Maxi, Dick and Twink facts for kids

Maxi, Dick and Twink was a popular all-girl singing group from Ireland in the late 1960s and early 1970s. The group was made up of three talented singers: Maxi, whose real name is Irene McCoubrey (born in 1950), Dick, who is Barbara Dixon (born in 1952), and Twink, also known as Adele King (born in 1951). They were known for their harmonies and lively performances.

How the Group Started

The three singers first met as part of a larger group called the 'Young Dublin Singers'. They were performing at the Gaiety Theatre, Dublin one summer when a producer named Fred O'Donovan noticed their talent. He needed singers to provide backing vocals for recordings.

O'Donovan chose Irene, Barbara, and Adele. At first, they sang backup for many popular Irish bands, known as showbands. They helped on songs like "Old Man Trouble" by The Royal Blues and "Nora" by Johnny McEvoy. In 1967, O'Donovan decided they were good enough to become a group on their own. That's how 'Maxi, Dick and Twink' was formed!

Performances and Tours

The group quickly became well-known. They appeared on a British TV show called Opportunity Knocks, which was a big deal at the time. They also had their own thirteen-week series on Irish television called Steady As She Go-Goes.

Maxi, Dick and Twink released two singles with Columbia Records. One of their songs, "Things You Hear About Me," came in second place in the Irish National Song Contest in 1970. The winner that year was "All Kinds Of Everything" by Dana.

The group toured all over Ireland and Britain. In 1970, they traveled to Canada during a very cold winter with another Irish band called The Bye-Laws. Together, they were known as 'The Toybox'. The tour was tough, and the girls found it hard being away from home in unfamiliar places. There were some disagreements, and eventually, The Bye-Laws decided to go their own way. Twink chose to join them, and that was the end of 'Maxi, Dick and Twink' as a group.

What They Did Next

Even though the group broke up, all three members went on to have successful careers on their own.

• Twink (Adele King) continued to perform with The Bye-Laws for a short time. She then joined a famous band called 'The Big 8' with Brendan Bowyer from 1971 to 1974. Twink became a well-known actress and a regular TV personality in Ireland.
• Dick (Barbara Dixon) sang with 'The Royal Showband' in 1972. She later married Peter Law from The Pacific Showband and moved to Canada in the mid-1970s. Barbara released a solo album in 1979 called Take All Of Me under her married name, Barbara Law. She also became an actress and was even nominated for an award for her role in the movie Bedroom Eyes.
• Maxi (Irene McCoubrey) sang with 'Danny Doyle and Music Box' before starting her solo career. She had the honor of representing Ireland twice in the Eurovision Song Contest. First, in 1973, she sang "Do I Dream". Then, in 1981, she returned to Eurovision with the song "Horoscopes" as part of another all-girl trio called 'Sheeba'. Maxi later became a successful radio and television broadcaster for RTÉ, Ireland's national broadcaster.

In April 1982, Maxi, Dick and Twink had a special one-time reunion on Twink's RTÉ television show, which was a treat for their fans!