In 1951 Johnnie Ray was enjoying his first hit
'Cry'!, Frank Sinatra was at an all time low, the Lindy
Hop jive dance which was later to become Rock'n'Roll
dancing, was starting to sweep across black clubs in
USA and in Australia a Sydney Eastern suburbs boy who
later called himself Alan Dale, was about to start
his career as a Big Band singer.
This was rudely interupted when he was called up for
3 months of National Service but as fate had it, it
was this event which led hiom into showbusiness.
Jys aroub d the corner from where he workded as a
printer typsetter was a brash young guy of the same
age who worked in his father's big furniture store.
R.M. O'keefe and Co was a very well known store in
Castlereag St, Sydney and young Johnny was learning
the salesman trade. He too was drafted at the same
time as Alan.
When they were let out of National Service they went
back to thgeir respective jobs and Johnny felel head
over heels with a beautiful young German immigrant
Marianne Renate who was a Niss Australia entrant. To
help her raise money for charity Johnny held a dance
and asked Alan to help him with the printing of tickets
etc. This gave Alan the idea that he too could promote
his own dances.
At the same time the Blackboard Jungle movie hit Sydney
with Bill Haley and his Comets' giving the world, the
first full on Rock'n'Roll song, 'Rock around the Clock'.
Alan flipped for the music and promptley found a few
budding musicians and started a band which he called,
'The Houserockers'. On February 7th 1957 at the Maroubra
Memorial Hall, he started what could arguabley be Sydney's
first Rock'n'Roll dance. This was the start of the
Rock'n'Roll dance craze which is still alive today,
50 years later!
Alan became very popular around the Sydney area with
his dances but as yet none had yet recorded any Rock'n'Roll
in Australia. The labesl just weren't inyteresetsd
as they thought that it was maybe just a fad which
would quickly pass. Part of this thought was due to
another style of muisc called 'Skiffle' was coming
out of England and many thought this may be the one
to watch, not Rock'n'Roll.
Late in 1957, Alan's career took a turn upward when
he was asked in to be the regular band at the the Rockdale
Grand Hotel. 10pm hotel closing had just
come in and people were starting to go out more at
night, any night. This was such a good financial move
for Alan and the band that he gave up the dance circuit
which he promoted himself to commence a successful
50 years in the hotel and club industry. He was later
asked to take up a residence at the Pagewood Rex Hotel
where he stayed for a long time.
During that time he was offered a contract with EMI
Records as they wanted to compete with Festival Records
and their new stars such as Johnny O'Keefe, Johnny
Rebb and Col Joye.
In September 1959 his song 'Crackin' Up' hit the Sydney
Top 40 charts He3 released several records for EMI
and Teen Records which cemented his place asd one of
the first Rock'n'Roll hereos of the Aussie music industry..
Since those days he has managed many clubs and booked
many artists. He still performs today with his own
show and that which features some of the legends of
the Johnny O'Keefe TV Show and Six O'Clock Rock.
In late 2006 he went back to his dance band roots
and recorded a CD of beautiful Sinatra style songs
titled 'Nice and Easy'.
It can be seen and purchased here
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