Coast to Coast (band)


Coast to Coast was a British band from Wellingborough, Northamptonshire, that was signed to Polydor Records. They are best known for their 1981 Top 5 hit in the UK with " The Hucklebuck".

Career

The band were formed in 1977 by bassist Bud Smith and guitarist Bob Debank, who recruited Alan Mills as lead vocalist, Graham Woofe on drums and, later, saxophonist Sonnie Torlot. Earl Barton replaced Woofe at a later date.
The band's best-known single, a cover version of the rock and roll classic " The Hucklebuck", was recorded in 1980 and reached number 5 in the UK Singles Chart the next year. However, tensions surfaced between band members and Mills left before the song became successful, to be replaced by Sandy Fontaine. Although the British Hit Singles & Albums book cites Fontaine as the singer for the single, it was actually Mills' vocal that appeared, with Fontaine's vocal dubbed onto the album version.
The follow-up release, a cover version of "Let's Jump the Broomstick", peaked at number 28 in June 1981.
The group disbanded in 1982. Smith and Torlot retain the performing rights to the band name and several line-ups have since been attempted with new members for live performances, but with little commercial success. The single " The Hucklebuck" has been made available on a number of various artist compilation CDs, to date: however, follow-up hit single "Let's Jump the Broomstick" and parent album "Coastin'" have yet to be made available on CD.
Lead singer Alan Mills died on 21 July 2016, whilst replacement lead singer Sandy Fontaine died on 2 October 2015.

Band members

Albums

YearTitleUKGERAUSLabel
1978Coast to Coast EP---Yorkie
1979 The Hucklebuck---Yorkie
1980 The Hucklebuck53770Polydor
1981Let's Jump the Broomstick28--Polydor
1981Coastin' / Born to Rock & Roll76--Polydor
1981Baby, Why Let Go?---Polydor
1982Dance On / Coastin`---Metronome