21 Facts About The Hollies

The Hollies are one of the few UK groups of the early 1960s, along with the Rolling Stones, who have never disbanded and continue to record and perform.

In recognition of their achievements, the Hollies were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2010.

The Hollies originated as a duo formed by Allan Clarke and Graham Nash, who were best friends from primary school and began performing together during the skiffle craze of the late 1950s.

In January 1963, the Hollies performed at the Cavern Club in Liverpool, where they were seen by Parlophone assistant producer Ron Richards, who had been involved in producing the first Beatles session.

Not only were the Hollies signed by Richards, who continued to produce the band until 1976 and once more in 1979, but a song from the audition, a cover of the Coasters' 1961 single " Just Like Me", was released as their debut single in May 1963 and hit No 25 on the UK Singles Chart.

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The Hollies became known for doing cover versions, and they followed up with "Just One Look", a song that had already had top 10 success in the US for Soul star Doris Troy.

Finally, the Hollies broke through in North America with an original song that they requested from Manchester's Graham Gouldman.

The Hollies were forced to continue their touring commitments without him, using Tony Mansfield, Dougie Wright and Tony Newman as stand-ins for further live dates, and Wright, Mitch Mitchell and Clem Cattini when they began recording for their next album, Evolution, which was released on 1 June 1967, the same day as the Beatles' Sgt.

Also in 1967, the Hollies participated in the Festival di San Remo with the song Non prego per me, written by Italian songwriter Lucio Battisti and Italian lyricist Mogol.

The Hollies donated a Clarke-Nash song, "Wings", to No One's Gonna Change Our World, a charity album in aid of the World Wildlife Fund, in 1969.

The next album The Hollies Sing The Hollies did not chart in the UK, but did well in the USA—where it reached No 32 after being retitled He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother and including that song—and in Canada.

Especially popular outside the US, always very professional in their continuous concert engagements, the Hollies had album chart successes with compilation albums in 1977 and 1978, which kept them going through the late 1970s.

In 1980, the Hollies returned to the UK charts with the single "Soldier's Song", written and produced by Mike Batt, which was a minor hit in 1980 reaching No 58 in the UK.

The Hollies issued their last Polydor single "Take My Love and Run" in November 1981 but this failed to chart.

The Hollies continued to tour and perform through the 1980s, by this time reaching classic rock status and drawing crowds around the world to see them.

The Hollies were awarded an Ivor Novello Award in 1995 for Outstanding Contribution to British Music.

The Hollies was replaced by Carl Wayne, former lead singer of the Move.

The Hollies charted at No 21 in the UK in 2003 with the compilation album Greatest Hits from EMI in CD format.

The Hollies were inducted into the 'Vocal Group Hall of Fame' in the US in 2006.

In recognition of their achievements, the Hollies were inducted to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2010.

The Hollies were one of the last of the major British Invasion groups to have significant chart success in the United States.