UK Hit Singles and Albums (An incomplete listing of his hits - if you know of any others please email me at overzeal@btinternet.com)

| Home | 1950s | 1960 | 1962 | 1963 | 1964 | 1965 | 1966 | 1967 | 1968 | 1969 | 1970s | 1980s | Photos | Bands | Testimonials | UK's Greatest Guitarist | Enigma |

1961

The UK Entries in the Charts were, in the main, dire.

Classic UK Rock Record :-
Sweet Little Sixteen - Michael Cox
1961 was very similar to 1960 for BJS.
(that is short spells with a variety of Bands (e.g. 3 months with the Flee-Rekkers and a tour with the Echoes) and some Session work)

While Cliff Richard and The Shadows continued to dominate the UK Pop Scene, Marty Wilde became a lesser star.

One event that shaped BJS's Session Career at this time was when he was kicked out of a Session run by Stanley Black because he could not read music.
(it was a Cliff Richard film soundtrack)
BJS was then propelled to investigate all sorts of music and very quickly became the dominant UK Session Guitarist.

In this year BJS played on 4 Number One Records.

The Krew Kats (BJS, Tony Belcher, Brian Bennett and Brian Locking) had their only hit.
(in October Brian Bennett replaced Tony Meehan in the Shadows)

BJS played on Michael Cox's "Sweet Little Sixteen" complete with Wah Wah effects.
(Joe Meek and BJS worked together to produce this brilliant record)

BJS also played on French Hits.
(e.g. from 5 until 12 September, in the Fontana Studio, BJS played on a Johnny Hallyday's R'n'R Album)
(Brian Locking on bass and Georgie Fame on keyboards)

