Exquisite British singer with a folk touch. Jonathan Kelly was born Jonathan Ledingham on July 8th, 1947 in Drogheda, at County Louth, in Eire.
He also played guitar and drums (especially in his first bands).
THE SARACENS
The Saracens was a band where Jonathan Kelly played while he was a teenager:
|
THE SARACENS #? |
? |
|---|---|
Jonathan Kelly † guitar, vocals | + others unknown to me. Help! |
VICEROYS SHOWBAND
Viceroys Showband was one of the Irish showbands, and Jonathan Kelly was once a member, but I haven´t any other info:
|
VICEROYS SHOWBAND #? |
? |
|---|---|
Jonathan Kelly † guitar, vocals | + others unknown to me. Help! |
THE BOOMERANGS
The Boomerangs was formed by:
They split after recording 1 single.
|
THE BOOMERANGS #? |
? |
|||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Jonathan Kelly † guitar, vocals | Aidan Cahill guitar | Alan Doran bass | Brian Trench keyboards | Noel Richardson drums |
They split after recording 1 single.
| Other info on members of The Boomerangs (I know up to 5 members) | |
|---|---|
| Not enough info (4): | Aidan Cahill, Alan Doran, Noel Richardson, Brian Trench |
AND THEN...
Jonathan started his solo career as Jon Ledingham in the Dublin music scene. He released two singles and then, moved to London in March 1968, and choosing the Jonathan Kelly monicker in 1969.
HUMPY BONG
Humpy Bong was a band formed by Colin Petersen:
The band never played any gigs, as Jonathan Kelly also worked on his own solo career, but they played in some TV appearances, splitting soon after releasing one single, ´Don´t you be too long / We´re alright till then´ in August 1970.
|
HUMPY BONG #? |
? |
|
|---|---|---|
|
êSmile |
êBee Gees |
|
Tim Staffell vocals, bass | Jonathan Kelly † guitar, vocals | Colin Petersen drums |
Jonathan Kelly Bandê | ||
The band never played any gigs, as Jonathan Kelly also worked on his own solo career, but they played in some TV appearances, splitting soon after releasing one single, ´Don´t you be too long / We´re alright till then´ in August 1970.
| Other info on members of Humpy Bong (I know up to 3 members) | |
|---|---|
| To be covered (2): | Colin Petersen, Tim Staffell |
JONATHAN KELLY BAND
After the Humpy Bong adventure was over, Jonathan Kelly recorded a couple of singles, one of them featuring Eric Clapton.
Kelly´s first album, Jonathan Kelly was released in 1970. The album was recorded with help from Ashton, Gardner & Dyke, Billy Bell on banjo and steel, and backing vocals by Madeline Bell, Lesley Duncan, Sue Glover and Sunny Leslie (Sue & Sunny), plus additional musicians (such as Eric Clapton) not mentioned. The album back cover says: ´Many thanks to all the other musicians who helped in the making of this album´.
His second album was my favourite one. Twice around the houses is magnificent, and I wonder why Kelly´s was elusive with success and fame. The album features great musicians, such as Tim Renwick, the late Dave Ball (shining in great guitar solos in the tracks where he´s featured), Rick Kemp, Gerry Conway, and the fantastic Peter Wood who was very involved in the making of the album, as Kelly´s states: ´A special thanks to Peter Wood´.
Jonathan Kelly appeared on TV (on The Old Grey Whistle Test) in May 1973 performing two songs with a one-off lineup with some of his friends:
Kelly actually said something like ´I´d like to thank the Sutherland Brothers and Quiver for lending Tim Renwick for tonight´s show´ (thanks to NW for telling me this info back in 2004).
Kelly´s gig schedule was starting to increase, being opener or sharing tours by Strawbs, Riff Raff (with Tommy Eyre) or Joan Armatrading, among others, also sharing gigs with bands that probably helped making friends with musicians later appearing in his albums, such as Chris Mercer, Mick Eve or Ron Carthy from Gonzalez (all of them appeared in Kelly´s fourth album).
Kelly´s third album was Wait till they change the backdrop, featuring Gary Moore uncredited on guitar in a few tracks.
In October 1973, Trevor Williams joins Jonathan Kelly´s Outside:
After a few months, Jankel left to be replaced by the exquisite Snowy White.
