Mungo Jerry
Mungo Jerry (formerly known as Mungo Jerry Blues Band) are a British rock band, formed by Ray Dorset in Ashford, Middlesex in 1970. Experiencing their greatest success in the early 1970s, with a changing lineup always fronted by Dorset, the group's biggest hit was "In the Summertime".[1][2] They had nine charting singles in the UK, including two number ones, five top 20 hits in South Africa,[3][4] and four in the Top 100 in Canada.[5]
Mungo Jerry
Mungo Jerry Blues Band
Ashford, Middlesex, England
1970–present
Colin Earl
Paul King
Mike Cole
John Godfrey
Joe Rush
Michael Pohl
Bob Daisley
Byron Contostavlos
Paul Raymond
Boris Williams
Dave Bidwell
Dick Middleton
Eric Dillon
Ian Milne
Paul Hancox
Sev Lewkowicz
Jamei Roberts
Tim Green
Chris Warnes
Jon Pope
Peter Sullivan
Tim Reeves
John Cook
John Brunning
History[edit]
Formation and original band: 1970–1971[edit]
Mungo Jerry came to prominence in 1970 after their performances at the Hollywood Music Festival at Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire, on 23–24 May, which was their first gig under this name,[6] inspired by the poem "Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer" from T. S. Eliot's Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats.[1] They performed alongside Black Sabbath, Traffic, Ginger Baker's Air Force, the Grateful Dead (their first performance in the UK) and José Feliciano. Their 23 May show was well received and the organisers asked them to perform again on the following day. The band's first single, "In the Summertime", the first maxi single in the world,[7] released on 22 May, entered the UK charts at No. 13 and the following week went straight to No. 1. Ray Dorset had to ask his boss for time off to do the BBC Show Top of the Pops.