How the group began from the memories of one of the founding members WARREN LUCAS:
In 1958 I was a member of the Sapphires. The members were, Warren Lucas, Barry Carrol, Ray Isabell and Duncan ( Duke) Findlay. I went to a Christmas party at Bronte Surf Club and was approached by Noel Widerberg who asked me how to go about forming a group. Peewee and Noel had been working as a duo. Peewee walked in and we had a sing with Noel on lead, Warren on tenor and Peewee on baritone. We agreed it sounded pretty good. I contacted Noel shortly after and we spoke about forming a group.

Shortly after I went to Coolangatta for a holiday and while there, I met Brian Perkins who was then singing with a group called The Four Jacks. We got talking and had a sing. On returning to Sydney we got together with Peewee and Noel and sang Old Kentucky Home. Noel gave Peewee a bass line to sing and the sound was born.

For the next three months we sang every Sunday at the Ling Nam in Sydney for nothing, but without Brian. We rehearsed with Brian and in 1959 did our first TV show, Roy Hamson's Rythmn Roundup. After buying a Del Vikings LP we came up with the name The Delltones.

The first break came when we walked into Bob Rodgers radio show and sang 'Who's That Knocking' live to air. Bob went back on air and said that if Lee Gordon was listening he should contact him which he did, and within a couple of weeks The Delltones did their first Stadium Show. From memory it was The Fabian Show.

Bob Pierse picks up the story:

In November 1965 I went to Vietnam with The Beaumarks Showgroup, the first show to go under the Armed Forces Overseas Fund. The Delltones ( Pee Wee, Brian, Warren and Col ) came in early 1966 and Warren indicated to me he was leaving the group when they returned to Australia. I also wanted to leave The Beaumarks so we decided to form another vocal group on our return. After months of auditions we found Sep Martin and then Steve Watson on bass vocal and The Ambassadors were born. Warren was replaced in The Dellies with Ray Burton and later Bill Kerwin took Ray's place. Col left in mid 1966 and was replaced by Wayne Cornell. Spencer Whitely (Later, the only singer other than the originals in the first Kinsmen) replaced Steve Watson in the Ambassadors. Peewee and Brian used to come to our shows at the Coogee Bay Hotel and around October 1968 they asked Sep and I to join the Dellies. In 1969 we went back to Vietnam based in Da Nang for some months. We came home and toured for a while then went to London via Bangkok. Following a showcase show at the London Playboy Club where we were introduced by Dave Allen and ex Seeker Keith Potger, Victor Lowndes, Hugh Hefner's European partner asked us to do the main room for seven weeks. This is when Pee Wee met Carla. In this time we toured US bases in Germany and Italy. London Sessions was recorded around the middle of 1970, produced by David McKay. We performed Gimme Some Lovin' on Top Of The Pops and it was Radio Luxemburghs hit pick of the week.

We returned to Australia at the end of 1970 and for the next two years toured here and the East. We took three months off from January to March 1973 while Pee Wee and Brian built their houses on 50 acres at Eungai. Following the Whiskey fire in Brisbane the group folded and Pee Wee and Carla and Brian and Pam moved onto their farm for five years. Sep and I continued to perform as Martin and Pierse. In 1978 we put the group back together and toured until 1981 when Sep left. Brian, Pee Wee and myself toured for another year with Bob Cook our bass player singing the tenor parts. I left the group on New Years Eve 1981. Brian left a year or so later. During this time the Dellies went from being a vocal group to a showband.

And then.....

In 1982 Pee Wee recruited another set of Delltones for the Club circuit and Danny Mayers new front man joined the band.They were an immediate success.A television promoted album "Bop 'Til Ya Drop!" was released and sold in excess of 65,000 copies and reached No.2. And Songs such as "Pappa Oom Mow Mow" and "Get a Job" were being played all over the country. In 1985, Woody Finlayson(lead guitar) and Merv Dick(drummer) joined the band and are still there today. New members joined the band Alan Freeman(bass guitar,keyboard)and Nevin Mclean(lead singer)recording many live albums and recording "Stole my Heart Away" with Country and Western Singer Alan Caswell. Danny Mayers rejoined the band in 1994 along with "newcomer" Owen Booth on Bass. Recent recordings include "The Sunshine Club Album" and recording a song for the Surf Lifesaving Club of Australia called "Breakin' Waves.Many Delltones have graced the stage over the years but, as long as "Pee Wee" is there it's the Delltones.