This was the new lineup for Jonathan Kelly´s Outside now with Snowy White:
Jonathan Kelly´s Outside added Jeff Whittaker for a while:
Trevor Williams left the band in March 1974, but cannot find proper details about the changing lineups. Help, please!
Tim Staffell reunited with his old friend in Jonathan Kelly´s Outside, being in the band circa August 1974:
Staffell toured with them for some months, before leaving.
In February 1975, Jonathan Kelly has dissolved his band Outside, but keeping Harada and Sheen with him:
Kelly´s first album, Jonathan Kelly was released in 1970. The album was recorded with help from Ashton, Gardner & Dyke, Billy Bell on banjo and steel, and backing vocals by Madeline Bell, Lesley Duncan, Sue Glover and Sunny Leslie (Sue & Sunny), plus additional musicians (such as Eric Clapton) not mentioned. The album back cover says: ´Many thanks to all the other musicians who helped in the making of this album´.
His second album was my favourite one. Twice around the houses is magnificent, and I wonder why Kelly´s was elusive with success and fame. The album features great musicians, such as Tim Renwick, the late Dave Ball (shining in great guitar solos in the tracks where he´s featured), Rick Kemp, Gerry Conway, and the fantastic Peter Wood who was very involved in the making of the album, as Kelly´s states: ´A special thanks to Peter Wood´.
Jonathan Kelly appeared on TV (on The Old Grey Whistle Test) in May 1973 performing two songs with a one-off lineup with some of his friends:
|
JONATHAN KELLY BAND #? |
? |
||
|---|---|---|---|
|
êSutherland Brothers |
|||
Jonathan Kelly † vocals, guitar | Tim Renwick guitar | Mark Griffiths bass | Jeff Whittaker percussion |
Sutherland Brothersê | |||
Kelly actually said something like ´I´d like to thank the Sutherland Brothers and Quiver for lending Tim Renwick for tonight´s show´ (thanks to NW for telling me this info back in 2004).
Kelly´s gig schedule was starting to increase, being opener or sharing tours by Strawbs, Riff Raff (with Tommy Eyre) or Joan Armatrading, among others, also sharing gigs with bands that probably helped making friends with musicians later appearing in his albums, such as Chris Mercer, Mick Eve or Ron Carthy from Gonzalez (all of them appeared in Kelly´s fourth album).
Kelly´s third album was Wait till they change the backdrop, featuring Gary Moore uncredited on guitar in a few tracks.
In October 1973, Trevor Williams joins Jonathan Kelly´s Outside:
|
JONATHAN KELLY BAND #? |
Oct 73-? |
||
|---|---|---|---|
|
êNashville Teens |
|||
Jonathan Kelly † vocals, guitar | Chaz Jankel guitar, keyboards | Trevor Williams bass | Dave Sheen drums |
After a few months, Jankel left to be replaced by the exquisite Snowy White.
This was the new lineup for Jonathan Kelly´s Outside now with Snowy White:
|
JONATHAN KELLY BAND #? |
? |
||
|---|---|---|---|
Jonathan Kelly † vocals, guitar | Snowy White guitar | Trevor Williams bass | Dave Sheen drums |
Jonathan Kelly´s Outside added Jeff Whittaker for a while:
|
JONATHAN KELLY BAND #? |
? |
|||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Jonathan Kelly † vocals, guitar | Snowy White guitar | Trevor Williams bass | Jeff Whittaker percussion | Dave Sheen drums |
Trevor Williams left the band in March 1974, but cannot find proper details about the changing lineups. Help, please!
Tim Staffell reunited with his old friend in Jonathan Kelly´s Outside, being in the band circa August 1974:
|
JONATHAN KELLY BAND #? |
1974 |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Jonathan Kelly † vocals, guitar | Snowy White guitar | Kuma Harada bass | Darryl Lee Que percussion | Dave Sheen drums | Tim Staffell backing vocals, percussion |
Staffell toured with them for some months, before leaving.
