Dickie Rock is an Irish

Irish people

The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...

 singer. He experienced much success on the Irish charts during the 1960s, but has continued on as a popular live act as well as occasionally hitting the charts ever since.

Early fame

Rock was born in Cabra

Cabra, Dublin

Cabra is a suburb on the northside of Dublin city in Ireland. It is approximately northwest of the city centre, in the administrative area of Dublin City Council. It was commonly known as Cabragh until the early 20th century.- Transport and access:...

 on Dublin's Northside

Northside (Dublin)

The Northside is the area in County Dublin, Ireland bounded to the south by the River Liffey to the east by Dublin Bay, to the north and west by the boundaries of County Dublin.- Introduction :...

.

Between 1963 and 1972 he was one of the frontmen of the Miami Showband (who were later in the headlines due to the Miami Showband killings

Miami Showband killings

The Miami Showband killings was a paramilitary attack at Buskhill, County Down, Northern Ireland, in the early morning of 31 July 1975. It left five people dead at the hands of Ulster Volunteer Force gunmen, including three members of The Miami Showband...

 incident). He had thirteen top ten hits with the Miami Showband, including seven number ones. Dickie Rock and the Miami were the first Irish artists to go straight in to the number one spot with "Every Step of the Way" in 1965. During his time with the Miami Showband, Rock attracted the kind of mass hysteria normally reserved for the Beatles.

In 1966, he sang for Ireland in the 1966 Eurovision Song Contest

Eurovision Song Contest 1966

The Eurovision Song Contest 1966 was the 11th edition and was held on 5 March 1966 in Luxembourg, Luxembourg. The rule stating that a country could only sing in any of its national languages was originally created in this year. This was possibly created due to the 1965 Swedish entry, "Absent...

 with the song, "Come Back to Stay

Come Back To Stay

"Come Back to Stay" was the Irish entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 1966, performed in English by Dickie Rock.The song is a ballad, with Rock pleading with a former lover to return to him...

". He entered as a solo artist and finished fourth in the Contest. This song also became a number one hit in Ireland.

Rock was the subject of a well-known Irish catchphrase—"spit on me Dickie", the origin of this being that rebellious young women in the 1960s wanted to be covered in his saliva in a manner similar to American women idolising the hips of Elvis. The phrase took off in Belfast

Belfast

Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...

 in the 1960s and spread all over Ireland.

Solo years

Rock went solo in 1973, although still performed occasionally with the Miami Showband after this.

Later years

Rock continues to tour at the age of 74 (2010), after a career spanning more than 40 years. Following a third RTÉ

RTE

RTÉ is the abbreviation for Raidió Teilifís Éireann, the public broadcasting service of the Republic of Ireland.RTE may also refer to:* Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, 25th Prime Minister of Turkey...

 documentary (one in the 1960s, another in the 1980s and another in 2006) about Rock and his place at the forefront of the Irish showband

Irish showband

The Irish Showband was a dance band format which was popular in Ireland during the early rock and roll era from mid 1950s to the late 1970s. The showband was based on the internationally popular six or seven piece dance band. The band's basic repertoire included standard dance numbers and cover...

 scene, Dickie received a lifetime achievement award in October 2009.

Discography

• Irish chart singles
• 1963 "There's Always Me" (IR #1)
• 1964 "I'm Yours (#1)
• 1964 "From the Candy Store On the Corner" (#1)
• 1965 "Just for Old Time's Sake" (#2)
• 1965 "Round and Round" (#2)
• 1965 "Every Step of the Way" (#1)
• 1965 "I Left My Heart in San Francisco" (#4)
• 1965 "Wishing it Was You" (#1)
• 1966 "Come Back to Stay
  Come Back To Stay
  "Come Back to Stay" was the Irish entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 1966, performed in English by Dickie Rock.The song is a ballad, with Rock pleading with a former lover to return to him...
  
  " (#1)
• 1966 "Darling I Love You" (#4)
• 1967 "When You Cry" (#7)
• 1967 "Baby I'm Your Man" (#13)
• 1968 "Simon Says" (#1)
• 1968 "Christmas Time and You" (#10)
• 1969 "Emily" (#12)
• 1970 "When My Train Comes In" (#15)
• 1971 "My Heart Keeps Telling Me" (#7)
• 1971 "Cathedral in the Pines" (#15)
• 1972 "Till (Mini Monster)" (#9)
• 1973 "Last Waltz
  The Last Waltz (song)
  "The Last Waltz" is a song written by Barry Mason and Les Reed. It was one of Engelbert Humperdinck's biggest hits, spending five weeks at number one on the British charts in September and October 1967...
  
  " (#15) - first solo single
• 1973 "Maxi single" (#11)
• 1977 "Back Home Again" (#1)
• 1978 "It's Almost Like a Song" (#18)
• 1980 "Coward of the County" (#11)
• 1982 "When the Swallows Come Back from Capistrano" (#24)
• 1988 "The Wedding" (#18)
• 1989 "I'll Never Stop Wanting You" (#10)
• 1989 "Come Home to Ireland for Christmas" (#25)