Members
Ray Ennis - guitar, vocals
Ralph Ellis - lead guitar
Les Braid - bass guitar
Norman Kuhlke - drums, washboard
Bruce McCaskill - rhythm guitar, vocals (Died: 24th December 1993)
Terry Sylvester - guitar
The Swinging Blue Jeans began their existence in 1957 when they were The Blue Genes Skiffle Group playing jazz influenced skiffle with a washboard, banjo and an oil drum bass in the group.
Ralph Ellis joined in 1958. Ellis had previously been in The Ralph Ellis Skiffle Group.
Later they were known as The Swinging Blue Genes before changing their name to the Swinging Blue Jeans in 1963.
Known Gigs
As The Swinging Blue Genes
1 Jan 1960 Liverpool, The Cavern, Mathew Street. With Cy Laurie Jazz Band.
10 Jan 1960 Liverpool, The Cavern, Mathew Street. Supporting Acker Bilk's Paramount Jazz Band.
13 Jan 1960 Liverpool, The Cavern, Mathew Street. With Saints Jazz Band, and Collegians Jazz Band.
10 Feb 1962 Wallasey, New Brighton, Tower Ballroom, Cheshire. With The Echolets, and Tony Osborne and His Band.
25 Aug 1962 Birkenhead, Majestic Ballroom, Cheshire. With Billy Kramer with the Coasters, and Group One. This was the Swinging Bluegenes last gig before they went to Germany.
TV Appearances
19 Jun 1963 Scene at 6.30, Granada TV.
They were on at the Star Club, Hamburg in May 1964. They sat at the next table to us in the Mambo Cafe, a popular eating place for British bands in Hamburg at the time.
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