The Four Pennies

This Blackburn, Lancaster beat group comprised Lionel Morton (14 August 1942, Blackburn, Lancashire, England; vocals/rhythm guitar), Fritz Fryer (b. David Roderick Carnie Fryer, 6 December 1944, Oldham, England; lead guitar), Mike Wilsh (b. 21 July 1945, Stoke-on-Trent, England; bass) and Alan Buck (b. 7 April 1943, Brierfield, Lancashire, England; drums). They scored a notable UK number 1 hit in 1964 with ‘Juliet’ - a Morton-penned ballad that was originally the b-side of the less immediate ‘Tell Me Girl’, which had a stark simplicity that enhanced its plaintive qualities. The quartet enjoyed three further Top 20 entries with ‘I Found Out The Hard Way’, ‘Black Girl’ (both 1964) and ‘Until It’s Time For You To Go’ (1965), but were unable to sustain a long career. Fryer, having briefly fronted a new act, Fritz, Mike and Mo, later became a successful record producer, while Morton, who married actress Julia Foster, made frequent appearances in children’s television programmes.