 1961.

The Frightened City – Shadows
20 Flight Rock – Eddie Cochran
What’d I Say – Ray Charles
Somethin Else – Eddie Cochran

Groups would often open with a couple of instrumentals before introducing their lead singer. The Shadows were one of the leaders of early British Rock and Roll and instrumental guitar numbers.
Eddie Cochran was an American rock and roller who was more popular in Britain than at home and Ray Charles was one of the twentieth century greats who was a pioneer of soul music.

Farran Kristy was the lead singer of his group the Sapphires. In early 1961 he continued finding local gigs in Beeston and Long Eaton and Nottingham.

By the summer of 1961 they had found work at the Skegness Embassy.

By December 1961 the Sapphires were over and Farran Kristy joined Alvin Lee’s Jaybirds as their lead vocalist. He was only with them for five months. Eventually, after a year out of action with a throat problem, he formed his own group Farran Kristy’s Big Six around 1964.

Read about his time with the Jaybirds.

Read about his group the Big Six.