Terry Wilkins

In Search of the Starving Wild Dogs  ....


Terry, the dapper bass player in the Starving Wild Dogs joined The Flying Circus around 1970. I browsed the 'net and found a link under Bradley's Bouncers, to Terry Wilkins, and immediately contacted him.

Flying Circus L to R Terry Wilkins, Colin Walker, ?, Red McKelvie, Warren Ward

L to R Colin Walker, Doug Rowe, Jim Wynne, moi and Sam See"This in on the deck of The Arcadia (P&O shipping Lines)
on the day we left Australia for our adventures in Jan. '71
I loved that shirt ... Terry W"

Terry in Canada:- 'Sporting a double bass, Terry has played in various 'swing bands' over the last 40 years. He  was nominated for the Maple Leaf Award last year, he was successful in his field.  Toronto Blues Society Lifetime Achievement Award: Terry Wilkins, Danny Brooks, Michael Fonfara, Alec Fraser, Amos Garrett, Tom Lavin, Big Dave McLean, Ellen McIlwaine, Joe Murphy, Chris Whiteley, Ken Whiteley.

'Upright Bass Terry Wilkins is a Toronto based musician, composer, bandleader, arranger, producer and teacher. A native of Sydney, Australia he arrived in Toronto in 1971 with Aussie pop band, Flying Circus, and since then has worked with many Canadian and international artists from Lighthouse to Big Sugar as well as Rough Trade and David Wilcox. He has also backed many visiting artists such as Dr. John, Eddie Cleanhead Vinson, Maria Muldaur, John Hammond, Levon Helm and Son Seals.

His musical range is wide and varied with an emphasis on roots music especially blues and swing with some interesting adventures in Caribbean styles.

Currently Terry works with Bradley and The Bouncers. He previously worked with Sophia Perlman and The Vipers who released a CD entitled 'Once Smitten'. He wrote, co-produced and arranged tracks on the CD. He has just completed a CD for national treasure Bob Snider. Production credits include Juno nominated Chris Whiteley; Blues Party and Raoul and The Big Time; Big Time Blues (2001)and Cold Outside (2004) as well as The Legendary Miles Johnson featuring Raoul Bhaneja and Graham Guest released in 2006.

He also completed a CD playing bass and producing for Dennis Aubrey, his younger brother who is based in Australia (2007).'

Big Sugar was a Canadian blues-rock band, active from 1991 to 2004. This CD features vocalist and guitarist Gordie Johnson, Terry Wilkins on bass and drummer Al Cross.

Self-titled debut LP (previously the Bourbon Tabernacle Choir and supporting band for Molly Johnson’s jazz performances. Wilkins left the band in 1993 .. click here '

I have a copy of the CD and reviewing it was my pleasure it kicks off  with Molly Johnson crooning "Round Midnight" and closes with Hogey Carmichael's "Stardust". The tracks in between make a mighty tasty sandwich filling indeed.


Monk's "Beshma Swing", an upbeat "Come Back Baby", "Goodbye Train, "Groundhog", "Nowhere to Go", "Just about Sunrise" and some bluesrootsy stuff including: "Devil Got my Woman", "Motherless Children", "Sleep in Late" and "So Many Roads".

Certainly good listening. Terry has kindly consented to my putting up a track or two. What a difficult choice!  .. Lynne

"Devil Got My Woman"

"Motherless Children"

"Goodbye Train"

"Ground Hog Day"

Dave McDermott ... "Hi, My name is David McDermott and I came across your blog whilst doing a search for Terry Wilkins, I went to the same school as Terry in western Sydney and also knew him when he played with Quill in Darlinghurst, cannot for the life of me think of the name of the joint! Is that Phil Jones of the Unknown Blues fame on your page? I have "If I had a Ticket" on my MP3 as well as the Python Lee Jackson song that Rod Stewart sang the lead. Oh what memories. Dave McDermott"

 

Red McKelvie ... "Hi Lynne, we played at the Kings Cross Bar B Que for abt 3 weeks we were 3 pce then Terry Wilkins, Darryl Mckenzie and me we went to 'Adam's Apple'  Joan Whitty's club  cnr Crown and Oxford Sts after Tully left where we become 4 pce when Keith Barr joined us I don't think we ever played in the 'Cross' again as Quill. After Terry left and joined the Flying Circus, Peter Knox joined as bass player I think eventually Darryl and Keith Barr went off to form a band and as far as I know Quill ended then Peter Knox may remember better than me? I joined up with some 'kiwi' mates Claude Papesch, Murray Grindlay plus 'Ace' Follington we called ourselves haha Savage Rose and we played up the Cross at the Electric Circus, Whiskey Au Go Go and the Hawaaiian Eye, Castlereagh St. and the Here disco North Sydney. This was all in 1969 hope that's some help cheers Lynne, Red "

There are many old snaps of Terry on Dave 'Flake' Allen's site 'Burning Studio'  

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