View source for The Allisons

{{Short description|English pop duo}}
{{about|English pop duo|American girl-group|The Allisons (American group)|others|Allison (disambiguation)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox musical artist
|name                = The Allisons
|image               = 
|caption             = 
|image_size          = 
|background          = group_or_band
|origin              = England
|genre               = [[Pop music|Pop]]
|years_active        = 1961–1963
|label               = [[Fontana Records]]
|associated_acts     = 
|Also Known As       = 
|website             = 
|current_members     = 
|past_members        = John Allison (John Alford)/Bob Day
}}

'''The Allisons''' were an English pop duo consisting of Bob Day (born Bernard Colin Day; 2 February 1941 – 25 November 2013) and John Alford (born Brian Henry John Alford, 31 December 1939 – 13 November 2023).<ref name="The Book of Golden Discs">{{cite book
| first= Joseph
| last= Murrells
| year= 1978
| title= The Book of Golden Discs
| edition= 2nd
| publisher= Barrie and Jenkins Ltd
| location= London
| page= [https://archive.org/details/bookofgoldendisc00murr/page/131 131]
| isbn= 0-214-20512-6
| url-access= registration
| url= https://archive.org/details/bookofgoldendisc00murr/page/131
}}</ref> They were marketed as being brothers, using the surname of Allison.

==Career==
The Allisons represented the United Kingdom in the [[Eurovision Song Contest 1961]] with the song "[[Are You Sure? (The Allisons song)|Are You Sure?]]" written by John Alford/Allison.<ref name="Larkin60">{{cite book|title=[[Encyclopedia of Popular Music|The Virgin Encyclopedia of Sixties Music]]|editor=[[Colin Larkin (writer)|Colin Larkin]]|publisher=[[Virgin Books]]|date=1997|edition=First|isbn=0-7535-0149-X|page=11}}</ref>  They came second with 24 points.<ref name="Larkin60"/> The song was released as a single on the [[Fontana Records|Fontana]] label, and climbed to number 1 on the UK ''[[NME]]'' pop chart, while in the chart compiled by the [[Official Charts Company]] the song spent six weeks at number 2 and a further three weeks in the top 4.<ref name="British Hit Singles & Albums">{{cite book
| first= David
| last= Roberts
| year= 2006
| title= British Hit Singles & Albums
| edition= 19th
| publisher= Guinness World Records Limited 
| location= London
| isbn= 1-904994-10-5
| page= 20}}</ref> "Are You Sure" sold over one million [[gramophone record|records]], earning a [[music recording sales certification|gold disc]].<ref name="The Book of Golden Discs"/> In Germany the single reached number 11.<ref>Ehnert, Günter (ed.): ''Hit Bilanz. Deutsche Chart Singles 1956-1980''. Hamburg: Taurus Press, 1990, S. 15</ref> Despite a couple of minor follow-up [[hit single|hit]]s, the duo disbanded in 1963.

Alford initially tried songwriting, but he and Day teamed up for short tours to keep the 'Allisons' name alive. Additionally, in the 1970s and 1980s Alford was joined by other "brothers" — Mike "Allison" and Tony "Allison". By the 1990s, Day and Alford regularly reunited to perform on the oldies circuit.

The Allisons' final public performance was at the "Tales from the Woods" British R'n'Roll Heritage Show No. 8 at The Borderline Club in London, in 2012. A clip from that show can be found on the 'Tales From The Woods' YouTube channel.

Bob Day died after a long illness on 25 November 2013, at the age of 72.<ref name="Dead">{{cite web|url=http://www.contactmusic.com/story/the-allisons-star-dies-at-72_3970594 |title=Bob Allison &#124; The Allisons Star Dies At 72 |date=25 November 2013 |publisher=Contactmusic.com |access-date=2013-11-25}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Leigh |first=Spencer |date=1 January 2014 |title=Bob Allison: Eurovision contestant who was fielded as one half of the British answer to the hitmaking Everly Brothers |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/bob-allison-eurovision-contestant-who-was-fielded-as-one-half-of-the-british-answer-to-the-hitmaking-everly-brothers-9032042.html |website=The Independent}}</ref> John Alford died from complications of an [[aortic dissection]] on 13 November 2023, at the age of 83.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Griffin |first1=Joe |title=Lincoln mourns Eurovision legend whose pop duo beat Elvis Presley to number one |url=https://www.lincolnshirelive.co.uk/news/lincoln-news/lincoln-mourns-eurovision-legend-whose-9575226 |access-date=14 June 2025 |publisher=Lincolnshire Live |date=23 September 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Brian Henry John Alford |url=https://probatesearch.service.gov.uk/search-results |website=Probate Search |access-date=14 June 2025}}</ref>

