The Delltones celebrate an incredible 50 years of music with another national tour, writes VAUGHAN MAYBERRY.

Ian "Peewee" Wilson and his beloved Delltones could have faded away into humble retirement with more than 50 years of memories to keep them company forever.

But smoking a pipe and donning tweed jackets doesn’t befit these Australian pop icons – anyway they can still pull a decent crowd to their gigs, and often do.

"It’s pretty hard to understand," Peewee says about The Delltones success from his home on the Sunshine Coast.

"We’ve heard people say the Rolling Stones are the oldest band in the world but I don’t think that’s true."

Peewee Wilson is the only original member of The Delltones still in the group, which makes sense because he’s always been the most recognisable thanks to his lanky appearance and dulcet tones.

He doesn’t remain the only constant in the band though. The music and their look is the same as it was when they shot to stardom as in the late ’50s as a clean-cut surfie pop band from Bronte in Sydney with a love of doo wop harmonies.

As The Delltones they became the Aussie godfathers of boy bands that famously refused to budge from their pre-1964 pop sound – despite the revolution of rock ‘n’ roll – and held onto their R&B music ideals.

"We were in Cairns actually in 1963 or 1964 – can’t remember exactly – when we heard She Loves You by The Beatles for the first time," Peewee says.

"We heard this song and we thought gee we’re in a bit of trouble here because we’re a quartet as well but more like a boy band I suppose.

"They were playing great songs that they wrote and were changing the music landscape.

"But we decided to stay with what we were doing and did have some success during that time."

That success carried on for 44 years with countless hits and world tours.

Their latest umpteenth tour of Cairns will feature Peewee and the lads shamelessly reminiscing, singing a mixture of unplugged numbers and some tunes backed by electric guitar from their two main waves of success in the late ’50s and early ’80s.

It will be a celebration of one of the truly endearing, energetic and ageless pop groups ever produced in Australia.

"It’s such a joy to be able to do this type of music," PeeWee says.

"At the end of the day, most of us just want to earn a living out of music. We’re afraid and deeply anxious about having to get a real job."

Share this article