The Skyliners (Wythenshawe)

Line-up included

• Michael Patrick 'Mike' McConnell - lead guitar (Gibson ES175) (1955 - Late July 1962)
• David 'Dave' Blackley - lead vocals, rhythm guitar (1955 - 1962)
• Kenneth 'Kenny' Lynch - tea-chest bass (1955), later double bass (1955, 8 months)
• Anthony 'Tony' Saul - drums (1955 - 1969)
• David 'Dave' Wardle - double bass, solo vocals (1955), later electric bass (1955 - 1969)
• Kevin Lang - bass (1961)
• Anthony 'Tony' Marshall - rhythm guitar (1961 - 1969)

​The Skyliners were formed in 1955 in Wythenshawe, Manchester as The Skyliners Skiffle Group by 13-year-old Mike McConnell on lead guitar (Gibson ES175) (b. Michael Patrick McConnell, Saturday, April 11, 1942, Manchester, Lancashire, England) with 13-year-old Dave Blackley on lead vocals, rhythm guitar (b. David Blackley, 1942) and 17-year-old Kenny Lynch on tea-chest bass (b. Kenneth Lynch, 1938).

The band was also know as The Skyliners Rhythm Group.

Blackley lived at Corsey Road, Benchill, Manchester and became an apprentice engineer. McConnell later went to the Regional College of Art.

In September 1959 McConnell brought a Gibson ES175 guitar for £200.

​In the early 60's The Skyliners were also known as Dave Blackley and the Sky-Liners​.

Lynch worked as a bus conductor for Altringham Council and did not always know what his working hours would be, so by mutual agreement he left after 8 months. So Lynch left and was replaced by double bassist Dave Wardle (b. David Wardle d. 2021). He was one of the best players in the North West. He later moved to electric bass.

At this point The Skyliners had no drummer and they would use the resident drummers in the clubs they played in. They were later joined by 17-year-old Tony Saul on drums (b. Anthony Saul, Thursday, June 23, 1938, Miles Platting, Manchester 40, Lancashire, England d. Monday, November 12, 2012). He was resident drummer at The Wythenshawe Catholic Club were the band was playing one night and he joined The Skyliners.

Wardle worked in an insurance office in Manchester in the 60's.

The Skyliners in the 50's would play at the El Rio, Queen Victoria Street,   Macclesfield, Cheshire.

The Skyliners would play at The Alhambra Palace, Ashton Old Road, Higher Openshaw, Manchester on Sunday afternoons.The Cavern Club, 10 Mathew Street off North John Street, Liverpool 2, The La Ronde, Cheetham Hill, Manchester 8, The Oasis Club, 45-47 Lloyd Street off Albert Square, Manchester 2, The Kingfisher Club, 25a Warren Street, Andrew Square, Stockport, Cheshire, The Cresta Ballroom, Oldham Road, Newton Heath, Manchester 10 and The Savoy Ballroom, Robson Street, Oldham, Lancashire. They were also the resident band at The Three Coins, 64 Fountain Street off Market Street, Manchester 2. 

The band would travel in an old Austin Princess car and Comma Cob van.

On Thursday, June 16, 1960 The Skyliners were involved in a car crash. The crash was reported in the Daily Mirror of Friday, June 17, 1960 with the head line, 'Skyliners In Fire Crash.'

On one Sunday in June or July 1960 when The Skyliners were play at The Timperley Labour Club, 268 Stockport Road, Timperley Village, Cheshire McConnell had had £200 Gibson guitar stolen and the bands four £50 stage jackets. The group still played a gig on the following Tuesday at The Oaks Hotel, Barlow Moor Road, Didsbury Village, Lancashire now Manchester 20, Greater Manchester.

In 1961 the bassist Kevin Lang (b. Tuesday, March 3, 1942, Levenshulme, Manchester, Lancashire, England d. Tuesday, March 27, 2018) (ex- Lee Fender and the Top-Liners) was in The Skyliners when they were called Dave Blackley and the Sky-Liners​. He was later in Deek Rivers and the Big Sounds (1962), Wayne Fontana and the Jets (Late July 1962) and Neil Landon and the Burnetts playing Fender Precision bass (Jan - Late Aug 1964, Sept 1964 - July 1965).

In 1961 the group was joined by 16-year-old Tony Marshall on rhythm guitar (b. Anthony Marshall, 1945) when the original line-up split. He was still at school. According to Marshall the line-up was McConnell, Blackley, Saul and a guy Kevin on bass. 

In Late July 1962 Blackley left and joined The Phantoms.

The groups manager was Danny Betesch (b. Daniel Betesch). The band sole representation was the Alan Arnison Agency at the 4th Floor, 30 Springs Gardens, Manchester. Telephone DEA 5931. 

McConnell on his nights off played lead guitar with Johnny Peters and the Crestas (in pink satin suits), The Marauders (from Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire) and The Karl Denver Trio. He also taught guitar at the shop Barratts, Oxford Road, Manchester, while he was still at Art College. Barratts was run by Fred and Adrian Barratts.

In 1962 McConnell left and joined The Phantoms and the Skyliners had an amicable split. 

Still, The Skyliners carried on without McConnell until 1969.

On Friday, January 27, 1963 The Skyliners played at the opening night of the famous Manchester club The Twisted Wheel Club at 30 Brazennose Street off Albert Square, Manchester 2.

