Spirit of Smokie - Celebrating the Music of Smokie

Smokie is a British pop-rock band that was among the most popular groups of the 1970s and 1980s - with hits such as "If you think you know how to love me", "I'll meet you at midnight", "Lay back in the arms of someone", "Wild Angels", "Oh Carol", "Mexican Girl" and many more that dominated the charts.

With a total of 15 Top 20 hits, including "Living next door to Alice", which sold over 30 million copies worldwide and held the number one position in Germany for 9 weeks, they made their mark on music history. The original line-up consisted of Chris Norman (vocals, guitar), Terry Uttley (bass and vocals), Alan Silson (guitar and vocals) and Pete Spencer (drums and vocals). The band played in the classic beat formation - two guitars, bass and drums - distinguished themselves through excellent harmonic vocals and had as their trademark the distinctive raspy voice of frontman Chris Norman.

Anyone who hears the name "Smokie" and thinks of boring ballad rockers is mistaken: even back then the band packed plenty of rock and roll, and alongside their vocals they captivated audiences with emotional and powerful guitar sounds.

After Chris Norman's departure, who left Smokie to pursue a solo career, the band found a worthy successor in 1986 in Alan Barton, whose raspy voice closely matched that of Chris Norman. As the new frontman, Alan Barton ushered in a new era for "Smokie" and with six released albums continued to shape the face of this world-class band.

However, in 1995 a tragic accident occurred: the band's tour bus left the road - Smokie members Terry Uttley and Alan Silson suffered only minor injuries, but frontman Alan Barton succumbed to his severe wounds. Sadly, after this tragic death of Alan Barton in 1995, Smokie fell silent.

Today, none other than Dean Barton, Alan Barton's son, takes the stage - he unmistakably carries the same distinctive raspy yet soulful voice of his father.