Bill and Boyd

{{Short description|Pop music duo consisting of William Cate and William Robertson}} {{Use dmy dates|date=March 2014}} {{Use New Zealand English|date=March 2014}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Bill and Boyd | image = | image_size = | landscape =  | alt = | caption = | alias = | origin = Wellington, North Island, New Zealand | genre = Pop | years_active = {{start date|1959}}–{{end date|1989}} | label = Stetson, Peak, Philips, Sunshine, Fable, EMI M7 | associated_acts = | website =  | past_members = * William "Bill" Cate * William "Boyd" Robertson }}

'''Bill and Boyd''' were a pop music duo from 1959 to 1989 consisting of William "Bill" Cate (10 October 1940 - 29 November 2020) and William "Boyd" Robertson (born 1941), both on lead vocals and lead guitar, which started recording in 1960. They began their careers in Wellington, New Zealand before relocating to Sydney by 1964. In 1968 they toured United States supporting The Supremes and Herb Alpert.

Bill and Boyd's highest-charting single, "Santa Never Made It into Darwin", peaked at No. 2 on the Australian Kent Music Report Singles Chart in early 1975. It was a charity single in support of rebuilding Darwin after its devastation by Cyclone Tracy on the previous Christmas Eve – Christmas Day. At the Country Music Awards of Australia of 1976 "Santa Never Made It into Darwin" won the APRA Song of the Year for the duo and Cate its writer. Their self-titled album from 1975 reached No. 1 on the New Zealand Albums Chart, while "Put Another Log on the Fire" reached No. 5 on the related New Zealand Singles Chart and No. 23 in Australia. The duo continued together until 1989. Cate formed a self-titled trio.

== History == William "Bill" Cate (1940–2020) and William "Boyd" Robertson (born 1941) both attended Naenae College, a secondary school in Lower Hutt, in the mid-1950s.<ref name="Full names"/><ref name="Sergent"/><ref name="Bourke"/> They started practising pop music in Robertson's bedroom and recorded a home version of "Angel" in about 1956.<ref name="Full names"/> They formed a duo, Bill and Boyd, with both on lead vocals and lead guitar.<ref name="Sergent"/><ref name="Bourke"/> They began public performances at local halls including a residency at Lower Hutt's Town Hall.<ref name="Bourke"/> Their early repertoire was cover versions of overseas artists, especially The Everly Brothers and Elvis Presley.<ref name="Sergent"/><ref name="Bourke"/> In 1959 they supported local rock and roller, Johnny Devlin, in Wellington.<ref name="Bourke"/>

By 1960 they had signed with Peak Records label, and issued five singles over the following year including "Fall in Love with You" and their cover of "Corrina, Corrina".<ref name="Sergent"/><ref name="Bourke"/> Late in 1961 they switched labels to Philips Records and two years later relocated to Auckland.<ref name="Sergent"/> During 1963 they toured with Peter Posa, Max Merritt and Dinah Lee.<ref name="Sergent"/> By 1964 they had relocated to Sydney with the release of their single, "Chulu Chululu", receiving attention in Australia.<ref name="Sergent"/> The track was co-written by Cate and Robertson.<ref name="APRA Chulu"/> In the early sixties they had three hit singles on the Lever Hit Parade, the biggest, a cover of the Everly Brothers hit "Cathy's Clown" which went to number one in 1960.

