They first struck a chord in clubs amid the big band sounds of the 1950s and ‘60s, but now after decades apart, the friendship between former bandmates Dorothy and Louie is blooming once again, thanks to AnglicareSA’s Garden Club.

They first struck a chord in clubs amid the big band sounds of the 1950s and ‘60s, but now after decades apart, the friendship between former bandmates Dorothy and Louie is blooming once again, thanks to AnglicareSA’s Garden Club.

Singer Dorothy and drummer Louie first crossed paths in the flourishing music scene around Adelaide, playing with the likes of Eddie White’s Allstars at iconic venues such as the Port Club and The Palais at Semaphore, as well as lunchtime concerts at the former John Martins.

 

 

But it was in a band led by her pianist husband Bruce that Dorothy and Louie became friends.

“Bruce and I played everywhere,” Dorothy recalled of the era. “We were regulars at the Port Club, that’s where I began working with Louie when he joined the band.

“There are not many venues in Adelaide that we have not played.”

For Louie, the music scene in Adelaide was all about the friendships with fellow musicians and being up on stage.

“We would get a call from a band, and they would say we have got a singer, or perhaps a drummer, and we would help anyone out – they were lovely people to be fraternising with,” Louie said with a smile.

“Dorothy could sing anything.”

Only retiring from singing in 1999, Dorothy admitted that it was when she first started out, as she was prone to a touch of stage fright.

“It was a fabulous music scene,” Dorothy said. “But I would always get a bit nervous when I was singing with the likes of Eddie White’s Allstars – they were very popular back then.

“I worked a number of gigs over the years with various bands or performers like Don Arthur and Lance Bell.

“There are so many good memories, I’ve kept some newspaper clippings of our ads and diary entries like one night in 1970 I was paid $13 for a four-hour gig – that was really good money back then.”

 

 

It is stories like these that the two are now able to reminisce about, having not seen each other since the 1970s, reuniting while attending the Garden Club hosted by AnglicareSA’s Social Activities program.

Social Activities Lead Tash Burczyk said the benefits of social groups went far beyond just remaining active, as they also ensured AnglicareSA customers had opportunities to remain connected socially with significant friendships often formed via the groups – or in the case of Dorothy and Louie, reconnected.

Costs of social activities vary depending on government funding packages and the specific group activity, with co-contributions ranging from $1.50 through to $14.50 – still great value for a day out, all expenses included.

For more information about how to get involved with Social Activities, please contact 8209 6626.