First class tribute to Larne Freshman Billy

A LARNE musician who once helped his fellow Freshmen blow the platinum-selling Beach Boys off the stage is commemorated on a postage stamp just issued in the Republic.

The late Billy Brown played piano and saxophone with the showband legends, who are featured in the An Post collection along with The Drifters, The Miami and The Royal.

With Derek Dean, Billy fronted The Freshmen, founded in 1962, and travelled the length of Ireland and abroad with the group that became one of the giants of the golden showband era.

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Formed largely of personnel from Larne and Ballymena, other founding Freshmen included Barney McKeown (vocals), Maurice Henry (sax), Torry McGahey (bass), Damien McIlroy (guitar), Sean Mahon (trombone) and Davy McKnight (drums).

Jim Dobbin and wife Frankie, who performed as a cabaret duo, often shared the same stage as the big bands and had a blood tie with The Freshmen as Billy was Jim's cousin. And he is delighted that the band is featured on a stamp.

Read more in this week's Larne Times.

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