Big Tom and The Mainliners
| Company type | Showband |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1966 in Castleblayney, County Monaghan, Ireland |
| Headquarters | Castleblayney , Ireland |
| Products | Country and Irish music performances and recordings |
Big Tom and The Mainliners were a Country and Irish showband originating from Castleblayney in County Monaghan, Ireland.
1966–1975
Initially known as the "Mainliners Showband," the group began gaining popularity across Ireland and Scotland from mid-1965 under the management of John McCormack. Their breakthrough moment came on 21 May 1966 when they appeared on RTÉ Television's Showband Show. Big Tom McBride credited this exposure largely to Tommy Toal, a prominent radio host and pioneer in Irish local broadcasting. Their rendition of Gentle Mother sparked considerable public interest, leading to its recording and eventual peak at number 7 on the Irish charts. Subsequently, adopting the name "Big Tom and the Mainliners," they established themselves as leading figures in country and Irish music, with Big Tom earning the moniker "King of Country Music."
Original line up 1966
- "Big" Tom McBride – lead vocals, saxophone, rhythm guitar
- Seamus McMahon – lead guitar, fiddle, vocals
- Henry McMahon – tenor saxophone, vocals, bandleader, percussion
- John Beattie – keyboards, piano
- Cyril McKevitt – trombone, vocals
- Ronnie Duffy – drums, vocals
- Ginger Morgan – bass guitar, vocals
Irish Top Ten Songs
| Title | Peak position | Chart entry date |
|---|---|---|
| Gentle Mother | 7 | 30 January 1967 |
| Old Log Cabin For Sale | 4 | 21 October 1967 |
| The Sunset Years of Life | 3 | 23 July 1970 |
| Broken Marriage Vows | 1 | 19 February 1972 |
| I Love You Still | 1 | 4 January 1973 |
| Old Love Letters | 1 | 16 May 1974 |
1975–1998
In May 1975, Big Tom McBride departed from the group to establish "Big Tom and the Travellers," which was managed by Top Rank Entertainment under country music promoter Tony Loughman. During his absence, the Mainliners featured several lead singers such as John Glenn, Tom Allen, and Jan Lynch, occasionally performing without a designated frontman. Big Tom returned to the ensemble in 1989, after which they resumed regular recording sessions and live performances until 1998.
1999–2018
As time progressed, the band transitioned towards sporadic 'comeback' concerts but saw an increase in activity during their final four years performing with the original members. In 2004, Dermot McBride—Big Tom’s son—took over bass guitar duties from Ginger Morgan; Peter McCarthy succeeded Ronnie Duffy on drums; and Robert Browne joined as a second keyboardist while also covering Cyril McKevitt’s former trombone role. Both Browne and McCarthy participated in the band's late 2005 tour. That year also saw the release of their successful single The Same Way You Came In.
Following a heart attack suffered by McBride in November 2006 that postponed touring plans, he was medically cleared for a brief Irish tour in February 2008 featuring seven original Mainliners. Cyril McKevitt passed away from a heart attack on 15 September 2009 shortly after completing the summer tour; Martin Campbell replaced him in 2010. From 2014 onward, the band resumed more consistent touring schedules, including eight shows throughout 2015 and 2016.
Big Tom died on 17 April 2018.
Final lineup (2009–2018)
- Big Tom – lead vocals, rhythm guitar
- Seamus McMahon – lead guitar, rhythm guitar, fiddle, vocals
- Henry McMahon – bandleader, tenor sax, vocals, percussion
- John Beattie – keyboards, piano
- Martin Campbell – trombone, vocals
- Ronnie Duffy – drums, vocals
- Ginger Morgan – bass guitar, vocals
- Harry Conlon – organ