Ray Brown & the Whispers

Ray Brown & the Whispers were an Australian rock band from 1964 to 1967. Led by singer Ray Brown (1945–1996), with Lawrie Barclay on rhythm guitar, Al Jackson on lead guitar, Pat Jeffery on drums and John Manners on bass guitar. The group issued four albums, Ray Brown & the Whispers (1965), Hits & Brass (1965), Heading for the Top (1966) and Dance Dance Dance (1966). Their top 5 singles were the cover versions, "Pride" , "Fool, Fool, Fool" (both 1965), "In the Midnight Hour" and "Tennessee Waltz Song" (both 1966). Their last single for 1966, "Too Late to Come Home" had the Bee Gees on backing vocals. Brown left the band before year's end and continued as both a solo artist and leader of new groups. The Whispers broke up in 1967. Brown died of a heart attack on 16 August 1996, aged 51. Manners died 5 November 2018, aged 77.