Tony’s biography

Tony Cater

Visit Tony’s gallery here.

I first started playing guitar as a boy, playing skiffle influenced by Lonnie Donegan.

I first appeared on stage with the local concert party at my home village of Necton.I played and sang Old Shep, I didn't know if it had gone down well or not as half the audience were crying. I got together with Brian Cross and we formed a group called Tony and the Zodiacs, we were one of the first groups in the area.

I had a spell with The Bruntones and The Drumbeats, a popular Fenland group.

Then Derek Brunton and myself were approached by Tony Relph of The Sabres, he wanted to reform the group into a five-piece harmony group playing Beach Boys and surfing music. We both joined and it was almost an immediate success. We played all over the country, appearing with many of the top groups through the sixties. The Sabres toured Germany, playing at the Top Ten club and Star club in Hamburg made famous by The Beatles.

We were also booked by Stella Promotions to appear on the Irish television show ‘Bandwagon’, and play at some venues in Dublin. We finally split up in the late sixties.

After a break for a few years I met three other musicians and we formed a group ‘Somethin Else’ ,this group lasted 20 years with a few changes in the line up over the years, eventually doing a Baron Knights type cabaret spot.

When Terry Wickham decided to get together groups for the Golden Years I decided to reform the Sabres. We played in the first few Golden Years concerts starting in 1996. We decided to call it a day in 2006. I had told Terry Wickham we would play in the Golden Years, 2007, so with Tiny and the others, The Peppermint Men, were born.

Visit Tony’s gallery here.

Other band members’ biogs here.