The Bachelors

The Bachelors

Company type	Musical group
Industry	Music
Founded	1957 in Dublin, Ireland
Defunct	1984
Headquarters	Dublin , Ireland
Products	Music recordings, live performances

The Bachelors were a well-known musical ensemble originating from Dublin, Ireland, with their main operations centered in the United Kingdom. They gained widespread recognition internationally during the 1960s, securing eight singles within the UK top ten charts between 1963 and 1966. The group ultimately dissolved in 1984.

Career

The original lineup consisted of Conleth (Con) Cluskey (1935–2022), his sibling Declan (Dec) Cluskey (born 1941), and their companion John Stokes (born 1936). Their initial formation in 1957 was under the name "The Harmonichords," focusing on harmonica-driven instrumentals.

Performing as The Harmonichords, they appeared on Hughie Green's Opportunity Knocks broadcast on Radio Luxembourg, as well as on the St. Patrick's Day special of The Ed Sullivan Show aired in 1959, where they delivered a rendition of "Danny Boy". Additionally, they took part in a 25-week radio comedy series titled Odd Noises on Radio Éireann. In 1960, Dick Rowe, an A&R representative for Decca Records, proposed renaming the group to The Bachelors to better connect with their predominantly female fanbase.

During the 1960s, The Bachelors enjoyed chart success across Europe, Australia, South Africa, South America, the United States, and the USSR. Their notable singles included "Charmaine" (1963), and "Diane," which reached No. 1 in the UK—the first Irish group to achieve this feat; 1964 saw hits such as "I Believe," "Ramona," and "I Wouldn't Trade You for the World," which climbed to No. 2 in the UK; while in 1965 they released "Marie" and "In the Chapel in the Moonlight." Their song "The Stars Will Remember" was recognized as the most frequently played jukebox selection that year. Their last significant UK chart entry was a cover of Paul Simon's "The Sound of Silence", peaking at No. 3 in April 1966. Between 1963 and 1966, they amassed eight UK top-ten singles and also achieved eight Irish top-ten hits from 1962 to 1966.

Following their 1968 album World of the Bachelors, which reached the UK top ten, their visibility waned amid shifts within the music industry. They signed with Philips Records alongside other easy listening acts like Val Doonican and The New Seekers. The original trio continued performing theatre shows and cabaret acts until a disputed separation in 1984 when the Cluskey brothers expelled Stokes from their business venture "Bachelors Ltd" and removed him from the band. Legal proceedings confirmed that all three members held ownership rights to the name "Bachelors."

After parting ways, the Cluskey brothers performed under "The New Bachelors" before transitioning to a duo known as "The Cluskey Brothers." Meanwhile, Stokes adopted variations such as "Stokes & Coe" and also used "The New Bachelors." The brothers maintained cabaret performances with Peter Phipps until 1993.

In 2008, Universal Records issued I Believe – The Very Best of The Bachelors, a compilation album combining their classic tracks from the 1960s with two new recordings by Con and Dec Cluskey. This release reached number seven on the UK charts.

Con and Dec Cluskey continued live performances until touring was halted due to COVID-19 restrictions in 2020. Con Cluskey passed away in April 2022 at age 86; he had lived in Elland, West Yorkshire since 1970. Dec Cluskey remains active as a solo artist. In late 2022, John Stokes' iteration of The Bachelors conducted a farewell tour.

Film and television

During the 1960s, The Bachelors made television appearances and took part in two Royal Variety Performances. In 1963, they played leading roles in It's All Over Town, alongside Frankie Vaughan and The Springfields. The next year, they featured on Sunday Night at the London Palladium, hosted by Bruce Forsyth, attracting the highest audience figures the show had seen.

The group also appeared in films such as the 1964 production Just for You (known as Disk-o-Tek Holiday in the United States), which included DJ Sam Costa, and in 1965’s I've Gotta Horse starring Billy Fury. In 1971, The Bachelors led the cast of the BBC One sitcom Under and Over, portraying Irish laborers working on the London Underground, with a total of six episodes aired.

At the start of 1970, they performed "Charmaine" and "Diane" live on BBC1’s music program Pop Go The Sixties, broadcast on January 1st.

In December 2016, Con and Dec featured in Channel 4’s documentary Skeg Vegas, which followed entertainment agent Noel Gee. Later, in August 2017, Dec participated as a contestant on Channel 4’s culinary competition show Come Dine With Me.

Songs

The Bachelors’ rendition of "Charmaine" showcased a descending melody accompanied by country-style guitar and piano, produced by Shel Talmy, famed for his work with The Kinks. Their 1964 single "Diane," arranged in a comparable style but produced by Michael Barclay, became their most successful international release, topping the UK Singles Chart and entering the top ten in the United States.

Four of their popular tracks—"Charmaine," "Ramona," "Marie," and "Diane"—were originally from films of the 1920s. It is notable that Jim Reeves recorded versions of the first three songs during the 1950s.

Con Cluskey

Conleth "Con" Joseph Cluskey (18 November 1935 – 8 April 2022) was born in Inchicore, Dublin, Ireland, into a family where his father worked as a railway fitter. He pursued mechanical engineering studies at Bolton Street College of Technology (presently Dublin Institute of Technology) and later worked professionally as a heating engineer.

In 1961, Cluskey married Kay but kept their union confidential to preserve the trio’s image as bachelors. By 1970, they had taken residence in a house dating back to the 15th century located in Elland. He was actively involved with his local Catholic parish and Rotary club but encountered health challenges in his later years.

Cluskey passed away on 8 April 2022 at age 86 due to complications related to Coronavirus at Calderdale Royal Hospital. His wife Kay had died earlier in October 2017. He is survived by four children and three grandchildren. His funeral reception was held in Huddersfield on 3 May.

Other sources

• Sean Helferty and Raymond Refausse. Directory of Irish Archives. Dublin: Irish Academic Press, 1995.

External links

• Con & Dec – The Bachelors Official UK website
• The Bachelors featuring John Stokes Official UK website
• John Stokes – The Truth Con & Dec's perspective on the group's split
• YouTube: Original members performing 'Chapel in the Moonlight'
• 'Diane/I Believe' Clip from 'This Morning' July 2008 featuring Con and Dec
• Complete history from 1962 to 1984 including UK/USA discography