Bobby Elliott was born on December 8, 1942 in Burnley, England.

Ricky Shaw and the Dolphins

John Robertshaw, Tony Hicks, Bobby Elliott, Bernie Calvert, Ricky Shaw

Bobby Elliott began his musical career with Ricky Shaw and the Dolphins, a group that also included two other future Hollies - Tony Hicks and Bernie Calvert.

Then Dolphins, later Hollies

With Tony's help, Bobby got an audition to play for Shane Fenton and the

Fentones. Bobby got the job, beating out a number of other drummers -

including future Who drummer Keith Moon.

When the musical disagreements between drummer Don Rathbone and the rest of the band became too much, Don decided to leave. Bobby was called in from the Fentones and became a member of the Hollies.

Tony Hicks says "Bob stood out as a drummer, so I suggested him to the rest of the band, we went to see him playing with Shane Fenton and the Fentones and the lads thought he was great. So he was in!"

Bobby Elliott is generally acknowledged as being a top class drummer. He was voted best drummer according to a poll of Beat Group drummers in 1965.

Bobby explains how he started on the drums: "My parents used to have a

grocer's shop and I was forever using the huge biscuit tins as drums.

Eventually I saved up the enormous sum of 2 pounds 10 shillings and bought myself a drum set which must have come out of the ark." (DISC Group Supplement - November 2, 1963)

In 1965, Bobby was involved in some recording sessions for some solo

recordings, with the assistance of Bob Henrit, drummer for the Roulettes.

These sessions have not been released in any form.

Bobby missed most of the studio work for the Evolution album because he was in hospital, suffering from a burst appendix.

In early 1970 during the recording sessions for the Moving Finger

(Confessions of the Mind) album, the Hollies recorded a rather unique

composition entitled Bobby's Prologue. Bobby explains that it was "me

reciting poetry, a bit of Walter Scott. It's something I've been doing for

years. We were going to use it on the album and then whack straight into

something else, but we eventually dropped it."

Bobby helped write two songs for the Hollies - Keep Off That Friend Of Mine with Tony Hicks and Transatlantic Westbound Jet. With regard to the latter song, Bobby Elliott says "No one else in the group was really writing at the time, so I thought I ought to go show them the way. I came up with this idea for a song, which Terry Sylvester helped me finish off."

Quote

"Just to think - a boyhood dream come true - actually playing rock'n'roll

and getting paid for it! Unbelievable!" - (All The Hits & More: The

Definitive Collection)

Elliott Fun Facts

.Bobby married Tony Hicks' sister, Maureen, in 1994. .Bobby recently sent a drum head and the band's Cavern Club suits to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for an exhibit. .Bobby serves as the band's official archivist and produces the tour programs that are filled with facts and pictures of the Hollies both historic and present..