Bio Full Biography »

The Country Gentlemen were a Manchester, England-spawned trio (later a quartet) who never quite emerged beyond regional success, despite releasing one influential single of their own and three more as a backing group, plus getting a lot of exposure at various well-known clubs, including the Cavern in Liverpool. They were put together in 1963 by guitarist Peter Cowap, late of the skiffle group the Moonrakers, the rock & roll band Deke Bonner & the Tremors, and Jimmy Justice's backing band. An argument with Justice led Cowap to organize the new group, the name of which came from his own preferred model of Gretsch guitar. With Cowap on lead guitar and vocals, the band's lineup was filled out by his former Tremors bandmate Nick Duval on bass, with Leo Laherty playing drums. They were successful locally playing their brand of R&B-flavored British beat music, and shared a bill with the Beatles -- then a very prominent up-and-coming band -- on at least one occasion in the spring of 1963. Cowa...