The Montanas were a 1960s and 1970s rock and roll band, from Wolverhampton, England. Though they never found significant success in their home country, they had one minor hit in the United States.
The group formed in 1964 and became known for their live shows. Their manager, Roger Allen, got them signed to Pye Records, and some of their early releases for Pye were written by Tony Hatch and Jackie Trent. In 1966 Terry Rowley joined the group on keyboards, and also worked with the group on composition and arranging.
Their several radio hits in England made little impact on the charts, but "You've Got to Be Loved" reached #58 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 in 1968,[1] followed by "Run to Me" making it to #121 on the Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles charts. Their lineup changed considerably in 1967 and again in 1968, and they continued releasing singles, often written by outside writers, that were more radio-friendly than their live sound. In 1969, the group left the Pye label, and Rowley and vocalist John Jones quit, wanting to perform more original material.[2] The group continued to perform throughout most of the 1970s, though mixing comedy with the music in their performances, and finally broke up in 1978. Bassist Ian Lees later found success as a comedian, and Jake Elcock pursued a career in A&R.
In 1997, Sequel Records issued a 26-track compilation CD, "You've Got To Be Loved (Singles A's & B's)," including ten tracks newly mixed from original multi-tracks.
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The Montanas history at Brumbeat.net, draws on interview with Jake Elcock