The Galaxies

The Galaxies were a Winnipeg rock-and-roll trio formed by Bill Jacque, who performed under the name Billy Earl, on vocals and guitar; Jim Ackroid, known professionally as Jim London, on bass; and Don Maloney on drums.

The group attracted the attention of Jay-Dee Records, a small American label based in Hallock, Minnesota. In June 1962, Cash Box reported that the Winnipeg musicians had signed a two-year recording agreement with the label and were preparing their first release. Contemporary publicity also identified the group as Billy Earl and the Galaxies.

Their sole known single paired ‘That Makes It Tough,’ a Buddy Holly composition sung by Billy Earl, with the instrumental ‘Watch Your Step.’ Produced by Dave Palmer and pressed by Kay Bank Recording Corp. in Minneapolis, the record was released in the United States on Jay-Dee in 1962.

The label credited ‘Watch Your Step’ to Earl, Londen and Maloney, with Jim London’s surname rendered as ‘Londen.’ The composition was actually written by American guitarist Bobby Parker, whose original recording had appeared the previous year.

Although the Galaxies appear to have released only one single, the record remains an early example of Winnipeg musicians entering the neighbouring American market during the formative years of Manitoba rock and roll. Its pairing of Billy Earl’s vocal interpretation of a Buddy Holly song with a driving rhythm-and-blues instrumental reflects the mixture of rockabilly, R&B and instrumental rock shaping Winnipeg’s early popular-music scene.

-Robert Williston