Bobby Elliott

Elliott discovered jazz music when he was around 10 or 11 and wanted to become a drummer.^[3] He attended Nelson Grammar School. Elliott taught himself how to play the drums, by using home-made brushes and sticks, on tins and other household items, and copying the playing of Chico Hamilton of the Gerry Mulligan Quartet and Gene Krupa of the Benny Goodman Orchestra.^[3] At first, he was a jazz drummer, but changed to rock and roll.^[4]

Elliott was an original member of Johnny Theakston and the Tremeloes, who formed in 1959, and were fronted by the vocalist Johnny Theakston.^[5] In late 1960 they sent a demo tape to BBC Radio's Saturday Club, calling themselves Shane Fenton and the Fentones, but Theakston died before they received a reply. Having been offered an audition, the band's roadie Bernard Jewry (later known as Alvin Stardust), stepped in as vocalist, adopting the stage name “Shane Fenton” at Theakston's mother's request.^[5] In 1961, Tommy Sanderson became their manager, and negotiated a record deal with EMI who released "I'm a Moody Guy", which reached 22 on the UK singles chart.^[6] The next three singles failed to chart, and the band broke up in April 1963.^[5]

 

Elliott played in Ricky Shaw and the Dolphins, a band led by guitarist Tony Hicks who left to join the Hollies. Shortly after, Don Rathbone left the Hollies and Elliott replaced him.^[2]

The Hollies would quickly garner a cult following after their songs Here I Go Again, Look Through Any Window, and Just One Look charted in the British charts. Future hits would include: "Bus Stop", "On a Carousel", "Carrie Anne", "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother" and "The Air That I Breathe", among others. As of 2024, Elliott and Hicks still tour with the Hollies.

In September 1973, they were working on the opening track for their Hollies album, when Paul McCartney offered him the position of drummer in his band Wings, but Elliott declined due to commitments with the Hollies, saying his "heart was with the Hollies".^[7][8] The Hollies were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2010. Elliott and Hicks did not attend the ceremony as they were booked to play a gig with the band in London at the London Palladium.^[9]

Prominent drummers who were influenced by Elliott include Gilson Lavis, Ric Lee, Cozy Powell and Ian Paice.^[10]

Elliott’s hair began thinning at a young age (around the time the Hollies took off). So on stage, he would wear a variety of hats to cover up his balding. This decision would eventually inspire more artists (balding or not) to wear hats on stage, helping to bring wearing hats into Rock and Roll.^[11] By the 1970s, Elliott had gone completely bald and eventually, Elliott, a blonde, started wearing a long brunette wig on stage. This wig can be seen on the cover of their 1974 Hollies album.