Stoney Lonesome

aka The Stoney Lonesome Boys


Following a star turn at the 1970 National Banjo Pickers’ Convention, Christchurch progressive bluegrass quintet Stoney Lonesome had some of the New Zealand music industry’s prime movers lining up to record them.

When it came down to a choice between HMV’s Peter Dawkins and independent Barry Coburn, Stoney Lonesome chose Coburn, who initiated a deal through PolyGram. There was some apprehension that Dawkins’s interest was only to park them up so as not to obstruct HMV’s bluegrass phenomenon The Hamilton County Bluegrass Band.

Stoney Lonesome at the Russley Hotel, Christchurch, soon after the addition of Richard Oddie, 1970. Left to right: Oddie, Brian Egan, Clive Collins, Jim Doak, Tony Brittenden. 
Photo credit: Richard Oddie collection
Stoney Lonesome at the Englefield Rock Festival, Belfast, Christchurch, February 1971. 
Photo credit: Richard Oddie collection
The Stoney Lonesome LP cover from 1970 with photo by Euan Sarginson and artwork by bass guitarist Tony Brittenden. The “White Album” effect Brittenden was after was lost when a PolyGram art director decided on a grey tint.
Stoney Lonesome. Left to right: Tony Brittenden, Jim Doak, Brian Egan, Clive Collins, Richard Oddie.
Photo credit: Euan Sarginson
Stoney Lonesome’s Clive Collins.
Photo credit: Richard Oddie collection
Stoney Lonesome at the Englefield Rock Festival, Belfast, Christchurch, February 1971. 
Photo credit: Richard Oddie collection
Stoney Lonesome’s Brian Egan. 
Photo credit: Richard Oddie collection
The Stoney Lonesome Boys perform on a barge at the National Banjo Pickers’ Convention, Ngāruawāhia, 1969. Left to right: Clive Collins, Jim Doak, Miles Reay, Brian Egan. 
Photo credit: Miles Reay collection
The Stoney Lonesome Boys practise in Christchurch, 1969. Left to right: Clive Collins, Brian Egan, Miles Reay, Jim Doak.
Photo credit: Miles Reay collection
Stoney Lonesome at the Englefield Rock Festival, Belfast, Christchurch, February 1971. Left to right: Brian Egan, Clive Collins, Tony Brittenden, Richard Oddie, Jim Doak.
Photo credit: Richard Oddie collection
Stoney Lonesome. Back, left to right: Tony Brittenden, Clive Collins, Richard Oddie. Front: Brian Egan, Jim Doak. 
Photo credit: Euan Sarginson
A flyer for Stoney Lonesome’s 1970 self-titled debut album.
The Stoney Lonesome Boys in concert, 1969. Left to right: Clive Collins, Brian Egan, Miles Reay, Jim Doak. 
Photo credit: Miles Reay collection
Hamilton County Bluegrass Band’s Paul Trenwith (left) with The Stoney Lonesome Boys’ Clive Collins and Jim Doak (front) at the Trenwith residence, Te Rapa, Hamilton, 1969.
Photo credit: Miles Reay collection
Stoney Lonesome at the Englefield Rock Festival, Belfast, Christchurch, February 1971. Left to right: Brian Egan, Tony Brittenden, Clive Collins, Richard Oddie, Jim Doak. 
Photo credit: Richard Oddie collection
Trivia:

Since his time in Stoney Lonesome, Clive Collins has published three banjo instruction books, producing everything from the contents to the artwork to the photocopying to the recording of the cassette tape that went with them. The first, The Bluegrass Way, was an introduction to the instrument and how to play it, while the following two were music tablature books.

Leading Christchurch photographer Euan Sarginson, who went on to a long career as a celebrated fashion photographer until his death in 2004, took all the official Stoney Lonesome photos, including that on their self-titled LP cover.

Labels:

Polydor


Cindy

Members:

Clive Collins - banjo

Jim Doak - vocals, guitar

Brian Egan - vocals, mandolin

Miles Reay - vocals, upright bass

Tony Brittenden - vocals, electric bass

Richard Oddie - fiddle

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