Formed in 1962, The Nashville Teens was an evolution of a local Weybridge band called The Cruisers, which included Mick Dunford, John Hawken, Pete Shannon (Harris) and Dave Maine. They were seeking a new vocalist but they over-achieved and managed to attract two lead singers; Arthur Sharp and Ray (Ramon) Phillips. Arthur joined from a band called The Variation Six Skiffle Group and Ray from The Phoenix City Band. Thus was born what is arguably the UKs first “Boy Band” with two lead singers who were good looking as well as good sounding. The new name of the band was derived from the Everly Brothers song “Nashville Blues”.

The band served their “apprenticeship” in The Storyville Clubs of Cologne and Frankfurt in 1963 (where they worked with Terry Crowe on vocals) and in The Star Club in Hamburg. While in Hamburg they famously backed Jerry Lee Lewis on his seminal live recording “Jerry Lee Lewis Live In Hamburg”. They later backed Carl Perkins on his classic hit single “Big Bad Blues”. While in Germany they played alongside other up-and-coming acts like The Spencer Davis Group. The work was hard and the hours long. Performances effectively went on all night, and the boys then drove out to the coast to sleep on the beach all day – where they bonded with many of the other UK musicians who were playing the Hamburg club circuit. The Nashville Teens returned to appear at The Star Club fiftieth anniversary show in Hamburg in 2012.