Jigsaw
OriginMelbourne, Victoria, Australia
GenresCountry pop
Years active1968 (1968)–1976 (1976)
LabelsFable
Past members
  • Ray Eames
  • Alan "Ollie" Fenton a.k.a. Alan Wright
  • Ron Gilbee
  • Dennis Tucker
  • Eddie Chappell
  • Jon Calderwood
  • Barry Roy

Jigsaw were an Australian country pop band, composed of Jon Calderwood on lead guitar, Eddie Chappell on drums, Ron Gilbee on rhythm guitar and Dennis Tucker on bass guitar. Over the course of their career, the band released Australian top ten singles, "Yellow River" (1970) and "How Do You Do" (1972). They also served as the backing band for Australian singer-songwriter Johnny Chester throughout the early 1970s.

History

Jigsaw were formed in May 1968 in Melbourne by Ray Eames on lead guitar (ex-Tony Worsley and the Fabulous Blue Jays, Rockhouse), Alan "Ollie" Fenton on drums (ex-Phantoms, Rockhouse), Ron Gilbee on rhythm guitar and Dennis Tucker on bass guitar (both ex-Merv Benton and the Tamlas, the Rondells/Impala).[1][2] When the Tamlas disbanded in 1967, band mates Gilbee and Tucker decided to form a Shadows-inspired tribute band.[3] They recruited their friend Eames and his Rockhouse band mate Fenton.[3] The name, Jigsaw, is from a 1967 Shadows album.[3]

After playing Melbourne's pub circuit, in July 1968, Jigsaw joined an Australian Government sponsored tour of South Vietnam to entertain Australian and American troops.[3][4] Also on that tour were Yvonne Barrett, Pat Carroll, Johnny Chester and compere-comedian Jack Perry.[3] While backing Chester during the Vietnam tour Jigsaw members agreed to work together with the country pop singer upon return to Melbourne.[3] Fenton had previously worked for Chester when he was a member of Phantom, Chester's earlier backing band.[1] Jigsaw also performed and released material on their own, they were signed to Ron Tudor's new label, Fable Records.[1] Fenton died in a work place accident in ca. 1969 and was replaced by Eddie Chappell on drums, while Jon Calderwood took over on lead guitar from Eames soon after.[1][3]

Jigsaw's debut single for Fable, "To Love Means to Be Free", appeared in May 1970 and reached No. 49 on the Go-Set National Top 60.[5][6] Also in May the 1970 radio ban, had started as a "pay for play" dispute between major record labels and commercial radio stations.[1][7] Due to their label's independent status, Fable Records' artists were exempt from the radio ban.[7]

Jigsaw's second single, "Yellow River" (July 1970),[5] was a cover version of United Kingdom band Christie's single from April,[1][8] which was not played on commercial radio due to the ban.[1][7] An English singer, Leapy Lee, also issued a cover version, as did Sydney-based group Autumn.[8][9] After ten weeks on the Go-Set National Top 60, "Yellow River" peaked at No. 1 on 31 October 1970 and was co-credited to all four artists: Jigsaw, Autumn, Christie and Lee.[9] The radio ban had ended the week before.[7]

"Gwen (Congratulations)" (August 1971) by Johnny Chester and Jigsaw,[1][5] was a cover of American country singer, Tommy Overstreet's single from earlier that year.[10] It peaked at No. 26.[11] Jigsaw's next single, "So I Tell You" (September),[5] was written by Calderwood,[12] but it did not chart. "Shame and Scandal (in the Family)" (December), with Chester,[1][5] is a cover of Sir Lancelot's 1943 song,[13] which peaked at No. 13.[14]

Jigsaw issued "How Do You Do" as a single in February 1972,[5] which reached No. 11,[1][15] and is a cover of Dutch duo Mouth & MacNeal's 1971 hit.[16] Their next charting single, "Mademoiselle Ninette" (August),[1][5] reached No. 20.[17] It is a cover of German group Soulful Dynamics' 1970 single.[18] Another single with Chester, "Midnight Bus", followed in September 1972,[1][5] their rendition of John D. Loudermilk's 1960 track,[19] which reached No. 25.[20]

