The Poppy Family

“Which Way You Going, Billy?”

“That’s Where I Went Wrong”

“Seasons In The Sun”

Although not a related family group, The Poppy Family was brought together as a group by a related love of music. Susan Jacks (Pesklevits) was a regular performer on the TV show “Music Hop” in Canada during the mid-60s. Terry Jacks met Susan when he appeared as a guest. Susan invited Terry to play guitar on her performances, later adding another guitar player, Craig McCaw. Terry and Susan married in 1967 and they began performing as The Poppy Family. Craig later added Satwant Singh, a drummer from India to the band.

Very popular in Canada, the group also became well known in the United States placing 2 songs on the Top 40 in 1970. Both charted in 1970 with “Which Way You Going, Billy” reaching the Top 10. They remained popular in Canada into the early 70s. The group and the marriage both ended in 1973.

Susan and Terry each pursued their solo careers with Terry scoring a big hit in 1974 in the United States with “Seasons In The Sun”. #poppyfamily #terryjacks #70’s #seventies

That high falsetto that dominates the Newbeats songs was Larry Henley from Arp, Texas. Joining Henley were brothers Mark and Dean Mathis. Based in Nashville the trio recorded on Hickory Records. Henley was already with the label when the Mathis brothers came along although known as Dean & Mark who had a minor hit “Tell Him No” in 1959.

The group scored big in 1964 with “Bread & Butter” landing at the number 2 spot in the Top 40. The same year, they landed in the Top 20 with “Everything’s Alright”.

In 1965, “Break Away (From That Boy)” notched a spot in the Top 40 and that year they also had a successful hit with “Run, Baby, Run” landing at number 12. The trio appeared on Shindig!, American Bandstand, Where The Action Is and toured both Australia and New Zealand with The Rolling Stones and Roy Orbison in 1965.