Stargazers

by Sharon MawerThe Stargazers were a popular, novelty vocal group formed in 1949 by Cliff Adams and enjoyed the honour of being the first ever British act to top the new UK charts in 1953 with their single Broken Wings. Featuring Fred Dachtler, the father of Clark Dachtler of Johnny Hates Jazz, Bob Brown, David Carey and June Marlow, they were regulars on the radio show Take It From Here and appeared as the backing group for many of Petula Clark's earliest performances. Originally the group included pianist Bernie Fenton and Australian singer Marie Benson. Also moving through the ranks of members at one time of The Stargazers was Dick James who went on to enjoy a moderately successful solo singing career and an even more successful career as a record company impresario. Early in 1954 they had a second British no.1 single with the novelty hit, I See The Moon and there then followed several other hits, The Happy Wanderer, Somebody, The Crazy Otto Rag, Close The Door, Twenty Tiny Fingers and their final appearance in the charts was in June 1956 with Hot Diggity Dog Ziggity Boom. They also backed Dickie Valentine on his number one single Finger Of Suspicion. By 1956, Cliff Adams had turned his attention to another project, the highly successful Cliff Adams Singers who would dominate easy listening radio programs for the next two decades. They should not be confused with another British band called The Stargazers from the early 1980 who specialised in rock n roll and swing jazz revival music.