60s Folk-Pop Duo Chad and Jeremy at 'Music on Main' Series

It was the early 1960s and the British invasion of rock groups had begun in the United States. Chad and Jeremy, a British folk-pop act, crossed the Atlantic with their mellow folk rock tunes and conquered America with their top 40 chart toppers.  They included such hits as “Yesterday’s Gone”, “Summer Song”, “Willow Weep for Me”, and “Distant Shores”. 

Chad and Jeremy will be as part of the Woodbridge on Main series.

Chad Stuart spoke about the duo's lives then and now. 

I read that Chad and Jeremy met at drama school. Why did you attend drama school?

Chad: I’m not really sure why I was in drama school (laughter). I grew up singing almost every day in church as a chorister in Durham Cathedral.  It was a wonderful experience which I did not really appreciate until I was older. While at drama school, I met Jeremy and we both had music in common.  We started playing together in pick-up bands until he graduated and went off to be an actor in Dundee, Scotland. 

What caused you to form the duo “Chad and Jeremy”? How long did you perform together and why did you break-up in the 60s?

Chad: After Jeremy returned from Scotland because the British Actor’s Union went on strike, we started playing again, mostly for food. Jeremy’s mother knew a literary agent, who knew an agent, who hooked us up with the famous movie composer John Barry. He made a deal with a small record company, Ember Records.  Ember Records produced “Yesterday’s Gone”, and although it was somewhat of a hit in England, our popularity did not last.  However, it was picked up by another label called ‘World Artists” in the United States and quickly became a hit here. They worked very hard to promote us, and we continued to have many more hits. We stayed together for five years. We had numerous hits and albums and also were seen on several television programs of the time: The Dick Van Dyke Show, Hullabaloo, The Tonight Show, Patty Duke, and even Batman.  We split up because Jeremy decided he missed acting and went back to England to return to it.

Do you consider the United States your home now?

Chad: Yes, I have been living here since 1963.  Although I am not a citizen, I consider myself a citizen of the world, and an honorary American citizen. I have a wonderful wife, who is a miner’s daughter from Nevada.  She is a teacher and a real go-getter. We live in Idaho and I have children and grandchildren here.  I also still teach a few students privately.  If you want to learn, teach.  My students include my grandchildren.  They seem to think that the louder they play, the better it is.  I try to tell them that it is not good music or good for their hearing. Both Jeremy and I had problems with our ears in the past because of loud music.

How is the new reunion different than the one in the 1980s?

Chad: We did some albums together and touring, but we get along a lot better now because we understand ourselves a lot better. We were both always searching for our identities in the past.  As time has progressed, we have also written a lot of new music. I have my own recording studio, and we are recording many of the songs Jeremy has written.  I have always recorded mine.  Our act is different, too.  Although we play some of our old music, we also now do a lot our newly written material.  We also have incorporated more stories and laughter into our act.  Jeremy is more the straight guy, but I feel that at this age (almost 70) I should be able to say what I want.  Audiences love the stories and I’ve discovered laughter is beyond the price.

Do you think you will perform together indefinitely?

Chad: Yes, unless of course Jeremy wants to stop again and go back to just acting.  The only other reason would be if we lose our health or if no one wants to pay to hear us anymore.

Chad and Jeremy at the United Methodist Church, Main St., Woodbridge on May 18.  Tickets are $25 in advance and $28 at the door.