In February 1975, Jonathan Kelly has dissolved his band Outside, but keeping Harada and Sheen with him:
|
JONATHAN KELLY BAND #? |
1975 |
|
|---|---|---|
Jonathan Kelly † vocals, guitar | Kuma Harada bass | Dave Sheen drums |
| Other info on members of Jonathan Kelly Band (I know up to 11 members) | |
|---|---|
| Already covered (2): | Mark Griffiths, Tim Renwick |
| To be covered (8): | Kuma Harada, Chaz Jankel, Darryl Lee Que, Dave Sheen, Tim Staffell, Snowy White, Jeff Whittaker, Trevor Williams |
INSTANT WHIP
Instant Whip was a band formed by Tim Booth, probably at the end of 1975 or beginning of 1976 (or was in July 1973???):
They only played one gig before Kelly disappearing from the musical scene for many years.
|
INSTANT WHIP #? |
? |
||
|---|---|---|---|
Tim Booth guitar, vocals | Ed Deane guitar | Steve Bullock bass | Jonathan Kelly † drums |
They only played one gig before Kelly disappearing from the musical scene for many years.
| Other info on members of Instant Whip (I know up to 4 members) | |
|---|---|
| To be covered (1): | Ed Deane |
| Not enough info (2): | Tim Booth, Steve Bullock |
AND THEN...
He disappeared from the musical scene in 1976. Many years later, he made some one-off gigs along the years, but suffering from a long illness, Jonathan Kelly sadly passed away on May 2nd, 2020. Rest in peace, and thanks for your great music!
To everyone interested in read my tribute to Jonathan Kelly, I must recommend that they visit Jonathan´s official website, a loving website run by Jonathan´s friend and fan Gerald Sables. The site is packed with info, lots of photographs from all periods and it´s essential reading for understanding Jonathan Kelly´s own universe. I´ve borrowed some info from the site (such as the info on Instant Whip), but it´s not stealing but acknowledge to Gerald Sables, who wrote me in the past giving me info on Tim Renwick and Mark Griffiths involvement with Kelly. Check the link below, and visit, you won´t be disappointed.
6 BANDS (WITH 7 SELECTED RECORDINGS):
To everyone interested in read my tribute to Jonathan Kelly, I must recommend that they visit Jonathan´s official website, a loving website run by Jonathan´s friend and fan Gerald Sables. The site is packed with info, lots of photographs from all periods and it´s essential reading for understanding Jonathan Kelly´s own universe. I´ve borrowed some info from the site (such as the info on Instant Whip), but it´s not stealing but acknowledge to Gerald Sables, who wrote me in the past giving me info on Tim Renwick and Mark Griffiths involvement with Kelly. Check the link below, and visit, you won´t be disappointed.
6 BANDS (WITH 7 SELECTED RECORDINGS):
| BAND / ARTIST | . | RECORDINGS | ||||||
| The Boomerangs |
| |||||||
| Humpy Bong | 1 RECORDINGS:
| |||||||
| Instant Whip |
| |||||||
| Jonathan Kelly Band | 6 RECORDINGS:
| |||||||
| The Saracens | ||||||||
| Viceroys Showband | ||||||||
QUESTIONS:
01. Was Jonathan Kelly involved with the band called Jon (featuring Stuart Cowell, Jim Toomey or Tommy Tierney)?
02. Did Tim Renwick and/or Rick Kemp play in the Humpy Bong tracks?
03. I understand he´s not the same Jonathan Kelly that produced a couple of albums by Ali Thomson, is he?
04. Can someone give me info about musicians in Jonathan Kelly live bands? Who was the bassist before Trevor Williams?
RELATED WEBSITE LINKS: 5
Official site(s) - tell them you saw the link here:
- Jonathan Kelly (by Gerald Sables - amazing, lovely site)
- Tim Renwick Official Website
- Tim Renwick (Myspace)
From the superb site Knights in Blue Denim: The British Blues Scene '68 - '70 (by Christer Fridhammar & Vanja), we have:
THANKS:
Very Special Thanks to:
Special Thanks to:
Thanks to:
RELATED MUSICIANS:
Jonathan Kelly mostly worked with these musicians: (name + number of credits)
Colin Petersen (3)
Peter Wood (3)
Tony Ashton (2)
John Barham (2)
Madeline Bell (2)
Roy Dyke (2)
Kim Gardner (2)
Tim Renwick (2)
Dave Sheen (2)
Page created by Miguel Terol on: 05/May/2020 - Last modified on: 05/May/2020. If you want to contribute with info, please write to: molympus1@gmail.com
Please, note than you can check the indexes (musicians, bands, obituaries) at the top of this page.