Atlanta Roots 

Line-up (original) 

• Barry Lord - vocals/harmonica
• Bill Worthington - guitar
• Eric Bromley - bass
• Dave Thorpe - drums

later 

• Graham Worral - maraccas
• Paul Robinson - drums (replaced Dave)  

Line-up (1991) 

• Bill Worthington - vocals/lead guitar
• Barry Lord - vocals/rhythm
• David Thorpe - drums
• James Ensor - vocals/bass

Barry Lord and Bill Worthington met at Bolton Art School in 1959 when they were both 13. They soon started learning guitar and after starItng a few bands finally founded what would become Atlanta Roots in 1963.

The first line-up was completed with Eric Bromley on bass and Dave Thorpe on drums. Although inspired by the whole Liverpool ‘beat boom’, they decided to go back to basics and become a blues band.

Their early role models were Cyril Davis and Alexis Korner and through early Beatles and Stones albums they discovered Chuck Berry and Bo Diddly and also the original bluesmen.

They first went out as The Cubists and after winning a band contest had their first photo in the Farnworth Journal.

Because Barry played a harmonica he couldn’t manage maracas and tambourine (essential instruments for early sixties bands) so their friend and electrician Graham Worral joined the line up to shake maracas.

In 1964 Michael Chapman, a photography tutor at Bolton College of art and experienced guitarist, started to manage the band.

Under his influence the bands song list improved with such as Bessie Smith and Mel Torme songs. He also had a great influence on the bands musical ability.

Mike also took some great photos and changed the bands name to The Ivy league Under this name they started playing better venues and became regulars at the Beachcomber in Bolton.

Within a year another band called The Ivy League had a number one record so the band became Atlanta Roots.

Sometime in 1966 Dave Thorpe left the band and was replaced on drums by Paul Robinson.

They played regularly round the Manchester area and managed to get through to the semi-finals of the Melody Maker's Beat Contest in Brighton.

The band finally called it a day in mid 66 when Barry Lord left to go to Coventry college of art.

However, the original band re-formed for Dave Thorpes 40th birthday in 1987 and Dave, Barry and Bill decided to carry on playing and after several personnel changes are still giging around the north west.