Rey Anton

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Len Hirons – Vocals, Harmonica

(Singing and recording in the name of Rey Anton)

Rey started his career at an early age singing in local pubs. However his first professional booking was in a west-end club in a show called "Garland for Judy". He then spent another year gaining experience working in West End clubs as a solo artist.

Feeling he needed far more experience of pop music, he accepted a three year contract with the Mecca Organisation working with 17-piece bands.

In the 60s he recorded for Oriole Records. This contract continued for two years; his most memorable records during this period were an American blues number called "Mr. Peppermint Man" and a Hank Williams song "Hey Good Looking".

After this he recorded for Fast Records in Belgium and Ember Records in Italy singing in Italian (not to be missed!).

Rey toured with Del Shannon, The Springfields, Kenny Lynch, Eden Kane and many more as a solo artist.

Whilst all this was going on, Rey was invited to Belgium to appear in their North Sea Festival (the equivalent of our Royal Variety Show. There were many top continental artists on the bill, the best known to the British public was Sasha Distell. There were other English acts which included Petula Clark, The Springfields and Rey himself.

He then formed his own blues band, appropriately called at that time "Rey Anton and the Peppermint Men" touring extensively in a beat up old 15 hwt van. They appeared on many shows with artists such as Rolling Stones, Ike and Tina Turner, Otis Reading, The Everley Brothers, The Who, Small Faces, Swinging Blue Jeans and many more.

He then started to produce his own records released through EMI on the Parlaphone label. The most successful record in England was a Bo Didley song "Cant Judge a Book by the Cover". He also had a hit on the ABC Paramount Label in America with his own composition, a rhythm and blues number called "Wishbone". This did extremely well, making the USA southern charts.

Rey appeared on several live radio shows and TV including Top of the Pops, Thank Your Lucky Stars, and was on the panel of Juke Box Jury hosted by Pete Murray.

He was also involved in some TV work (appearing in several sit coms) with his band "The Peppermint Men", and he worked in films including Secrets of a Windmill Girl, which was the first film to be shown at the Windmill Theatre in Piccadilly. He also appeared on the backing track of Saturday Night, Sunday Morning which starred Albert Finney with Johnny Dankworth (whose pianist at that time was Dudley Moore).

However this very hectic lifestyle did take its toll and Rey decided enough was enough until slide-guitar playing son Andrew approached him 20 years later to get a few numbers together for a friend's birthday party.

Little did he know what he had started!

Now he is back where he started, singing in pubs and loving every minute of it!