Through the late 1960s they released further singles, extended plays and albums, gained popularity, toured the club circuit and regularly appeared on national TV shows, ''Bandstand'' and ''Six O'Clock Rock''.<ref name="Sergent"/><ref name="Bourke"/> During February 1966 they supported an Australian tour by folk-pop group, The Seekers.<ref name="Raffaele"/> ''The Canberra Times''{{'}} Garry Raffaele caught their performance in Canberra and felt the duo were "more suited to night-club work although they were very well received by last night's audience. Their boy-next-door image even allowed Boyd to get away with a couple of slightly queer jokes".<ref name="Raffaele"/> In September 1967 Bill and Boyd's version of the ''Fiddler on the Roof'' track "If I Were a Rich Man" was issued on Sunshine Records and peaked at No. 24 on the ''Go-Set'' National Top 40.<ref name="Go-Set Charts"/> In 1968 they toured United States supporting The Supremes and Herb Alpert.<ref name="Sergent"/><ref name="NLA March 1968"/> That same year they were featured regulars on ''A Guy Called Athol''.<ref>{{Citation | last= | first= | title= A Seeker finds a new show | url= | periodical= The Sydney Morning Herald | date= 26 August 1968}}</ref>

By 1970 they had signed with independent label, Fable Records, which released Bill and Boyd's version of "It's a Small World".<ref name="Sergent"/><ref name="Kimball"/> On Christmas Eve and Christmas Day 1974 Cyclone Tracy devastated the Northern Territory capital, Darwin. Cate wrote "Santa Never Made It into Darwin",<ref name="APRA Santa"/> which was released as a charity single in January the following year by Bill and Boyd to support the city's rebuilding.<ref name="Sergent"/> It peaked at No. 2 on the Australian Kent Music Report Singles Chart.<ref name="Kent"/> and sold 50,000 copies in eight weeks.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/70s/1975/CB-1975-03-29.pdf|magazine=Cash Box|title=International News|via=World Radio History|page=48|date=11 March 1978|access-date=15 November 2021}}</ref> At the Country Music Awards of Australia of 1976 "Santa Never Made It into Darwin" won APRA Song of the Year for the duo and Cate its writer.<ref name="CMAA 1976"/>

A follow-up single, "Put Another Log on the Fire", was a cover version of Tompall Glaser's hit from the same year. Bill and Boyd's version reached No. 5 on the New Zealand Singles Chart,<ref name="NZL Charts"/> and No. 23 in Australia.<ref name="Kent"/><ref name="Sergent"/> The duo's self-titled album was issued in December 1975 and peaked at No. 1 on the New Zealand Albums Chart.<ref name="NZL Charts"/>

In June 1976 visiting US artist, Glen Campbell, hosted ''Down Home, Down Under'' on Nine Network with guests including the duo alongside Olivia Newton-John, John Meillon and Sherbet.<ref name="Down Home"/> Bill and Boyd continued performing on the club circuit until 1989.<ref name="Bourke"/> In 2003 Bruce Ward curated a CD compilation album, ''The Very Best of Bill and Boyd'' which was issued by EMI Music New Zealand.<ref name="Ward"/>

== Discography == ===Albums=== {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" |- !rowspan="2"| Title !rowspan="2"| Album details !colspan="2"| Peak chart positions |- !style="width:3em;font-size:75%"|NZL<ref name="NZL Charts"/> !style="width:3em;font-size:75%"|AUS<ref name=aus>{{cite book|last=Kent|first=David|authorlink=David Kent (historian)|title=Australian Chart Book 1970–1992|edition=illustrated|publisher=Australian Chart Book|location=St Ives, N.S.W.|year=1993|isbn=0-646-11917-6|page=18}}</ref> |- ! scope="row"|''Swingin' Together '' | *Released: 1962 *Label: Philips Records (P 08756) | - | - |- ! scope="row"|''Songs for a Cloudy Summer Afternoon'' | *Released: 1964 *Label: Philips Records (P 08759) | - | - |- ! scope="row"|''Interfusion Talent Plus'' | *Released: 1967 *Label: Sunshine Records (SQL-932604) | - | - |- ! scope="row"|''Bill and Boyd'' | *Released: March 1975 *Label: Fable Records (FBSA-049) | 1 | 83 |- ! scope="row"|''Companions'' | *Released: 1979 *Label: Elektra (600041) | - | - |}