There were also three other groups called The Skyliners, one being the American Skyliners (formed in 1958) and one Skyliners who released two singles in December 1954 and February 1955 and a third Teesside band The Skyliners (from 1960), that became The Government (from 1968).

Some Skyliners Rhythm Group concerts:

195?: The El Rio, Queen Victoria Street, Macclesfield, Cheshire, England

1958: The Carroll Levis Talent Show, The Manchester Hippodrome Theatre, Oxford Street, Manchester 1, Lancashire, England 

Advertised in the Manchester Evening News as For Members Only. The Three Coins Coffee Dance Club, Fountain Street off Market Street. A Terrific Week-End's Entertainment. Saturday, October 7, 7 30 to 12. 4s. Jive, Dance, or listen to the fabulous Skyliners.  

Advertised in the Manchester Evening News as To-Night At Three Coins. Fountain Street off Market Street. The Skyliners.  

Saturday, November 4, 1961: The Three Coins, 64 Fountain Street off Market Street, Manchester 2, Lancashire, England, 7.30pm - 12pm

Advertised in The Manchester Evening News as To-Night At Three Coins The Skyliners.

Saturday, July 26, 1962: The New Plaza Ballroom, 11 Station Road, Swinton, Manchester, 27, Lancashire, England

Also on the bill: Kirk Daniels and the Deltas, The Flintstones.
Advertised in The Manchester Evening News as It's Swinging ! Get with it this Week-end ! Friday Fabulous Freddy and the Dreamers New Plaza Ballroom Manchester buses 57 and 77. All-night service from door.

Friday, January 27, 1963: The Twisted Wheel Club, 30 Brazennose Street off Albert Square, Manchester 2, Lancashire, England

Also on the bill: The Karl Denver Trio, Dean West and the Hellions.

According to The Skyliners lead guitarist Mike McConnell they also played on the opening night of this famous Manchester club.

Saturday, December 7, 1963: The Gaiety Ballroom, High Street, Ramsey, Cambridgeshire, England.  Also on the bill: The Plus Four.

Tuesday, November 10, 1964: The California Ballroom, Whipsnade Road, Dunstable Downs, Dunstable, Bedfordshire, England Also on the bill: The Marauders, The Muleskinners.

Sunday, October 9, 1965: The Assembly Hall, Market Square, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, England.  Also on the bill: The Cameos

Thursday, June 15, 1967: The Mayfair Ballroom, Newgate Street, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Northumbria, England

Info courtesy John H Warburg,  http://www.45worlds.com/live/artist/the-skyliners, plus info came Gary Saul (son of Tony Saul) and Mike McConnell. 

I started the original Skyliners in 1955 as lead guitarist with Dave Blackley as singer and rhythm guitarist when we were still at school. Kenny Leach as bass player (on tea chest) and eventually Tony Saul (on drums).

We played in all of the Manchester clubs (Oasis etc) and dance halls (e.g. La Ronde – Cheetham Hill, El Rio – Macclesfield, The Kingfisher Club – Stockport, Cresta – Newton Heath, Savoy – Oldham) and all over the North West (Cavern Club etc), travelling in an old Austin Princess car and Commer Cob van.

Dave Wardle (who died some years ago) replaced Kenny Leach on bass guitar and Danny Betesh was our manager.

We were resident at the Three Coins on Fountain Street for a period of time and were the first group to play at the Twisted Wheel on the opening night.

I used to teach guitar at Barratts shop on Oxford road whilst I was still at Art College and remember Fred and Adrian Barratt as good friends, they both helped me a great deal.

At the same time, as well as playing lead for the Skyliners, I also played lead for Johny Peters and the Crestas (in pink satin suits), the Maurauders (from Stoke) and the Karl Denver Trio (on my nights off from the Skyliners!).

As happens, the Skyliners split up – amicably – and I was asked to join the Phantoms.

It was a great time to be involved in a group. There was friendly rivalry with the Hollies, Freddy and the Dreamers etc, etc. However I had to make the decision whether to concentrate on my playing (I turned down an offer of work in America) or art and design, and, as I’d got engaged, the day job won out!. I’m not in touch with anyone now.

I believe Dave Blackley has a club in Dubai and I will try to find out what happened to the Tony Saul our drummer.

Mike McConnell 

This group was way ahead of its time well before the rock band boom. They were born more in the skiffle era. I remember late '50s we heard that The Skyliners were on at the "El Rio" in Maccelsfield so we all piled in to my mates ( Terry Peacock) car - Morris Minor reg No XMA 166 and off we went to Macc.

The highlight of that night was when they did "A Foggy Day In London Town". We had never seen so many chord changes in one song but Mike sailed through it with ease. This was the time when I started to take the old geeetar a bit more seriously. So you see Mike was quite an influence on me.

I got to know Mike very well and he was a regular Barratts customer.

This group was a ground breaking unit & lit the way for what was to happen a few years later. As a guitarist he was an inspiration to many would be rockers, including me.

Brian Higham - 1/12/08 

Just found your website and just wanted to say how great it was to see the photo's of the Skyliners. I first met Dave Blackley and Mike at the Alhambra Palace, Ashton Old Road, Higher Openshaw, they used to play on a Sunday afternoon. I also frequented the Three Coins every Saturday night!!

I also remember them playing "Foggy day in London Town", and many more.

We went to see them one New Years Eve at Benchill Labour Club, as you can see I was a big fan and a bit of a groupie!!!

Would be nice to know what the guys are up to now??

Doreen Abbott - 10/1/09