==Discography==
===Albums===
{| class="wikitable" style=text-align:center;
|-
!Year
!Title
![[UK Albums Chart|UK]]
![[Record label]]
|- 
|rowspan="1"| 1961
|align=left| ''Are You Sure''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.discogs.com/Allisons-Are-You-Sure/release/4272814 |title=Allisons, The - Are You Sure (Vinyl, LP, Album) at Discogs |date=5 December 1961 |publisher=Discogs.com |access-date=2013-11-27}}</ref>
| —
| [[Fontana Records]]
|}

===Singles===
{| class="wikitable" style=text-align:center;
|-
!Year
!Title
![[Billboard Hot 100|US]]
![[UK Singles Chart|UK]]
![[Record label]]
![[A-side and B-side|B-side]]
|- 
|rowspan="3"| 1961
|align=left| "[[Are You Sure? (The Allisons song)|Are You Sure?]]"<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.discogs.com/Allisons-Are-You-Sure/release/1188191 |title=Allisons, The - Are You Sure (Vinyl) at Discogs |date=February 1961 |publisher=Discogs.com |access-date=2013-11-27}}</ref>
| 102
| 2
| Fontana Records
| "There's One Thing More"
|- 
|align=left| "Words"<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.discogs.com/Allisons-Words/release/2383657 |title=Allisons, The - Words (Vinyl) at Discogs |date=5 December 1961 |publisher=Discogs.com |access-date=2013-11-27}}</ref>
| —
| 34
| Fontana Records
| "Blue Tears"
|-
|align=left| "What a Mess"<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.discogs.com/Allisons-What-A-Mess/release/2398869 |title=Allisons, The - What A Mess (Vinyl) at Discogs |date=5 December 1961 |publisher=Discogs.com |access-date=2013-11-27}}</ref>
| —
| —
| Fontana Records
| "Lorraine"
|-
|rowspan="2"| 1962
|align=left| "[[Lessons in Love (Jeri Lynne Fraser song)|Lessons in Love]]"<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.discogs.com/Allisons-Lessons-In-Love/release/2371672 |title=Allisons, The - Lessons In Love (Vinyl) at Discogs |date=February 1962 |publisher=Discogs.com |access-date=2013-11-27}}</ref>
| —
| 30
| Fontana Records
| "Oh, My Love"
|-
|align=left| "I'll Cross My Fingers"<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.discogs.com/Allisons-Ill-Cross-My-Fingers/release/2398843 |title=Allisons, The - I'll Cross My Fingers (Vinyl) at Discogs |date=5 December 1962 |publisher=Discogs.com |access-date=2013-11-27}}</ref>
| —
| —
| Fontana Records
| "You Should Be Sorry"
|}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.45-rpm.org.uk/dira/allisons.htm 45-RPM website]
* [https://www.45cat.com/artist/the-allisons/all 45cat.com]
* {{Discogs artist|The Allisons}}

{{s-start}}
{{s-ach}}
{{succession box |
  before=[[Bryan Johnson (singer)|Bryan Johnson]]<br />with "[[Looking High, High, High]]" |
  title=[[United Kingdom in the Eurovision Song Contest]] |
  years=[[Eurovision Song Contest 1961|1961]] | |
  after=[[Ronnie Carroll]]<br />with "[[Ring-A-Ding Girl]]" |
}}
{{s-end}}
{{Eurovision Song Contest 1961|state=collapsed}}
{{United Kingdom in the Eurovision Song Contest|state=collapsed}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Allisons}}
[[Category:English pop music duos]]
[[Category:Musical groups established in 1961]]
[[Category:Musical groups disestablished in 1963]]
[[Category:1961 establishments in England]]
[[Category:1963 disestablishments in England]]
[[Category:Eurovision Song Contest entrants]]