===Compilation albums=== {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" |- !rowspan="2"| Title !rowspan="2"| Album details !| Peak chart positions !rowspan="2"| Certification |- !style="width:3em;font-size:75%"|AUS<ref name=aus/> |- ! scope="row"|''Dreamin': 18 All Time Greats'' | *Released: March 1982 *Label: J & B Records (JB101) | 41 | * AUS: Gold<ref name="Aus Certs 1982">{{cite web|url=https://i.imgur.com/aNf84lX.jpg|title=Kent Music Report No 453 – 28 February 1983 > Platinum Albums 1982 (Continued)|via=Imgur.com|access-date=26 December 2022}}</ref> |- ! scope="row"|''The Very Best of Bill and Boyd'' | *Released: 2003 *Label: EMI Music (5830442) | - | |}

=== Extended plays === {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" |- !rowspan="2"| Title !rowspan="2"| EP details !| Peak chart positions |- !style="width:3em;font-size:75%"|AUS |- ! scope="row"|''Chulu Chululu'' | *Released: 1964 *Label: Philips (PE25) | |- ! scope="row"|''If I Were a Rich Man'' | *Released: 1967 *Label: Sunshine Records (QX-11,325) | |}

=== Charting singles === {| class="wikitable" |- ! rowspan="2"| Year ! rowspan="2"| Single ! colspan="2" |Chart positions ! rowspan="2"| Certification |- ! {{small|AUS<ref name="Go-Set Charts"/> ! {{small|NZ<ref name="NZL Charts"/> |- |1960 ||"Cathy's Clown" | style="text-align:center;"| | style="text-align:center;"|1 | |- |1961 ||"Surrender My Love" | style="text-align:center;"| | style="text-align:center;"|7 | |- |1962 ||"Double Trouble" | style="text-align:center;"| | style="text-align:center;"|8 | |- |1967 |"If I Were a Rich Man" | style="text-align:center;"|24 | style="text-align:center;"| | |- |1970 |"It's a Small World" | style="text-align:center;"|51 | style="text-align:center;"| | |- |rowspan="3"|1975 |"Santa Never Made It into Darwin" | style="text-align:center;"|2 | style="text-align:center;"| | * AUS: Gold<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/70s/1975/CB-1975-06-07.pdf|title=Fifteen Years Search Yield Aussie Gold |magazine=Cash Box|via=World Radio History|page=63|date=7 June 1975|access-date=15 November 2021}}</ref> |- |"Union Silver" | style="text-align:center;"|98 | style="text-align:center;"| | |- |"Put Another Log on the Fire" | style="text-align:center;"|23 | style="text-align:center;"|5 | |- |1976 |"Questions" | style="text-align:center;"|84 | style="text-align:center;"| | |}

==Awards== ===Australian Record Awards=== {{awards table}} |- | 1975<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/70s/1975/CB-1975-11-29.pdf|magazine=Billboard|via=World Radio History|title=Cashbox Magazine|page=54|date=29 November 1975|access-date=12 November 2021}}</ref> | "Santa Never Made It into Darwin" | Song of the Year | {{won}} |}

===Country Music Awards of Australia=== The Country Music Awards of Australia (CMAA) (also known as the Golden Guitar Awards) is an annual awards night held in January during the Tamworth Country Music Festival, celebrating recording excellence in the Australian country music industry. They have been held annually since 1973.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.country.com.au/awards/past-award-winners|title=Past Award Winners|accessdate=2 November 2020|archive-date=25 October 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201025171148/https://country.com.au/awards/past-award-winners|url-status=dead}}</ref> {{awards table}} |- | 1976 | "Santa Never Made It into Darwin" | APRA Song of the Year | {{won}} {{end}}

