Band History

Band History

Midnight Riders formed in December of 1990. The three original members were Bobby Silk, Ben Kelly and Ray Pratley.

The forming of these three artists was originally organised by the late Greg Parsons. Both Ben and Bobby were long time friends of Greg's and keen to form a band. Greg and Ray were working as teachers at Kingsgrove school of Music where they formed a friendship that would eventually lead Ray into the meeting of Bobby and Ben.

The original sound was forged in the garage of Bens sister Joanne. Both Ben and Bobby were accomplished musicians but Ray had been away from playing for some years and was a little rusty. Regardless, the three practiced every Friday night until the sound was good enough to perform. The practice paid off and in January 1991 they got there first job. It was at the Iron Duke hotel in Sydney.

The Friday night practice sessions continued for a while until Bobby Silk decided to move on. This left Ben and Ray without a lead singer. Once again Greg helped out and introduced the two to Trevor Norman. After a few practice sessions together it was decided to bring Trevor onboard. March 1991 saw Trevor join as a permanent member.

Trevor not only brought with him a talented voice but also a high level of confidence. Trevor did not believe in sitting in a garage practicing but rather getting out there and being heard. This confidence and Trevor's ability to sell the band lead to there first gig. April 1991 saw Midnight Riders perform at the Budgewoi Soccer Club country music festival. This performance was the birth of Midnight Riders and was the beginning of a musical journey that is still being travelled today.

The next milestone was in early May 1991 when the band was booked to play at the Riverview hotel in Tempe, Sydney. This was a hugely successful performance which allowed the band to break into the Sydney pub circuit.

June 1991 saw the addition of drummer Michael Clarke. Up until this point the trio had consisted of bass, rhythm and lead guitar. Drums added a whole new dimension to the sound. June 1991 also seen of two more important bookings. The Town and Country hotel and the Matraville Hotel. From their first performance the regulars at the Matraville hotel took a liking to the band and this would lead to many bookings over the years to come.

During September 1991 another milestone occurred. The band was booked to play at the Belfield RSL Club. This now allowed the band not only to play the pub circuit but also introduced them to the clubs as well. Unfortunately during this period Michael Clarke decided to leave the band. Once again the band was without a drummer.

At the beginning of October 1991 through a work connection Ray met Dave Hibert. Dave was a drummer who was looking for a country band to join. After an impromptu jam at the Matraville hotel Dave got the job. He was a highly experienced and skilled musician that pushed the band to a musical level significantly higher than it had achieved before. The band now had a powerful sound and stability. This period allowed a strong growth in musical styles. From country to rock & roll all musical tastes were covered. This period saw the introduction of many instrumentals as well. Ray and Dave had really clicked musically and with Dave's powerful drumming Ray's lead guitar work improved immensely.

July 1992 saw a complete change in the band. Ben Kelly called it quits. Ben had been there from the very first note and his leaving shocked the remaining members. By this stage the musical level had increased so much that a replacing Ben was not going to be an easy task. After many auditions Ian Oldfield was chosen as Ben's replacement. Ian was a highly competent musician and a very skilled bass player. Again this led the band to new levels of musical prowess.

The band continued performing and at this point had more bookings than had ever been imagined possible in earlier times. However another line-up change was around the corner. September 1993 saw the leaving of Dave Hibert. Dave's powerful drumming had been a real driving force behind the band's sound and a replacement was not going to be easily found. Luckily the time spent searching for Ben's replacement would not be repeated. Chris Gallaher a long time friend of Trevor's was looking to get back into the industry. He too was highly experienced and slotted straight into the position. Chris brought with him a wealth of experience especially in the field of 50's & 60"s rock and roll. Shadows instrumentals were now introduced as a permanent feature as were 50's & 60"s rock and roll.

In December 1994 Ian Oldfield decided to leave the band. Ben Kelly rejoined the band and stayed until October 1995. At this point Trevor and Ray decided to head the band in a new direction . It was decided that Ben's replacement would be a female. Cathy Sewell was selected and she fitted in perfectly. Cathy came from a strong country background and was highly experienced in both country and rock and roll. Cathy had a stunning voice which added a new dimension to the bands sound. Cathy become a permanent member in October 1995.

Once again the band had a great line up and stability. Many performances followed with this line up the most important of which being the Toowoomba Country Music Festival. This show was different from any previous performance, the festival featured all the big names in Australian country music. This was the first time Midnight Riders had received top billing. Another big achievement during this time was the recording of their first single. "Let The Rail Down Mr Guppy" was the pinnacle of their musical abilities. The lyrics originate from a poem and the music was composed by Trevor and Ray. The recording of this song showed the real musical talent of the band. This song was recorded on a low budget but the interesting part is that the backing track (drums, bass, rhythm and lead guitar) was actually recorded live and was improvised as it was recorded. This really illustrates the tight musical bond between Trevor, Cathy, Chris and Ray. The improvised track was the one used on the final mix. This recording received airplay in Sydney and was entered into the Tamworth Country Music Awards in the heritage song section.

March 1997 saw the arrival of Chicka Daniels. Chicka's arrival took the band up to five members and once again the musical direction changed. Chicka was a highly talented lead singer especially with Australian country music. This added a new flavour to the band by spreading the lead vocals over two performers. Sadly at this point Cathy decided to move on. Ben Kelly rejoined once again in March of 1997.

The band flowed along quite nicely until April 1998 when, as the result of an accident, Ray Pratley decided to leave the band. This departure was felt strongly by the remaining band members. Ray had been there from the beginning and his unique style and sound had become his signature. The band felt it was going to be a very tough job to find a suitable replacement. Rick LLambias joined the band in April 1998 and filled Rays roll as lead guitarist. The band now changed it's musical direction once again. Rick was a very talented acoustic guitarist and his sound soon became the signature of the band.

April 2000 saw the final departure of Ben Kelly. He was replaced by George May a very talented bass player and lead vocalist.

George May has now left Midnight Riders to be replaced once again by Ben Kelly. Rick LLambias has now also left the Midnight Riders. Bob Morton has also now left Midnight Riders.

The line-up today consists of Trevor Norman, Ray Pratley ,Chicka Daniels, Chris Gallaher and Ben Kelly. Midnight Riders continue to perform and hope to record an album with this line up in the future.

In July 2004 Ray Pratley made a guest appearance at the Toukley RSL club. This was Rays first public appearance since leaving the band in April 1998. Ray has now returned as the bands permanent lead guitarist.

Patti McKinnon and Midnight Riders regularly perform together and this collaboration makes for an interesting an highly entertaining show. In mid 2008 Chicka Daniels left Midnight Riders and has been replaced by the highly versatile Jamie Aguis.