The Staccatos Revival – The boys are back and even better than before as witnessed by their presence on several Social Media Platforms, Radio Talkshows and live TV shows. It has been such a pleasure to work with their Agent, Ebeth Loots, over the last couple of years who brought the boys back from the past and what a success story

SA’s first Super Group

“Come back Silly Girl” entered the charts on 17 December 1965
and reached the number two position on the Springbok Hit Parade.
The song put the Band on the map, as this was also their first
chart topper.

The Staccato’s entered the Springbok Radio hit parade in August
1968 with the Terry Dempsey composition ‘Butchers and Bakers’.
‘B&B’ spent 10 weeks on the chart peaking at number 2.

At the end of 1968 the Staccato’s recorded their biggest hit ‘Cry to
me.’

The song went to #1 and spent 38 weeks on the chart during
1969! No other local or international hit featured on the
Springbok Radio hit parade could ever improve on this
exceptional chart run of 38 weeks. The song’s popularity surged
after The Staccato’s had performed the song live in the
controversial movie ‘Katrina’.

We wonder if anyone knows how many copies of the single were
sold in SA in the late sixties/early seventies? They were the first
Band in SA to receive four Gold Records for ‘Cry to me’, for sales
in excess of 400 000 at the time. The Band also received a Sarie
award in 1970 as “Top Beat Group”. The song also entered the hit
parade in Germany and the UK.

To this day, most radio stations still play this monster hit, and it’s
a crowd favorite at any function

The Show

Does the 1968’s recording of the Staccatos hit “Cry to Me” take
you back in time??

Fifty-two years after ‘Cry to me” was recorded and 21 years after
the band disbanded in 1999, the founder member Brian Le Gassick
and a former lead vocalist Steve Ashley joined forces, and
reformed the band in 2019. ‘The boys are back’ to bring it back to
live!

The STACCATOS will take audiences on a trip down memory lane.
To this day, many South Africans fondly recall the days of happy
Springbok Radio listening, so get ready for the nostalgic show of
all times.

The cast moves with ease between genres taking the audience on
a sentimental journey. The show has it all, powerful vocals,
beautiful melodies, lyrics filled with nostalgia and arrangements
that will give you chills. Famous old songs and new stories will
keep the audience spell bound.

The band features the legendary founder, Brian Le Gassick (Guitar
& Vocals) and the phenomenal Steve Ashley (a former Lead
Vocalist of the Staccatos on vocals again). They are backed by a
four piece supporting band consisting of Connie Bentlage
(Keyboards & Saxophone & Vocals), Mias Lotz (Drums), Trevor
Muller (Bass Guitar), Jaco Smit (Lead Guitarist) and Jo Day
(Backing Vocals).

The show features, among others, hits from Bob Seger,
Brian Adams, The Archie’s, The Beatles, The Animals, The
Monkees, Free, Bee Gees, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Led Zeppelin,
Michael Bolton, Doobie Brothers, Clearwater Revival and
South Africa’s own beat Band the Staccatos.

Set 1: “The Staccatos” (50 Minutes)
• Old Time Rock & Roll
• Come Back Silly Girl
• Summer of 69
• Sugar Sugar
• The Beatles Medley
(I Wanna Hold Your Hand, Hard Day’s Night, & She Loves You)
• House of the Rising Sun
• I’m a Believer
• Spicks and Specks
• All Right Now

Set 2: “The Staccatos” (50 Minutes)
• New York Mining Disaster
• Sweet Home Alabama
• To Love Somebody (Michael Bolton)
• Long Train Running
• Tequila (Sax solo)
• CCR Medley
(Midnight Special & Proud Mary, Bad Moon Rising)
• Butchers and Bakers
• Cry to Me
• Whole Lotta Love

Please Note: This is not a final setlist. It’s subject to changes

About Steve Ashley:

Steve is a World Class Exhibition of pure pitching and vocal power.
He is a phenomenal singer/entertainer and an artist in a class of his
own. With 52 years of live experience, he will entertain any
audience. He is a former lead vocalist for “The Staccatos” (Steve
sang for the band approximately 13 years) and will take to stage
again, as lead vocalist in this exciting production. Currently Steve is
also performing the ‘Tom Jones’ and ‘Timeless’ shows at some of
our Casinos and Theatres on tour.

About Ebeth Loots:

Ebeth has always expressed her passion for music and defined
herself in the Entertainment Industry as Promotor and Artist
Manager. She is the ‘brainchild” behind the Staccatos Comeback
initiative and recently received an incredible compliment from Boet
Pretorius, (a musician, music director, producer and pioneer who did
ground-breaking work in the music industry), that she is one of the
best artist managers he has met. She is the Project Leader and
Manages Steve Ashley and The Staccatos amongst a small elite
group.

History in the making 2020:

• The band was formed in 1961, Disbanded in 1999 and
reformed in 2019

• Since reforming they completed 9 full-house standing
ovation concerts on the Barnyard and Theatre circuits to
date.

• The Staccatos are back in studio recording after 46 years.
(The last recording was “Cinnamon Girl” in 1973).
This historical recording will be launched on the 29th of February 2020 at the Barnyard Emperors Palace.

• Founder Brian Le Gassick will be celebrating his 76th birthday
in February 2020 off which 59 years in the music
industry.

• Lead Vocalist Steve Ashley will by celebrating his 72nd
birthday in August 2020 of which 52 years as entertainer in
the music industry.

• Manager/Project Leader Ebeth Loots will be celebrating her
52nd Birthday on 9 March 2020, also the day on which she
reformed The Staccatos in 1999. Ebeth is a newcomer to the
music industry, and started out as Steve Ashley’s manager in
2015 and made great strides during her short career to date.

Rediscovering Historical Achievements

Rediscovering Music of the 70’s & The SA Charts – Jan 1970
Three Acts enjoyed a presence in the Springbok Chart for 6 consecutives
years, 1965-1970

Springbok Top 20 Charts – 2 Jan 1970

1: The Hollies – He Ain ’t Heavy His My Brother (#1 LM Radio, 4 Jan 1970)

6: The Staccatos – Cry to Me (#1 LM Radio, 2 March 1969 – only charted between Jan – March 69)

19: Tom Jones – Without Love (#11 LM Radio, 11 Jan 1970)

John Sampson (SA Top 20 Charts): “In the round up for 1968, 7 acts had
spent at least 1 week in the chart every year since they started in 1965.
With the first week of 1970, 3 acts extended that run to 6 years running
that they had charted. These artists were The Staccatos, The Hollies and
Tom Jones.”

Chart History (selected)
1965 – I’m Alive/Come Back Silly Girl/It’s Not Unusual
1966 – I Can’t Let Go/Come Back Silly Girl/Green Green Grass of Home
1967 – That’s My Desire/Spick and Specks/Funny Familiar Forgotten
Feelings
1968 – Sorry Suzanne/Butchers and Bakers/Delilah
1969 – He Ain ’t Heavy/Cry to Me/Love Me Tonight
1970 – I Can’t Tell the Bottom from the Top/Cry to me/Without Love