Dickie Rock

{{Infobox musical artist

| name = Dickie Rock

| image =

| caption =

| image_size =

| birth_name = Richard Rock

| alias =

| birth_date = {{Birth date|df=y|1936|10|10}}

| birth_place = Dublin, Ireland

| death_date = {{Death date and age|df=y|2024|12|06|1936|10|10}}

| death_place = Dublin, Ireland

| instrument = Vocals

| genre =

| occupation = {{hlist|Singer|songwriter}}

| years_active = 1963–2021

| spouse = {{Marriage|Judy Murray|1966|2022|end=died}}

| label =

| associated_acts = Miami Showband

| website =

}}

Richard "Dickie" Rock (10{{nbsp}}October 1936{{snd}}6{{nbsp}}December 2024) was an Irish singer.{{Cite web |title="Miriam Meets...", 18 October 2009 |url=http://www.rte.ie/radio1/miriammeets/1307910.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121023103446/http://www.rte.ie/radio1/miriammeets/1307910.html |archive-date=23 October 2012 |access-date=7 October 2021 |website=Rte.ie}} Chiefly associated with the era of showbands in Ireland, Rock came to prominence as a member of The Miami Showband in the 1960s, subsequently becoming a solo artist in 1973. He represented Ireland in the Eurovision Song Contest 1966. Rock continued to tour for several decades until his retirement in 2021.{{Cite web |date=6 December 2024 |title=Irish singer Dickie Rock dies aged 88 |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cz7qqqrpwjxo |publisher=BBC News}}

Early career

Rock was born on 10{{nbsp}}October 1936{{Cite web |last=Nolan |first=Philip |date=7 December 2024 |title=Why iconic entertainer Dickie Rock's death marks the end of a golden era in Irish entertainment |url=https://extra.ie/2024/12/07/news/dickie-rock-golden-era |access-date=10 December 2024 |website=Extra.ie}}{{Cite web |last=Byrne |first=John |date=6 December 2024 |title=Legendary Irish singer Dickie Rock dies aged 88 |url=https://www.rte.ie/entertainment/2024/1206/1485161-dickie-rock/ |access-date=10 December 2024 |website=RTE.ie}} in the North Strand, Dublin, and raised in Cabra on Dublin's Northside.{{Cite book |title=The Guinness Encyclopedia of Popular Music |date=1992 |publisher=Guinness Publishing |isbn=0-85112-939-0 |editor-last=Colin Larkin |edition=First |page=2113}}

Between 1963 and 1972, he was one of the frontmen of the Miami Showband, who were later in the headlines due to the Miami Showband killings incident. He had 13 top-ten hits with the Miami Showband, including seven number ones.{{Cite web |title=The Irish Charts – All there is to know |url=http://www.irishcharts.ie/search/placement |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090602061251/http://www.irishcharts.ie/search/placement |archive-date=2 June 2009 |access-date=7 October 2021 |website=Irishcharts.ie}} Dickie Rock and the Miami Showband were the first Irish artists to go straight into the number one spot with "Every Step of the Way" in 1965.{{Cite web |title=Irish charts – straight in at No.1 |url=http://www.irishcharts.ie/facts/straight_at_no1.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110606020501/http://www.irishcharts.ie/facts/straight_at_no1.htm |archive-date=6 June 2011 |access-date=17 January 2010}} During his time with the Miami Showband, Rock attracted the kind of mass hysteria normally reserved for The Beatles.{{Cite book |last=O'Toole |first=Fintan |title=We Don't Know Ourselves: A Personal History of Modern Ireland |date=2023 |publisher=Liveright Publishing Corporation |isbn=978-1-324-09287-2 |location=New York |pages=134–135}}

In 1966, he sang for Ireland in the 1966 Eurovision Song Contest with the song, "Come Back to Stay". He entered as a solo artist and finished joint fourth (with Belgium).{{Cite web |title=Official Eurovision website – 1966 |url=http://www.eurovision.tv/page/history/by-year/contest?event=283#participants_283 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110605094045/http://www.eurovision.tv/page/history/by-year/contest?event=283#participants_283 |archive-date=5 June 2011 |access-date=7 October 2021 |website=Eurovision.tv}} This song also became a number one hit in Ireland.{{Cite web |title=Irish singer Dickie Rock dies aged 88 |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cz7qqqrpwjxo |access-date=8 December 2024 |publisher=BBC News}}

Solo years

Rock went solo in 1973, although he still performed occasionally with the Miami Showband after this.