Johnny Chester backed by Jigsaw released, "World's Greatest Mum", in June 1973, which peaked at No. 9.[1][5][21] In January 1974 Jigsaw and Chester separated, although they periodically supported Chester on tours.[4] Jigsaw's last charting single, "A Rose Has to Die" (June 1974),[1][5] reached No. 19 on the Kent Music Report singles chart.[22] Their compilation album, Best of Jigsaw, appeared in 1975.[1] They continued performing on the Melbourne pub circuit in the mid-1970s and issued their last single, "Every Day, Every Night", in January 1977.[1][4] They disbanded shortly after. As for Chester from 1977 he was touring with the Blue Denim Country Band.[23]

Members

Credits:[1][4]

  • Ray Eames – lead guitar
  • Alan "Ollie" Fenton a.k.a. Alan Wright – drums
  • Ron Gilbee – rhythm guitar
  • Dennis Tucker – bass guitar, vocals
  • Eddie Chappell – drums, vocals
  • Jon Calderwood – lead guitar, vocals, bass guitar, mandolin
  • Barry Roy – guitar, vocals, dobro, bass guitar, banjo

Discography

Albums

Title Album details
Johnny Chester & Jigsaw (Johnny Chester and Jigsaw)
  • Released: 1971[5]
  • Label: Fable (FBSA-013)
  • Formats: LP
Going Places (Just for Fun) (Johnny Chester and Jigsaw)
  • Released: 1972[5]
  • Label: Fable (FBSA-025)
  • Formats: LP
Best of Jigsaw
  • Released: 1975[1]
  • Label: Fable (FBSA-043)
  • Formats: LP
  • Compilation album

Extended plays

Title EP details
Jigsaw
  • Released: January 1973[5]
  • Label: Fable (FBEP-162)
  • Formats: LP

Singles

Year Title Peak chart positions
AUS
Go-Set
[24]		 AUS
KMR
[22]
1970 "To Love Means to Be Free"[5] 4950
"Yellow River"[5] 15
1971 "Albert the Albatross"[5] –62
"Gwen (Congratulations)" (Johnny Chester and Jigsaw)[5] 2619
"So I Tell You"[5] ––
"Shame and Scandal (in the Family)" (Johnny Chester and Jigsaw)[5] 1313
1972 "How Do You Do"[5] 118
"Readymix Revenge" (Johnny Chester and Jigsaw)[5] –37
"Mademoiselle Ninette"[5] 2018
"Midnight Bus" (Johnny Chester and Jigsaw)[5] 2531
1973 "Sing Along"[5] ––
"Clap Your Hands" / "Marilyn Jones"[5] ––
"Sunday Girl"[5] –99
"World's Greatest Mum" (Johnny Chester and Jigsaw)[5] 98
1974 "She's My Kind of Woman" (Johnny Chester and Jigsaw)[5] 1914
"A Rose Has to Die"[5] —19
"Light up the World"[5] —–
1975 "Teach Me How to Rock and Roll"[5] —–
1977 "Every Day, Every Night"[1] —–

