Portsmouth Music Scene


The Portsmouth Music Scene

The Scutt Brothers


1950s Harry, Ron and Duncan Scutt of Portsea
Later Duo with Ron & Duncan
photos/scutts
At Ryde in 1956, were, from left: Ron Scutt, Tommy Steele, Harry Scutt and Duncan Scutt
A scan of a photocopy of a photograph!

What was your favourite decade for popular music? In the jargon of record producers, was it the `fabulous forties or fifties' or the `swinging sixties and seventies'?
It depends on your age, but if I had to choose one, it would probably be the 1950s, a decade which saw the rise of Elvis Presley, Cliff Richard, Adam Faith, Tommy Steele, Ruby Murray, David Whitfield, Billy Fury, Alma Cogan the list goes on and on.
The 50s also heralded several good singing groups such as the Platters, Drifters, Four Aces and the Four Freshmen.
Brother singing acts also graced the charts, although not all j were real brothers. The Everly Brothers were one of the genuine articles, not forgetting the Five Smith Brothers - who could forget l their `Hello, hello, hello, hello, hello'.
Portsmouth could also boast a fine trio of genuine singing Scutt Brothers, who, although never reaching star status, were very popular in pubs, clubs and dance halls around the city in the 50s.
Harry, Ron and Duncan Scutt were Portsea boys; in fact they were Mudlarks - the youngsters who scrambled for pennies in the mud near Portsmouth Harbour Station. Their talent as a close harmony group emerged in the early 50s through local talent contests at the Savoy Ballroom, Embassy Ballroom and the Palm Court on South Parade Pier.
They were regular entrants at these contests, often winning first place. As the popularity of the Scutt Brothers grew, they adopted a stage uniform of blazers with ornate badges depicting their individual initials. They also had a signature tune, Love Is A Many Splendoured Thing, a former record hit for the Four Aces.
The singing brothers also spent a season at Butlin's Holiday Camp at Clacton and were booked by Hughie Green for a spot on Radio Luxembourg which they recorded at the Starsound Studio in Regent Street, London.
Duncan Scutt, the youngest brother, who now lives at Havant, still has fond memories of those marvellous times and especially of one particular show on the Isle of Wight in which they were on the bill with Tommy Steele at the Commodore Theatre, Ryde. The year was 1956 and Tommy Steele was riding high as the darling of the teenage fans after the release of Rock With The Cavemen.
The Scutts found him to be most friendly, and Duncan still chuckles at how Tommy coolly munched sandwiches with the brothers in the dressing room while in the theatre hundreds of girl fans were screaming for him.
There was a sequel to the Ryde show in 2003 when Ron Scutt, who had moved from Portsmouth to Plymouth, went to see Tommy Steele in Scrooge at Plymouth's Theatre Royal and had a backstage reunion with the star. He still remembered the Scutt Brothers from the Ryde show 47 years earlier, and was delighted to see Ron again.
The Scutt Brothers eventually broke up as a trio. Ron and Duncan formed a duo, and Duncan later went solo around the clubs singing under the name of `Ducane'. Sadly Harry, the oldest brother. has passed on, but Duncan and Ron can still cherish fond members of when the Scutt Brothers shared the billing with Tommy Steele.

This article from Ron Brown.


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