Art Supple: After 68 years performing... I would do it all again

The showband era has long had a place in the hearts of Cork people - and Art Supple is living proof of that.

The singer is still gigging two or three times a week, a mere 68 years on from his first public performance, at the tender age of 16.

Art will be performing in the Sunday Songbook show D o the Hucklebuck: The Songs We Danced To on April 19, paying homage to the heady days of the great showband craze.

The show will revisit the hits that played each day on the radio and that dominated the ballrooms of romance, like Cork’s Arcadia, Shandon Boat Club, Red Barn, the Majorca in Crosshaven, and more.

Growing up in the seaside town of Youghal, the youngest of three, with two accomplished sisters ahead of him, music was woven into the fabric of Art’s family life.

“My father played in a fife and drum band, so from an early age the sound of instruments and singing filled our home,” he recalled.

It is no surprise that Art began to sing as a child, picking up little songs and melodies almost instinctively. In fact, his musical education throughout his life came through listening, observing, and performing.

His first public performance was at 16. “During Lent, dances were not permitted,” he explains, “so a group of us locally decided to organise variety shows in the parish hall. They lasted about two hours, and featured sketches, small plays, and songs and we charged a small entrance fee.”

Performing in front of an audience quickly taught the young Art how to work a crowd and gauge reactions.

“Those early variety shows were our training ground,” he says.

Not long after, Art formed a small band called the Barony Aces, which played for socials in local halls.

“From there, I joined Pat Irwin and his All-Stars, and spent a couple of years with them while still helping out on the family farm at home.”

By now, the showband scene had exploded in Ireland with the Clipper Carlton and the Royal Showband, and soon, there were as many as 600 bands, of varying talents and degrees of success, playing around Ireland.

Art believes the late ’50s and early ’60s represented “a social reawakening of the Irish scene” as people emerged from the post-war gloom. For him, 1963 was a pivotal year as he was invited to join a newly-formed band in Cork.

“Today, people might describe it as a ‘manufactured band’,” he explains, “but it was simply a group of experienced musicians, under band leader Chris St Ledger, brought together with a vision and burning ambition.”

And, so, the Victors Showband was born.

“We rehearsed intensively for six weeks, from 9am until 6pm, preparing a polished programme and refining every detail of our presentation."

Their inaugural performance was at Highfield Rugby Club in Cork on a Saturday night, which became something of a home venue for the band, and from there they quickly took to the road.

Life in a showband was demanding but exhilarating and Art relished every second. Terry Lowe, previously with the Clipper Carlton, became their manager and played a major role in their success.

“Travel was a huge part of our lives,” says Art, who loved the diversity he encountered on the road. “We toured all over Ireland, including frequent trips to Northern Ireland, and the UK.

Television appearances and record releases became essential parts of building their reputation too.

Their first single, Showbands On Parade, was a playful recording that featured Art’s impersonations of popular showband singers such as Butch Moore, Dickie Rock, and Brendan Bowyer. Art would often perform these during the shows.

“Our typical showband night could last up to five hours,” he says. “At some point in the middle of the evening, the dancing would stop and the band would perform a ‘show’ segment for the audience, which might include Irish dancers, comedy sketches, or my showband impersonations.”

There was a real sense of occasion in these ballroom nights. From the dapper suits and slick choreography of the band, the Brylcream, Old Spice, and shiny suits of the lads, to the starched petticoats and ponytails of the ladies, Irish people were ready for the emotional lift offered by the glamorous showbands spectacle

These were truly the halcyon days.

It is inconceivable to imagine now, but on any weekend in Cork, thousands would flock to the Arcadia, St Francis Hall, Cork, or Shandon Boat Clubs, Red Barn or the Majorca in Crosser, travelling on the back of a bicycle, in one of the 12 double-decker buses that would leave from the Grand Parade, or on the laps of friends in borrowed cars, for the promise of a night of dancing and entertainment. And not one drop of alcohol.

What joy there was in the foxtrot, the quicksteps, the romantic slow waltzes, the spot prizes… and the all-important ‘Ladies Choice’.

At their peak, the Victors performed 5-6 nights a week, sometimes in front of home crowds of 2,000-plus.

