The Crestas

Meet the "Rock" groups No 7 in the series, Girl joines the Crestas THREE singers, all with an individuality of them own, are the vocalists for a Portsmouth rock'n'roll group, The Crestas. One of the singers is a 16year-old pupil of Paulsgrove Secondary Modern School for Girls, brunette Lynn Orchid, of 89, Newbolt Road, Paulsgrove. Lynn, who has been singing for only two months, was at a dance at which the Crestas were playing. She asked them whether she could be allowed to sing for them, and has been with the group ever since. Her two fellow singers are 20-year old Frank Kelly and 17year-old Chris Ryder. Frank is the main star of the Crestas, and his speciality is singing country and western style songs. For this he wears his own "cowboy" outfit with stetson, waistcoat and black bow tie. Chris and Lynn concentrate on the, group's "straight" rock 'n' roll number's. One married Backing the vocals is a 3 man the vocalists is a three-man instrumental team, two guitarists and a drummer. The guitarists are, bass, Dave Field (22), a labourer at the Admiralty Surface Weapons Establishment, Portsdown Hill, of 130, Falmouth Road, Paulsgrove, and, lead, Tony Hutchins (17), a test engineer for a Portsmouth electronic engineering firm, of 11, Brixworth Close, Paulsgrove. A fitter's mate at Portsmouth Dockyard, Bob Hammond (24), of 37, Lake Road, Landport, on drums. He is the group's only married member. When Playing, the Crestas try to give a complete show, and said they could go on for about four hours Without repeating themselves. In addition to having three vocalists, the whole group also does a comedy act in which everyone dresses up, wearing false beards, funny hats and glasses. Broke up The Crestas have quite an extensive history. The two guitarists, Dave and Tony, started the group just to amuse themselves in Christmas of 1959. It then had, five members, but broke up six months later. In September, 1960, the group re-started and Frank became their singer, Tony was playing a guitar for four years, before he joined the Crestas but Dave has learned to play during his lifetime with them. Tony and Dave wear violet jackets, lavender ties, silver grey trousers and brown shoes. Frank, who lives at 96, Bellfield, Titchfield, is an apprentice, electrician at Portsmouth Dockyard, and was singing, with another group before he became a Crestas. In addition to his Western outfit, he has a blue dress suit for formal numbers. He started singing in a choir at the age of six. Chris who lives of 30, Fifth Avenue, Wymering, is a machinist, at a Portsmouth plastics factory. He has been with the group since last March, when he started singing. He previously played a small electric organ for another group for two months. Flame red His attire is a flame red jacket, black trousers, white shoes and black bow tie. Bob joined the Crestas only in December. However, he has been. playing the drums for 14 years. He started when he was ten with the Gosport Army Cadets, He has been playing in rock 'n' roll groups for six years, and wears a blue and gold Iined jacket, black trousers and shoes. The Crestas are planning to improve the group. They hope soon to get a pianist and Frank and Lynn are now working on arranging some country and western duets. A dream the Crestas would dearly love to fulfil one day is to visit the annual festival at Nashville, Tennessee, of country and western music. To get added effect to Frank's numbers Bob uses two bass drums. Between them, the group has nearly £1,000 worth of equipment.

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