75. Cliff Richard & the Shadows

Trying to decipher the career of Cliff Richard & the Shadows takes a historian on two separate paths. Originally called the Drifters, the name evolved into Cliff Richard & the Shadows to capitalize on the good looks of the lead singer. As Richard’s popularity in the U.K. skyrocketed, the “British Elvis” was not alone in achieving fame. The Shadows achieved acclaim for their skills as well. The band became the first true British group to dominate the charts in their own country and it is no stretch to say that they were England’s first real Rock Stars. Cliff Richard would make his own albums simultaneously to that of the Shadows but the latter continued to back up Richard on tour. The combined work (and this could be the only case on this list where we feel compelled to do so) of Cliff Richard & The Shadows has reached legendary status in Britain and as the first cog of the British Invasion, their place in music history is undeniable. The biggest knock on them is their lack of American success where they are a footnote to history rather than history themselves.

www.cliffrichard.org

www.theshadowsofficial.com