===Mo Awards=== The Australian Entertainment Mo Awards (commonly known informally as the Mo Awards), were annual Australian entertainment industry awards. They recognise achievements in live entertainment in Australia from 1975 to 2016. Bill and Boyd won 9 awards in that time.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.moawards.com.au/awardwinners|title=MO Award Winners|website=Mo Awards|access-date=14 March 2022|archive-date=7 March 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220307064432/https://www.moawards.com.au/awardwinners|url-status=dead}}</ref> {{awards table}} (wins only) |- | 1975 | Bill and Boyd | Vocal Duo of the Year | {{won}} |- | 1976 | Bill and Boyd | Vocal Duo of the Year | {{won}} |- | 1977 | Bill and Boyd | Vocal Duo of the Year | {{won}} |- | 1980 | Bill and Boyd | Vocal Duo of the Year | {{won}} |- | 1981 | Bill and Boyd | Vocal Duo of the Year | {{won}} |- | 1982 | Bill and Boyd | Vocal Duo of the Year | {{won}} |- | 1983 | Bill and Boyd | Vocal Duo of the Year | {{won}} |- | 1984 | Bill and Boyd | Vocal Duo of the Year | {{won}} |- | 1991 | Bill and Boyd | 1&2 Man Band of the Year | {{won}} |-

== References == {{Reflist|refs= <ref name="Full names">{{cite web | url = http://natlib.govt.nz/records/23134845?search%5bpath%5d=items&search%5btext%5d=%22Bill+and+Boyd%22 | title = [Bill and Boyd]: ['Angel'] | publisher = National Library of New Zealand | accessdate = 29 March 2014 | quote = First recording made by Bill & Boyd. It was made from a tape they recorded on an old Phillips machine in Boyd's bedroom in Naenae in the mid 1950s}}</ref>

<ref name="Sergent">{{cite web | url = http://www.sergent.com.au/music/billboyd.html | title = Bill and Boyd | last = Sergent | first = Bruce | work = New Zealand Music of the 60's, 70's and a bit of 80's | publisher = Bruce Sergent | accessdate = 29 March 2014 }}</ref>

<ref name="Bourke">{{cite web | url = http://www.audioculture.co.nz/people/bill-boyd | title = Bill & Boyd – Person | last = Bourke | first = Chris | work = Audio Culture: The noisy library of New Zealand music | publisher = Digital Media Trust (Simon Grigg, Murray Cammick, Steven Shaw) | date = 27 November 2013 | accessdate = 29 March 2014 }}</ref>

<ref name="APRA Chulu">{{cite web | publisher = Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) | title = 'Chulu Chululu' at APRA search engine | url = http://www.apra-amcos.com.au/worksearch.axd?q=Chulu%20Chululu | accessdate = 29 March 2014 }} Note: User may have to click 'Search again' and provide details at 'Enter a title:' e.g Chulu Chululu; or at 'Performer:' Bill and Boyd</ref>

<ref name="Raffaele">{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article105887210 |title=Seekers' night |last=Raffaele |first=Garry |newspaper=The Canberra Times |date=16 February 1966 |accessdate=29 March 2014 |page=21 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref>

<ref name="Go-Set Charts">{{cite web | url = http://www.poparchives.com.au/gosetcharts/1967/19670906.html | last1 = Nimmervoll | first1 = Ed | authorlink1 = Ed Nimmervoll | work = Go-Set | title = National Top 40 | publisher = Waverley Press | date = 6 September 1967 | accessdate = 29 March 2014 }}</ref>

<ref name="NLA March 1968">{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article107042879 |title=Two who enjoy their success |newspaper=The Canberra Times |date=21 March 1968 |accessdate=29 March 2014 |page=9 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref>

<ref name="APRA Santa">{{cite web | publisher = Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) | title = 'Santa Never Made It into Darwin' at APRA search engine | url = http://www.apra-amcos.com.au/worksearch.axd?q=Santa%20Never%20Made%20It%20into%20Darwin | accessdate = 29 March 2014 }} Note: User may have to click 'Search again' and provide details at 'Enter a title:' e.g Santa Never Made It into Darwin; or at 'Performer:' Bill and Boyd</ref>