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 McFarlane, Ian (1999). "Encyclopedia entry for 'Jigsaw'". Encyclopedia of Australian Rock and Pop. St Leonards, NSW: Allen & Unwin. ISBN 1-86508-072-1. Archived from the original on 19 April 2004.
  2. ↑ Kimball, Duncan (2005). "Bobby & Laurie". Milesago: Australasian Music and Popular Culture 1964–1975. Ice Productions. Archived from the original on 14 March 2010. Retrieved 10 November 2019.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Brown, Graeme (26 May 2020). "Denis Tucker's Musical Journey". Sunshine Secets. Retrieved 21 November 2021.
  4. 1 2 3 4 "Jigsaw". laurieallen.net. Archived from the original on 31 August 2007. Retrieved 20 November 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 Kimball, Duncan. "Record Labels – Fable Records". MilesAgo. Archived from the original on 19 March 2009. Retrieved 20 November 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  6. ↑ Nimmervoll, Ed (8 August 1970). "Go-Set Australian charts". Go-Set. Archived from the original on 16 March 2017. Retrieved 20 November 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  7. 1 2 3 4 Kent, David Martin (September 2002). "Appendix 6: The Record Ban". The place of Go-Set in rock and pop music culture in Australia, 1966 to 1974 (PDF) (MA). Canberra, ACT: University of Canberra. pp. 265–269. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 September 2015. Retrieved 20 November 2021.
  8. 1 2 Nuttall, Lyn. "'Yellow River' – Autumn". Where Did They Get That Song?. Archived from the original on 26 March 2010. Retrieved 20 November 2021.
  9. 1 2 Nimmervoll, Ed (31 October 1970). "National Top 60". Go-Set. Archived from the original on 31 March 2018. Retrieved 20 November 2021.
  10. ↑ Nuttall, Lyn. "'Gwen (Congratulations)' – Johnny Chester & Jigsaw (1971)". Where Did They Get That Song?. Archived from the original on 22 March 2015. Retrieved 20 November 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  11. ↑ Nimmervoll, Ed (25 December 1971). "National Top 40". Go-Set. Archived from the original on 16 March 2017. Retrieved 20 November 2021. Note: chart only displays Johnny Chester as artist
  12. ↑ "'So I Tell You' at APRA search engine". APRA AMCOS (Australasian Performing Right Association, Australasian Mechanical Copyright Owners Society). Retrieved 20 November 2021. Note: For additional work user may have to select 'Search again' and then 'Enter a title:' &/or 'Performer:'
  13. ↑ Nuttall, Lyn. "'Shame and Scandal (In the Family)' – Johnny Chester & Jigsaw (1972)". Where Did They Get That Song?. Archived from the original on 26 January 2014. Retrieved 20 November 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  14. ↑ Nimmervoll, Ed (10 June 1972). "National Top 40". Go-Set. Archived from the original on 16 March 2017. Retrieved 20 November 2021. Note: chart only displays Johnny Chester as artist
  15. ↑ Nimmervoll, Ed (12 August 1972). "National Top 40". Go-Set. Archived from the original on 16 March 2017. Retrieved 20 November 2021.
  16. ↑ Nuttall, Lyn. "'How Do You Do' – Jigsaw (1972)". Where Did They Get That Song?. Archived from the original on 27 January 2014. Retrieved 20 November 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  17. ↑ Nimmervoll, Ed (6 January 1973). "National Top 40". Go-Set. Archived from the original on 16 March 2017. Retrieved 20 November 2021.
  18. ↑ Nuttall, Lyn. "'Mademoiselle Ninette' – Jigsaw (1972)". Where Did They Get That Song?. Archived from the original on 5 May 2016. Retrieved 20 November 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  19. ↑ Nuttall, Lyn. "'Midnight Bus' – Betty McQuade (1961)". Where Did They Get That Song?. Archived from the original on 21 March 2015. Retrieved 20 November 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  20. ↑ Nimmervoll, Ed (3 March 1973). "National Top 40". Go-Set. Archived from the original on 7 June 2014. Retrieved 20 November 2021.
  21. ↑ Nimmervoll, Ed (6 October 1973). "National Top 40". Go-Set. Archived from the original on 16 March 2017. Retrieved 20 November 2021. Note: chart only displays Johnny Chester as artist
  22. 1 2 Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. St Ives, NSW: Australian Chart Book. p. 155. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  23. ↑ McFarlane, 'Johnny Chester' entry at the Wayback Machine (archived 6 August 2004). Archived from the original on 6 August 2004.
  24. ↑ Go-Set singles charting:
    • "To Love Means to Be Free": Nimmervoll, Ed (8 August 1970). "Go-Set Australian charts". Go-Set. Archived from the original on 17 March 2017. Retrieved 20 November 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
    • "Yellow River": Nimmervoll, Ed (31 October 1970). "National Top 60". Go-Set. Archived from the original on 31 March 2018. Retrieved 20 November 2021.
    • "Gwen (Congratulations)": Nimmervoll, Ed (25 December 1971). "National Top 40". Go-Set. Archived from the original on 16 March 2017. Retrieved 20 November 2021. Note: chart only displays Johnny Chester as artist
    • "Shame and Scandal (In the Family)": Nimmervoll, Ed (10 June 1972). "National Top 40". Go-Set. Archived from the original on 16 March 2017. Retrieved 20 November 2021. Note: chart only displays Johnny Chester as artist
    • "How Do You Do": Nimmervoll, Ed (12 August 1972). "National Top 40". Go-Set. Archived from the original on 16 March 2017. Retrieved 20 November 2021.
    • "Mademoiselle Ninette": Nimmervoll, Ed (6 January 1973). "National Top 40". Go-Set. Archived from the original on 16 March 2017. Retrieved 20 November 2021.
    • "World's Greatest Mum": Nimmervoll, Ed (6 October 1973). "National Top 40". Go-Set. Archived from the original on 16 March 2017. Retrieved 20 November 2021. Note: chart only displays Johnny Chester as artist
    • "She's My Kind of Woman": Nimmervoll, Ed (6 July 1974). "Go-Set National Top 40". Go-Set. Archived from the original on 29 March 2007. Retrieved 22 November 2021.
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