The Echoes were an English musical group, established in London in early 1960 by singer Chris Wayne,[1] for the Johnny Preston, Conway Twitty and Freddy Cannon tour of Great Britain.

[6] The line up of this group was Laurie Jay (drums), Tony Collins (guitar), Les Smith (piano) and Douggie Reece (bass).

In late August, Kuy left to join The Outlaws and was briefly replaced by the 16 years old Vic Briggs, who was on his school holidays and could only participate for three weeks.

On New Year's Eve in 1961, The Echoes accompanied Bert Weedon on the television show Sunday Night at the London Palladium.

The others on that show were Eve Boswell, Alma Cogan, Lonnie Donegan, Vera Lynn, Garry Miller, Cliff Richard, Roy Castle, Ronnie Carroll, Cleo Laine, Bert Weedon and The Echoes, Bruce Forsyth (compere), and Jack Parnell and his Orchestra.

In April, a national concert tour started with The Temperance Seven, Chas McDevitt and Shirley Douglas and Bert Weedon, and this led to a concert tour starting on 29 April with Jerry Lee Lewis,[7] Johnny Kidd & the Pirates, The Viscounts, Vince Eager, Mark Eden, Danny Storm, Buddy Britten and Dave Reid.

By May 1962, the Echoes line up became Dave Burns (guitar), Tommy Frost (drums), Ray Murray (keyboards), and Douggie Reece (bass).

The Echoes performed a summer season in Douglas, Isle of Man in the "Star Parade of 1962", a rock and roll concert at The Crescent Pavilion.

[8][9] The year ended with a tour this time with B. Bumble and the Stingers, Bert Weedon, Johnny Kidd & the Pirates, Tommy Bruce, Michael Cox and Vince Eager.

Early in 1963, the Echoes appeared at dance venues and concerts with Susan Maughan after her hit "Bobby's Girl", as well as continuing working with Bert Weedon.

The line-up for an audition to play for Dusty Springfield was Douggie Reece (bass), Micky Garrett (organ), Martin Gibbs (stand-in drummer for Frost) and Pete Clifford (lead guitar).

Springfield wanted to add a front line and more rhythm section to the group, so the line-up became Ian Harper (trumpet 1), Derek Andrews (trumpet 2), Derek Wadsworth (trombone), Tony Scott (percussion), Vic Briggs (guitar), Jimmy O'Brien (keyboards), Johnny Dryden (drums), and Douggie Reece (bass).

In June and July 1965, the Echoes, along with Doris Troy and Madeline Bell, backed Springfield on her second album, Ev'rything's Coming Up Dusty, released in October that year.

The line-up became Boyle (guitar), O'Brien (keyboards), Wolf (drums) and Reece (bass), whilst still retaining the brass section, percussion and vocal group.

On 1 May that year, the Echoes backed Springfield at the Empire Pool, on a bill that included the Beatles, Small Faces, the Spencer Davis Group, Roy Orbison, The Walker Brothers, the Yardbirds, Cliff Richard and the Shadows, Herman's Hermits, Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich, the Who and the Rolling Stones.

The line-up then consisted of Taylor (guitarist), Shinn (keyboards), Wolf (drums) and Reece (bass), still with the brass section, percussion and vocal group.

He left the Echoes at the end of their tour supporting Herman's Hermits and Amen Corner, and was replaced by Brian Bennett.

In June 1968, the Echoes complete with the brass section, were on another tour with Herman's Hermits with Amen Corner, plus Paper Dolls and John Rowles.

As Springfield was cutting back on her live performances, the offer was accepted and they toured with Rowles later that year, playing with him until mid 1970.

Some of the Echoes were offered the job of playing in the band for Hair, at The Shaftesbury Theatre in London's West End, when it opened on 27 September 1968.

They were Rod Stone (guitar), Tweed Harris (keyboards) both from an Australian group The Groove, plus Don Burrell (drums) with Reece picking up the brass players from the local musicians.

The Echoes partook in a cruise booking with The Chantels, but only as a trio comprising Ian Heinz (keyboard), Peter Curtin (drums) and Reece (bass).