Gina, Dale Haze and the Champions
Encyclopedia
Gina, Dale Haze and the Champions were an Irish pop group who formed in 1973 and remained a successful Chart act for the next two decades. They were one of the most popular club acts in Ireland, playing on the showband
circuit until their split in 1992. In 2009 they staged a reunion.
, consisted of a four-piece backing band (The Champions) and two lead singers (Gina and Dale Haze). Female lead, Gina (real name, Mary Hurley) took the vocal duties on most of the singles, while male lead Dale Haze (real name Gerdie MacKey) provided lead vocals on many songs and released a solo album in 1982. Members of the backing group were Pat Walshe, Mossey Walshe, Eddie Fitzgerald and Tony Hornibrooke.
They featured regularly in the Irish charts - their biggest hits including "Minnie Minnie", "Do You Wanna Do It", "You're the Greatest Lover", "Who Do You Wanna Be", "Give Me Back My Love" and "Playing with Fire". They were voted Top Irish Pop Band in a number of voters polls over the period also. Briefly during 1985, they shortened their name to G, D H and C.
The group remained popular on the cabaret circuit and continued to play with the same line-up. In 1992 the group split due to the shift in popularity of the Irish showband genre and concert bookings began to dry up. Gina was also married to member Pat Walshe and after giving birth to her second child suffered post-natal depression and found it difficult to continue. The group never announced a split however and didn't perform a farewell gig. In October 2009, the original line-up reunited for an Irish tour, performing many of their hits. A night at the Cork Opera House
was sold out three months in advance. A compilation album The Best of Gina, Dale Haze and the Champions was released to tie in with this.
NOTE: Last five singles credited to Gina only
Dale Haze also released a solo album in 1982 called A Real Good Feeling
Irish showband
The Irish Showband was a dance band format which was popular in Ireland during the early rock and roll era from mid 1950s to the late 1970s. The showband was based on the internationally popular six or seven piece dance band. The band's basic repertoire included standard dance numbers and cover...
circuit until their split in 1992. In 2009 they staged a reunion.
Background
The group, originally from CorkCork (city)
Cork is the second largest city in the Republic of Ireland and the island of Ireland's third most populous city. It is the principal city and administrative centre of County Cork and the largest city in the province of Munster. Cork has a population of 119,418, while the addition of the suburban...
, consisted of a four-piece backing band (The Champions) and two lead singers (Gina and Dale Haze). Female lead, Gina (real name, Mary Hurley) took the vocal duties on most of the singles, while male lead Dale Haze (real name Gerdie MacKey) provided lead vocals on many songs and released a solo album in 1982. Members of the backing group were Pat Walshe, Mossey Walshe, Eddie Fitzgerald and Tony Hornibrooke.
They featured regularly in the Irish charts - their biggest hits including "Minnie Minnie", "Do You Wanna Do It", "You're the Greatest Lover", "Who Do You Wanna Be", "Give Me Back My Love" and "Playing with Fire". They were voted Top Irish Pop Band in a number of voters polls over the period also. Briefly during 1985, they shortened their name to G, D H and C.
The group remained popular on the cabaret circuit and continued to play with the same line-up. In 1992 the group split due to the shift in popularity of the Irish showband genre and concert bookings began to dry up. Gina was also married to member Pat Walshe and after giving birth to her second child suffered post-natal depression and found it difficult to continue. The group never announced a split however and didn't perform a farewell gig. In October 2009, the original line-up reunited for an Irish tour, performing many of their hits. A night at the Cork Opera House
Cork Opera House
Cork Opera House is a theatre and opera house in Cork in the Republic of Ireland. It was originally built in 1855, although its existence has not been continuous; having survived the burning of much of Cork by British forces in reprisal for an ambush of a military convoy in 1920 by Irish rebels,...
was sold out three months in advance. A compilation album The Best of Gina, Dale Haze and the Champions was released to tie in with this.
Singles
| Date | Single | Irish Charts Irish Singles Chart The Irish Singles Chart is Ireland's music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association and compiled on behalf of the IRMA by Chart-Track. Chart rankings are based on sales, which are compiled through over-the-counter retail data captured... |
|---|---|---|
| 1974 | "Dreams Are Good Friends" | 12 |
| 1975 | "Minnie Minnie" | 5 |
| "Oh My My" | - | |
| 1977 | "Do You Wanna Do It" | 2 |
| "I've Been Waiting for You I've Been Waiting for You (ABBA song) "I've Been Waiting for You" was a song recorded in 1974 by Swedish pop group ABBA, released first as the B-side to the single "So Long". It was included on their album ABBA .... " |
8 | |
| 1979 | "You're the Greatest Lover You're the Greatest Lover "You're the Greatest Lover" is a single by Dutch girl group Luv'. It was first released in July 1978 by Philips/Phonogram Records. It appears on the 1978 debut album With Luv and on compilations . It is the group's international breakthrough as it was successful in a large part of Continental... " |
10 |
| "Saturday Night Disco" | - | |
| "Who Do You Wanna Be Who Do You Wanna Be "Who Do You Wanna Be" is the eighth single by Dutch girl group Luv', released in the autumn of 1979 by Philips/Phonogram Records. This song appears on the formation's debut album With Luv' and their first compilation "Greatest Hits"... " |
7 | |
| 1981 | "Drunken Sailor Drunken Sailor Drunken Sailor is a traditional sea shanty also known as What Shall We Do with the Drunken Sailor?It begins with the question, "What shall we do with a drunken sailor, early in the morning?" Each verse thereafter suggests a method of sobering—or castigating, or simply abusing—the sailor.The song... " |
13 |
| "It's a Real Good Feeling" | 15 | |
| "Give Me Back My Love" | 11 | |
| 1982 | "No-One Can Love" | - |
| 1983 | "More to You Than Meets the Eye" | 14 |
| "Maybe Tomorrow" | 24 | |
| 1985 | "Playing With Fire" | 18 |
| "Don't Talk" | - | |
| 1986 | "Run Like the Wind" | 15 |
| 1988 | "Breakaway" | 18 |
| 1989 | "A Woman in Love" | - |
| 1990 | "Love Me Tender Love Me Tender (song) "Love Me Tender" is a song recorded by Elvis Presley and published by Elvis Presley Music, adapted from the tune of "Aura Lee" , a sentimental Civil War ballad.- History :... " |
28 |
| 1993 | "The Cause of It All" | - |
NOTE: Last five singles credited to Gina only
Albums
- From the Beginning
- Champions Again (1979)
- Gina Dale Haze and the Champions (1981)
- G D H and C (1986)
- Hits and Memories
- Best of Gina Dale Haze and The Champions (2009)
Dale Haze also released a solo album in 1982 called A Real Good Feeling