BARRY DYE ENTERTAINMENTS

Barry Dye Entertainments was formed in Ipswich in February 1972

I started playing the drums in 1960 and after being made redundant from my day job in 1970 became a professional drummer.

In 1972 alongside my playing career, I formed an agency and started to book acts and groups into pubs and clubs. As the agency became more established we also started to book the venues and put on bigger functions, not only locally but also further afield.

In 1975 I was approached by Chris North the Illusionist, to be his Manager. He wanted to pursue his career as far as possible, and in early 1976 he appeared on the first series of the ITV talent show New Faces. On his first appearance, he was the winner of the week! This led to other TV appearances and in early 1977 he won the award for ‘Top Speciality Act in Britain’.

I continued to build the management side of the business, and also started booking summer seasons for the holiday circuit.

In February 1983 whilst on holiday at Pontins in Torremolinos, Spain, I discovered a young bluecoat called Shane Roche. I thought he had enormous potential and a personality I had never witnessed before in someone so young (he was only 19). He was confident, naturally funny and he could dance and sing! I knew then, here was a young artist, who with the right breaks, could become a major star.

Shane had great ambitions. He asked me if I would manage him, and when his contract finished with Pontins that season, he signed with me. First, we changed his name to Shane Richie and his debut summer season for the agency was in Jersey in 1984. His first TV appearance came in 1986 on ITV's Summertime Special. Four short years later he was regularly on TV and playing the London Palladium. It was then I decided he needed a top London office behind him, so I did a deal with International Artistes. No one could be more proud of his success than I am, he had become a part of our family. Phil Dale is currently working wonders with his career.

In 1990 I was asked to find a major artiste to appear at Ipswich Town Football Club. I succeeded in booking Tina Turner, taking a date on her ‘Foreign Affair’ tour. This was by far the biggest event I had ever been involved with and was certainly another learning curve spanning six months of preparation. I also organised the Status Quo concert at Norwich City FC in 1997.

Today most of the work through the office is providing entertainers for corporate events, hotels and cruises etc, but we have branched out into the hire business, with bouncy castles, inflatables, marquees, lighting and sound equipment. We also organise complete events for corporate clients.