Later years

Rock continued to tour well into his eighties. Following a third RTÉ documentary (one in the 1960s, another in the 1980s and another in 2006) about Rock and his place at the forefront of the Irish showband scene, he received a lifetime achievement award in October 2009. In 2019, he announced his final tour would be held in October that year.{{Cite web |last=O'Loughlin |first=Mikie |date=25 August 2019 |title=Showband star Dickie Rock has announced his retirement from touring .on the 6 of December 2024 rock passed away.music |url=https://www.rsvplive.ie/news/celebs/showband-star-dickie-rock-announces-19003059 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220127005829/https://www.rsvplive.ie/news/celebs/showband-star-dickie-rock-announces-19003059 |archive-date=27 January 2022 |access-date=27 January 2022 |website=RSVP Live |language=en}} In 2021, at the age of 84, Rock retired from showbusiness, suffering from hearing problems.{{Cite web |last=Carter |first=Erica |date=20 November 2021 |title=Showband star Dickie Rock says his career is 'finished' as he's forced to retire |url=https://www.rsvplive.ie/news/celebs/showband-star-dickie-rock-says-25506134 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220127005820/https://www.rsvplive.ie/news/celebs/showband-star-dickie-rock-says-25506134 |archive-date=27 January 2022 |access-date=27 January 2022 |website=RSVP Live |language=en}}

Personal life and death

Rock married Judy Murray in 1966.{{Cite web |last=Jordan |first=Ailbhe |date=10 October 2020 |title=Dickie Rock shares heartbreak after wife Judy's five week hospital trauma |url=https://www.rsvplive.ie/news/celebs/dickie-rock-tells-rtes-brendan-22823678 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220127005824/https://www.rsvplive.ie/news/celebs/dickie-rock-tells-rtes-brendan-22823678 |archive-date=27 January 2022 |access-date=27 January 2022 |website=RSVP Live |language=en}} She died in April 2022, several weeks after contracting COVID-19.{{Cite news |last=Hyland |first=Paul |date=25 April 2022 |title=Showband legend Dickie Rock 'devastated' after losing beloved wife Judy (75) to Covid |url=https://www.independent.ie/news/showband-legend-dickie-rock-devastated-after-losing-beloved-wife-judy-75-to-covid-41586955.html |access-date=25 April 2022 |publisher=Irish Independent |quote=Judy Rock, the wife of Irish showband legend Dickie Rock, has passed away in a Dublin hospital. Mrs Rock (75) was being treated at St Vincent's Hospital for several weeks after contracting Covid-19, but she sadly died earlier this evening... It comes as last month both Dickie and Judy contracted Covid-19. Dickie Rock (85) was very unwell and said he was suffering from flu-like symptoms, but he was able to recover at home. However, his wife required hospital treatment and was eventually taken into the intensive care unit.}}{{Cite news |last=Collins |first=Liam |date=30 April 2022 |title='She was our rock': Singer Dickie's late wife Judy remembered as a private person who kept the show on the road |url=https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/she-was-our-rock-singer-dickies-late-wife-judy-remembered-as-a-private-person-who-kept-the-show-on-the-road-41602201.html |access-date=30 April 2022 |publisher=Irish Independent}}

Rock died at St. Vincent's University Hospital in Dublin, on 6{{nbsp}}December 2024, at the age of 88.{{Cite news |last=White |first=Jack |title=Showband singer Dickie Rock dies, aged 88 |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/2024/12/06/showband-singer-dickie-rock-dies-aged-88/ |access-date=6 December 2024 |newspaper=The Irish Times |language=en |issue=6 December 2024}}{{Cite web |last=O'Loughlin |first=Ciara |date=8 December 2024 |title=Funeral details announced for showband legend Dickie Rock |url=https://www.irishmirror.ie/showbiz/irish-showbiz/funeral-details-showband-dickie-rock-34273144 |access-date=10 December 2024 |website=Irish Mirror}} He was buried in Cabra on 12 December 2024, after a funeral mass celebrated by Brian D'Arcy at the Church of the Most Precious Blood.{{cite web |title=Death Notice of Richard (Dickie) Rock |url=https://rip.ie/death-notice/richard-dickie-rock-dublin-cabra-west-577211 |publisher=RIP.ie | date=12 December 2024 |access-date=17 December 2024 |language=en-ie}}{{cite news |last1=Lynott |first1=Laura |title=Dickie Rock's son performs heartfelt tribute to 'King of Cabra' as showband legend laid to rest |url=https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/dickie-rocks-son-performs-heartfelt-tribute-to-king-of-cabra-as-showband-legend-laid-to-rest/a2094159468.html |access-date=17 December 2024 |work=Irish Independent |date=12 December 2024 |language=en}}

Discography

Irish chart singles{{Cite web |title=Dickie Rock |url=https://www.irish-showbands.com/Bands/dickierockf.htm |access-date=8 December 2024 |publisher=Irish Showbands}}