It was an ‘intensely competitive’ time, says Art, “everyone was young with tremendous energy so it was imperative to come up with new ideas and an energetic approach that gave you the competitive edge.”

To stay current, The Victors listened to the Top 20 charts each week, rehearsed the Top 10 songs, and incorporated them into their set alongside their own standards, including the iconic Noreen Bawn, which Art will sing in the Everyman.

“This mix of contemporary hits and familiar standards helped us connect with a wide audience,” he says.

Touring eventually took the band to the U.S, where they performed in cities like New York, Boston, Chicago, and Philadelphia, then on to Toronto, Canada. “We were the first showband ever to perform there. Before we came on stage, the fully-seated audience were being entertained by a ten-piece orchestra, playing formal arrangements from sheet music.

“Then we burst onto the stage in our bright red suits, singing and dancing to lively music. The contrast was dramatic. The audience had never seen anything quite like us and instantly stood up in astonishment.”

When they returned to the venue, it was packed to the gills, with hundreds queuing outside.

The offers that followed - from TV and radio - were staggering, but their main focus remained Ireland, where the heart of the showband scene was.

Unlike other performers, Art had no formal music training but insists he “was fortunate to work alongside some very talented singers over the years, and learned from them constantly”.

One such was Pat McGeegan - father of boxer Barry McGuigan - “a gifted vocalist and multi-instrumentalist with remarkable versatility. Watching and listening to him perform was a like masterclass in musicianship.”

Another great influence was Tony Woods of the Rhythm Boys band.

“After gigs in Dublin, Tony, Pat, and I would often sit down together for what we called ‘listening sessions’.”

With the adrenaline of a finished show still coursing through his veins, and no interruptions, those midnight sessions proved an invaluable training ground.

They would play records by singers like Frank Sinatra and Andy Williams and carefully analyse how they breathed, phrased, and interpreted songs, and connected with listeners.

As the showband era began to wind down in Ireland in the late 1960s, Art moved to Germany, where the cabaret scene was thriving.

Between 1969 and 1971, he and his talented seven-piece band continued performing variety-style shows that blended rock and roll, pop, and traditional Irish songs like Danny Boy in concert halls and cabaret venues.

“The audience demographic was different - broader in age and not necessarily interested in dancing - so we had to adapt our style and repertoire,” explains Art.

One of the highlights of that period was performing at the prestigious Topper club in Frankfurt, a venue that had hosted major stars such as Tom Jones and Sammy Davis Jr.

“We were deeply honoured to receive a standing ovation there. Apparently, the only other person to get a standing ovation there was Sammy Davis Jr.”

Eventually, Art returned to Ireland, joining Brendan Shine’s band, where he played bass guitar and sang.

“Brendan was a wonderful performer and a shrewd businessman, and working with him was both enjoyable and educational.”

Art was now married with three young children, and balancing family life with constant travel was not always easy. But music had become his livelihood, and he worked steadily. Over the years, he learned to adapt to the prevailing times.

He and his band, Art Supple and the Showstoppers, performed extensively in cabaret venues across Ireland, Britain, and the U.S during the 1980s and early 1990s.

“As times changed, we’d perform with smaller band line-ups more suited to the venues,” he says.

After nearly seven decades in music, Art’s voice is in exceptional shape, which he puts down to “years of consistent singing and using my full vocal range every night on stage”.

Looking back, he says “the rewards of a life in music have been tremendous, even though the work was demanding and required many sacrifices. I have always believed that when an audience pays their hard-earned money to attend a show, they deserve energy, enthusiasm, and a memorable performance.”

They also get to see his impressive stage wardrobe!

Beyond music, Art served as councillor in East Cork for five years.

“Today, I am blessed with six grandchildren and three great-grandchildren, and throughout everything my wife Kay has been my rock. Her support has been constant through the many ups and downs of life in entertainment,” he says.

“After 68 years of performing, I can honestly say that if I had the chance, I would do it all again. Music has given me a lifetime of experiences, friendships, and memories that I will always treasure.

Do the Hucklebuck: The Songs We Danced To: The Everyman Sunday Songbook on Sunday, April 19 at 3pm. Tickets from €28 on 021-4501673 or www.everymancork.com