Freddie and the Dreamers

Freddie and the Dreamers
Freddie and the Dreamers in 1964. From left to right, Bernie Dwyer, Pete Birrell, Freddie Garrity, Derek Quinn, Roy Crewdson
Background information
Origin	Manchester, England
Genres	Beat pop rock and roll
Years active	1963–2000
Labels	Columbia (EMI) (UK); Capitol, Tower, Mercury (US)
Past members	Founding members Freddie Garrity Roy Crewdson Derek Quinn Peter Birrell Bernie Dwyer Later members Alan Rose Kev Ryan Trev Bullock Giorgio Uccellini Alan Mosca Brian Byng Steve Smith John D.D. Williams Denis Smith Tony Brooke Stuart Simpson Ritchie Madden Spencer Montgomery Paul Atack Andy Wells Gary Smith Gary Rudd John Denny jnr Paul Maddern Hugh Whitaker Noel Walsh Keith Roberts Ray Barlow Eamonn Carr Nick Foti Alan Edmundson Simon Clarke

Freddie and the Dreamers were a British band that had a number of hit records between May 1963 and November 1965. The band's stage act was enlivened by the comic antics of the 5-foot-3-inch-tall (1.60m) Freddie Garrity, who would bounce around the stage with arms and legs flying. The group remained active until December 2000 and a final gig at Margate Winter Gardens. After that date, Garrity was told by his doctor that due to his pulmonary hypertension it was not advisable for him to continue working, and he officially retired from all work in February 2001. He died in Bangor, North Wales, on 19 May 2006.

The band consisted of Freddie Garrity (14 November 1936, Crumpsall, Manchester – 19 May 2006, Bangor, Gwynedd, North Wales), vocals; Roy Crewdson (born 29 May 1941, Manchester), guitar; Derek Quinn (born 24 May 1942, Didsbury, Manchester), guitar and harmonica; Peter Birrell (born 9 May 1941, Manchester), bass; and Bernie Dwyer (11 September 1940, Manchester – 4 December 2002, Cheadle, Cheshire), drums.

Although the band was grouped as a part of the Merseybeat sound phenomenon that The Beatles exploded around the world in the wake of Beatlemania, they came from Manchester. Prior to becoming a singer, Garrity had worked as a milkman in Manchester.

They had four Top 10 UK hits: a cover of James Ray's hit "If You Gotta Make a Fool of Somebody", which reached number 3 in the UK Singles Chart in mid-1963, "I'm Telling You Now" (number 2 in August), "You Were Made For Me" (number 3 in November) and "I Understand", which hit the number 5 spot in November 1964.

Session guitarist Big Jim Sullivan played on a couple of the records,"I Understand", "A Little You", "Thou Shalt Not Steal", and "Just For You" ".