The LeGarde Twins
The LeGarde Twins | |
|---|---|
| Born | March 15, 1931 Mackay, Queensland, Australia |
| Died | August 1, 2018 (aged 87) (Ted LeGarde) |
| Occupation(s) | Country music duo, singers, guitarists |
| Years active | 1950s–early 2000s |
| Known for | Australian country music duo, yodeling stockmen, television appearances including Star Trek: The Original Series |
The LeGarde Twins were an Australian country music duo consisting of identical twins Tom and Ted LeGarde, born on 15 March 1931 in Mackay, Queensland.[1][2]Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name Ted LeGarde passed away on 1 August 2018 at the age of 87,[3] while Tom LeGarde died on 30 July 2021, aged 90.[1]
Career
At the age of 15, the twins left their family home and initially pursued a career in rodeo before shifting their focus to music, both singing and playing guitar. They toured throughout Australia under the moniker "Australia's Yodeling Stockmen." Between 1950 and 1952, they were signed to the Rodeo label and subsequently released several successful singles during the 1950s through Regal Zonophone Records. In 1957, they relocated to North America, first moving to Canada—where they credited Canadian country artist Wilf Carter as a key inspiration—and were reportedly involved with a television program on Canadian network CTV. Shortly thereafter, they moved to Hollywood, where they appeared on Doye O'Dell's Western Varieties television series, hosted a show on Los Angeles’ KTLA station, and eventually established themselves in Nashville.
Throughout the 1970s, amid a resurgence of interest in traditional western movie soundtracks, they toured extensively across the United States. Their recording contracts included American Heritage Records in 1972 and Australia's Festival Records in 1980.
In later years, the twins founded the LeGarde Twins Country Music Theatre located in Twitty City, Hendersonville, Tennessee. After Conway Twitty’s passing, this venue was relocated to the Quality Inn Hall of Fame Hotel in Nashville. Remaining active into the early 2000s, their performances included appearances at Nashville Palace (2007), Williamsburg Film Festival (2008), a festival held in Franklin, North Carolina (2008), and a show alongside Tommy Cash in Corydon, Indiana (2009).
Film and television appearances
On 10 February 1958, The LeGarde Twins featured on the radio and television game show You Bet Your Life hosted by Groucho Marx. They earned $200 by correctly responding to a consolation question after saying the secret word "People." This episode was later included on an album compiling original broadcasts.
Ted and Tom regularly appeared on the TV series Network in 1963. In 1967, they guest-starred in the Star Trek: The Original Series episode titled "I, Mudd". Additionally, during the 1968–69 season of Laugh-In, they performed as the circus act "Brothers LeGarde" in episodes 13 and 14. In 2009, Ted portrayed "Old Man Dalton" in the action-thriller film D4, directed by Darrin Dickerson.
Singles
- "I Can Almost Touch The Feeling" was their highest-charting single on the Billboard Top 100 (Four Star Records, 1979)
- "In The Jail House Now" / "As Long As I Live" (Regal Zonophone G25401)
- "Daddy's Makin' Records in Nashville / Grady Family Band" (Invitation 101)
- "Roll, Rock 'n' Roll That Hula Hoop / HiDi" featuring Earl Palmer & The Hoopers (Belcanto 45-BC-725, October 1958)
- "Baby Sitter / Where Can The Lovelight Be" (Liberty F-55266, November 1960)
- "A Donut and A Dream / Striped Circles" (American Heritage Music AH-401-39, April 1972)
Albums
- Brand New
- Songs of the West
- Ballads of the Bushlands
- One Little Letter
- Down Under Country (1981, Festival)
External links
- Official website of the LeGarde Twins
- (Ted)
- (Tom)