| Edison Lighthouse | |
|---|---|
| Origin | United Kingdom |
| Genres | Pop, MOR |
| Years active | 1970–1977, 2001–present |
| Labels | Bell Records, RRO Entertainment |
| Members | |
| Les Fradkin Jim Dessey Michael Bellusci |
|
| Past members | |
| Tony Burrows Stuart Edwards David Taylor George Weyman Ray Dorey Paul Vigrass David Kerr-Clemenson Andy Locke Eddie Richards Wally Scott Brian Huggins Rick Foster Pete Butt Derek Boston |
|
Edison Lighthouse was a UK pop group, initially a studio-only assemblage that served as a vehicle for session vocalist Tony Burrows and songwriter/record producers Tony Macaulay and Barry Mason, are best known for their 1970 UK chart-topper and million-selling record, "Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes)".[1][2]
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The 'original' Edison Lighthouse was Tony Burrows (lead vocalist), Stuart Edwards (lead guitar), David Taylor (bass guitar), George Weyman (drums), and Ray Dorey (guitar). The group's lone Top 40 hit "Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes)"[1] (1970) was one of four near-contemporaneous UK Singles Chart Top Ten hit singles by Burrows under different names, the others being White Plains' "My Baby Loves Lovin'", The Pipkins' "Gimme Dat Ding", and Brotherhood of Man's "United We Stand".[3] Burrows was also lead vocalist on the single "Beach Baby" (1974) for another studio-only group, The First Class.
"Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes)" was #1 for five weeks and sold 250,000 copies in the UK.[2] "Love Grows" raced to the #1 position in its second week on the chart, which was at the time the quickest rise by an act new to the chart.[4] The United States release was in February 1970 and reached #5 in the Billboard Hot 100, selling a million copies there by April earning the R.I.A.A. gold disc.[2] In Canada the song reached #3.
After the success of "Love Grows", Burrows left to pursue other projects, and Macaulay, who owned the rights to the Edison Lighthouse name, assembled another group of musicians to record under the name.[3] Members of the group Merlin 'Q' were brought in to perpetuate the image of a real working band.[3] Actor and singer Paul Vigrass replaced Burrows and other members of the re-assembled group were David Kerr-Clemenson (bass guitar), Andy Locke (guitar), Eddie Richards (drums) and Wally Scott (guitar). This second edition of Edison Lighthouse cracked the bottom of the UK Top 50 with the single "It's Up to You, Petula". The next single "What's Happening?"/ coupled with "Take a Little Time", which was written by the band. They then went on to tour Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Malaysia, and Africa. The single released for the Africa tour was "Reconsider My Belinda". The last single released was "Find Mr Zebedee". The band then called it a day after returning from a tour of Europe. Dave Kerr-Clemenson, after touring with White Plains and Andy Locke, went on to form Fast Buck and recorded an album with Jet Records and toured the world extensively supporting ELO. Eddie Richards was the drummer in The First Class who had a hit with "Beach Baby".[1][3]
In 2001, Les Fradkin, obtaining the trademark to the name Edison Lighthouse, formed a new group for touring and recording.
The lack of further chart activity leaves the group with transatlantic one-hit wonder status.
Edison Lighthouse was named after the Eddystone Lighthouse off the coast of Cornwall.