The Searchers (band)

The Searchers
The Searchers (1965)
Background information
Origin	Liverpool, England
Genres	Merseybeat, pop, rock, British rock and roll
Years active	1959–present
Labels	UK Pye, Philips, Liberty, RCA, Sire; US Mercury, Liberty, Kapp, RCA, Sire
Associated acts	Mike Pender's Searchers
Website	www.the-searchers.co.uk
Members	John McNally Frank Allen Spencer James Scott Ottaway
Past members	Tony Jackson Mike Pender Chris Curtis Billy Adamson John Blunt Norman McGarry Eddie Rothe
Notable instruments
Rickenbacker Rose Morris 1993/12

The Searchers are an English beat group, which emerged as part of the 1960s Merseybeat scene along with the Beatles, the Hollies, the Fourmost, the Merseybeats, the Swinging Blue Jeans, and Gerry and the Pacemakers.

The band's hits include a remake of the Drifters' 1961 hit, "Sweets for My Sweet"; remakes of Jackie DeShannon's "Needles and Pins" and "When You Walk in the Room"; an original song written for them, "Sugar and Spice"; a cover of the Orlons' "Don't Throw Your Love Away"; and a cover of the Clovers' "Love Potion No. 9". With the Swinging Blue Jeans, the Searchers tied for the second group from Liverpool, after the Beatles, to have a hit in the US when their "Needles and Pins" and the Swinging Blue Jeans' "Hippy Hippy Shake" both reached the Hot 100 on 7 March 1964.

Founded as a skiffle group in Liverpool in 1959 by John McNally and Mike Pender, the band took their name from the classic 1956 John Ford western The Searchers. Pender claims that the name was his idea, but McNally ascribes it to 'Big Ron' Woodbridge (born Ronald Woodbridge, 1938, in Liverpool, Lancashire), their first lead singer. The genesis remains unresolved.