For more details please view BJS's Wikipedia page.
Date Entered UK Chart Artist Title UK Highest Chart Position Label Producer Guitar Rating Comments Did BJS play the lead ?
12/01/1961 Thursday Danny Rivers Can’t You Hear My Heart 36 Decca . Another great BJS guitar break. .
12/01/1961 Thursday Peter Sellers And Sophia Loren Bangers And Mash 22 Parlophone George Martin # .
19/01/1961 Thursday Billy Fury A Thousand Stars 14 Decca Knownman # .
26/01/1961 Thursday Anne Shelton Sailor 10 Phillips Johnny Franz Solid strumming .
26/01/1961 Thursday Marty Wilde Rubber Ball 9 Phillips Johnny Franz # .
26/01/1961 Thursday Petula Clark Sailor 1 Pye Alan Freeman Vic Flick was also on this record. BJS's first number one. .
09/02/1961 Thursday Adam Faith Who Am I 5 Parlophone John Burgess Strings. Dougie Wright on drums. .
09/03/1961 Thursday Mike Preston Marry Me 14 Decca . Frantic violins. .
09/03/1961 Thursday Krew-Kats Trambone 33 HMV . The Wildcats take time off to have a hit single. Guitar ruined by Norrie Paramours production. YES
13/04/1961 Thursday Johnny Kidd Linda Lou 47 HMV Walter Ridley # .
13/04/1961 Thursday Petula Clark Something Missing 44 Pye Alan Freeman Pleasant guitar .
20/04/1961 Thursday Craig Douglas A Hundred Pounds Of Clay 9 Top Rank Bunny Lewis Strings. Initially banned by the BBC. .
27/04/1961 Thursday Billy Fury Don’t Worry 40 Decca . amazing brass break ! .
27/04/1961 Thursday Adam Faith Easy Going Me 12 Parlophone John Burgess Dougie Wright on drums. .
29/04/1961 Saturday Nina And Frederick Nina And Frederick 9 Columbia . Album
11/05/1961 Thursday Billy Fury Halfway To Paradise 3 Decca Dick Rowe # .
18/05/1961 Thursday Allisons Words 34 Fontana Jack Baverstock Strings .
25/05/1961 Thursday Russ Conway Always You And Me 33 Columbia Norman Newell Russ speaks ! Very sentimental. .
01/06/1961 Thursday Eden Kane Well I Ask You 1 Decca Bunny Lewis Vic Flick was also on this record. .
08/06/1961 Thursday Jimmy Crawford Love Or Money 49 Polydor Norman Newell Typical of the time .
29/06/1961 Thursday Joe Loss Wheels Cha Cha 21 HMV . # .
29/06/1961 Thursday Tommy Cooper Dont Jump Off The Roof Dad 40 Palette . # .
29/06/1961 Thursday Craig Douglas Time 9 Top Rank Bunny Lewis Strings .
13/07/1961 Thursday Petula Clark Romeo 3 Pye Alan Freeman # .
20/07/1961 Thursday Adam Faith Dont You Know It 12 Parlophone John Burgess Strange sounds.Dougie Wright on drums. .
27/07/1961 Thursday Marty Wilde Hide And Seek 47 Phillips Johnny Franz # .
03/08/1961 Thursday John Leyton Johnny Remember Me 1 Top Rank Joe Meek Jim did not play on this record but Vic Flick did. NO
17/08/1961 Thursday Clinton Ford Too Many Beautiful Girls 48 Oriole John Schroeder Lively Trad Jazz .
17/08/1961 Thursday Tommy Steele Writing On The Wall 30 Decca Knownman Great whistle .
24/08/1961 Thursday Russ Conway Toy Ballons 7 Columbia Norman Newell Sweet .
31/08/1961 Thursday Springfields Breakaway 31 Phillips Johnny Franz Lively .
07/09/1961 Thursday Billy Fury Jealousy 2 Decca Dick Rowe Nice Electric Guitar In The Background .
14/09/1961 Thursday Eden Kane Get Lost 10 Decca Bunny Lewis Mainly drums and piano .
23/09/1961 Saturday Billy Fury Halfway To Paradise 5 Ace of Clubs . Album
28/09/1961 Thursday Nina And Frederick Longtime Boy 43 Columbia . Pleasant guitar. .
28/09/1961 Thursday Matt Monro Gonna Build A Mountain 44 Parlophone Norman Newell # .
05/10/1961 Thursday Nina And Frederick Sucu Sucu 23 Columbia . # .
05/10/1961 Thursday John Leyton Wild Wind 2 Top Rank Joe Meek Vic Flick was also on this record. .
12/10/1961 Thursday Mike Berry Tribute To Buddy Holly 24 HMV Joe Meek # .
19/10/1961 Thursday Hayley Mills Lets Get Together 17 Decca . Thankfully short ! .
19/10/1961 Thursday Joe Loss Sucu Sucu 48 HMV . Great short guitar break. .
02/11/1961 Thursday Danny Williams Moon River 1 HMV Norman Newell Vic Flick was also on this record. .
09/11/1961 Thursday Frankie Vaughan Tower Of Strength 1 Phillips Johnny Franz A very generous man .
09/11/1961 Thursday Marty Wilde Tomorrows Clown 33 Phillips Johnny Franz # .
09/11/1961 Thursday Doug Sheldon Runaround Sue 36 Decca Shel Talmy Dion made the original .
16/11/1961 Thursday Jimmy Crawford I Love How You Love Me 18 Columbia Norman Newell Pleasant - good guitar .
16/11/1961 Thursday Springfields Bambino 16 Phillips Johnny Franz Regimented strumming. .
16/11/1961 Thursday Petula Clark My Friend The Sea 7 Pye Alan Freeman # .
14/12/1961 Thursday Billy Fury I’d Never Find Another You 5 Decca Knownman # .
14/12/1961 Thursday Mrs Mills Mrs Mills Medley 18 Parlophone Norman Newell Mrs Piano .
21/12/1961 Thursday Gary Miller There Goes That Song Again 29 Pye . Written by Styne/Cohn .
28/12/1961 Thursday John Leyton Son This Is She 15 HMV Joe Meek Similar to the previous 2 hits. .