<ref name="CMAA 1976">{{cite web | url = http://country.com.au/golden-guitars/award-winners/1970s/ | title = 1970's :: Country Music Australia | publisher = Country Music Association of Australia | accessdate = 29 March 2014 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140125225429/http://country.com.au/golden-guitars/award-winners/1970s/ | archive-date = 25 January 2014 | url-status = dead }}</ref>

<ref name="NZL Charts">{{cite web | url = https://charts.nz/showinterpret.asp?interpret=Bill+%26+Boyd | title = Discography Bill & Boyd | publisher = New Zealand Charts Portal. Hung Medien (Steffen Hung) | last = Hung | first = Steffen | accessdate = 29 March 2014 }}</ref>

<ref name="Kent">{{Cite book | title = Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 | last1 = Kent | first1 = David | authorlink1 = David Kent (historian) | publisher = Australian Chart Book Ltd | location = St Ives, NSW | year = 1993 | isbn = 0-646-11917-6 }} Note: Used for Australian Singles and Albums charting from 1974 until Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) created their own charts in mid-1988. In 1992, Kent back calculated chart positions for 1970–1974.</ref>

<ref name="Kimball"> * Philips Records: {{cite web | archiveurl = https://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20080306130200/http://pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/35967/20080307-0002/www.milesago.com/industry/philips.html | url = http://www.milesago.com/industry/philips.html | title = Record Labels – Philips Records (Australia) | last1 = Kimball | first1 = Duncan | publisher = Milesago: Australasian Music and Popular Culture 1964–1975. Ice Productions | archivedate = 7 March 2008 | year = 2002 | accessdate = 29 March 2014 }}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} * Sunshine Records: {{cite web | archiveurl = https://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20080306130200/http://pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/35967/20080307-0002/www.milesago.com/industry/sunshine-2.html | url = http://www.milesago.com/industry/sunshine-2.html | title = Record Labels – Sunshine Records | last1 = Kimball | first1 = Duncan | publisher = Milesago: Australasian Music and Popular Culture 1964–1975. Ice Productions | archivedate = 7 March 2008 | year = 2002 | accessdate = 29 March 2014 }}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} * Fable Records: {{cite web | archiveurl = https://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20080306130200/http://pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/35967/20080307-0002/www.milesago.com/industry/fable.html | url = http://www.milesago.com/industry/fable.html | title = Record Labels – Fable Records | last1 = Kimball | first1 = Duncan | publisher = Milesago: Australasian Music and Popular Culture 1964–1975. Ice Productions | archivedate = 7 March 2008 | year = 2002 | accessdate = 29 March 2014 }}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} </ref>

<ref name="Down Home">{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article46458566 |title=Glen Campbell: Getting down to it down under |last=Eisenhuth |first=Susie |newspaper=The Australian Women's Weekly |date=2 June 1976 |accessdate=29 March 2014 |pages=24–25 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref>

<ref name="Ward">{{Citation | author1=Bill & Boyd | author2=Ward, Bruce | title=The very best of Bill & Boyd | publication-date=2003 | publisher=EMI Music New Zealand. National Library of Australia | url=http://trove.nla.gov.au/work/28114147 | accessdate=29 March 2014 | quote = Notes: Originally recorded and released by Stetson Records, and Stebbing Studios between 1961 and 1978}}</ref> }}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bill and Boyd}} Category:20th-century Australian male singers Category:Australian musical duos Category:Australian guitarists Category:Australian male guitarists Category:20th-century New Zealand male singers Category:New Zealand guitarists Category:New Zealand emigrants to Australia Category:Musical groups established in 1959 Category:Musical groups disestablished in 1989 Category:New Zealand musical duos Category:People educated at Naenae College Category:EMI Records artists Category:Philips Records artists Category:New Zealand male guitarists Category:1959 establishments in New Zealand Category:1989 disestablishments in New Zealand