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The Dakotas were an established Manchester band who had originally backed a singer called Pete McLaine. They were recommended to Brian Epstein as a possible backing group to a new singer he had found called Billy J. Kramer. The unfortunate McLaine, who it is argued by some was a better singer than Kramer, formed a new group and went on to record- unsuccessfully. Billy J. Kramer had been singing with a group called the 'Coasters' when he was approached by Epstein. Although Billy was keen to turn professional, the Coasters weren't so Epstein had to find new musicians to back his new good looking vocalist. The Coasters ultimately found a new singer called Chick Graham and they too managed to cut a couple of unsuccessful singles. |
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Tony Barrow's sleeve notes on the EP illustrated here (GEP8907) claim that "Little Children" was Billy's personal favourite from all the songs that he'd performed. Considering that it became the second #1 that Billy J. Kramer and The Dakotas earned, perhaps that's not so surprising. Besides re-iterating the hit from which it got its name, this EP also contains Billy's interpretation of an old standard along with a Lennon and McCartney penned number, "I Call Your Name"- a track from one of their early singles- and already included in their first EP (GEP8885)! |
| The new Kramer/ Dakotas team clocked up a string of chart hits based on 'spare' songs gleaned from Lennon & McCartney- a resource that Epstein had easy access to. Like many vocalists Kramer decided to turn solo when the hits began to fade. However this didn't help him return to favour and he was soon on the nostalgia circuit. | |
