The Sutherland Brothers facts for kids

Quick facts for kids The Sutherland Brothers
Sutherland Brothers & Quiver on the Dutch television program Popzien, 8 June 1973
Background information
Origin	Aberdeenshire, Scotland
Genres	Folk rock, soft rock
Years active	1968–1979
Labels	Island Records, CBS Records
Associated acts	Quiver
Past members	Gavin Sutherland Iain Sutherland

The Sutherland Brothers were a music duo from Scotland. The brothers, Gavin and Iain Sutherland, played folk and soft rock songs.

From 1973 to 1978, they teamed up with a rock band called Quiver. They became known as Sutherland Brothers & Quiver. Together, they made several albums. They also had a huge international hit song called "Arms of Mary" in 1976. In North America, they were famous for their 1973 song "(I Don't Want to Love You But) You Got Me Anyway".

Iain Sutherland passed away on November 25, 2019, at 71 years old.

Meet the Sutherland Brothers

• Gavin Sutherland was born on October 6, 1951, in Peterhead, Scotland. He played bass guitar and sang.
• Iain George Sutherland was born on November 17, 1948, in Ellon, Scotland. He sang, played guitar, and keyboards. He passed away on November 25, 2019.

How Their Music Career Started

The Sutherland Brothers began their journey in 1968. Their first band was called A New Generation. They had some success with a song called "Smokie Blues Away". This song used a tune from a famous classical music piece.

Later, they formed the Sutherland Brothers Band. They signed a record deal with Island Records. In 1972, they released their first album. Their song "The Pie" became a small hit in January 1972. They also released "Sailing". This song was played a lot on the radio. However, it did not sell many copies at first. Later, Rod Stewart made it a huge hit.

Their second album, Lifeboat, was released simply as Sutherland Brothers. In 1973, the brothers wanted to make their folk sound bigger. So, they joined a local rock band called Quiver.

Teaming Up: Sutherland Brothers and Quiver (1973–1978)

The Sutherland Brothers had their biggest success with Quiver. Their songs were then credited to "Sutherland Brothers and Quiver". Their first song together was "(I Don't Want to Love You But) You Got Me Anyway" in 1973. It was a hit in North America. It reached number 48 on the Billboard charts in the US.

After this song, one of Quiver's guitarists, Cal Batchelor, left the band. He was replaced by keyboard player Peter Wood. The six-member group then recorded more songs. Some of these were added to a special North American version of the Lifeboat album.

Their first full album as Sutherland Brothers and Quiver was Dream Kid in 1973. Later, Bruce Thomas, the bassist, left the group. Gavin Sutherland then switched from guitar to bass. The band continued as a five-piece group.

Their 1974 album Beat of the Street did not have any hit songs. Peter Wood then left the group. The remaining members moved from Island Records to CBS Records. Around this time, Rod Stewart's cover of "Sailing" became a huge hit in the UK.

Their album Reach for the Sky was released in September 1975. It was their first album with CBS Records. Their song "Ain't Too Proud" did not chart. However, their next song, "Arms of Mary", became a UK top ten hit in April 1976. "Arms of Mary" was also a big hit in other countries. It reached number 1 in Ireland and the Netherlands. It also topped the charts in Belgium.

The group had one more UK hit, "Secrets", in November 1976. This song was from their album Slipstream. Guitarist Tim Renwick left the band in 1977. This left Willie Wilson as the only original member from Quiver. The Sutherland Brothers and Quiver made one last album in 1977, called Down To Earth. Many guest musicians helped out on this album. However, it did not have any hit songs.

Back to Being a Duo (1979)

By 1979, the Sutherland Brothers stopped working with Quiver. They continued to release music as just The Sutherland Brothers. During this time, they had one more hit song, "Easy Come Easy Go", in June 1979. They released a final album called When the Night Comes Down. The duo then broke up in late 1979.

What Happened Next for the Band Members?

Many members of Quiver went on to work with other famous musicians:

• Tim Renwick (Quiver's guitarist) played lead guitar for Al Stewart. He also played with a later version of Pink Floyd.
• Bruce Thomas (bassist) also recorded with Al Stewart. He later joined Elvis Costello and the Attractions.
• Peter Wood (keyboardist) played on Al Stewart's albums. He later worked with Cyndi Lauper and Pink Floyd. He passed away in December 1993.
• Willie Wilson (drummer) recorded with Al Stewart. He also played drums for Pink Floyd and on David Gilmour's first solo album.

Music Albums and Songs

Here are some of the albums and songs released by the Sutherland Brothers and Quiver.

Quiver Albums

• Quiver (1971)
• Gone in the Morning (1972)

The Sutherland Brothers Band Album

• The Sutherland Bros' Band (1972)

The Sutherland Brothers Album

• Lifeboat (1972)

Sutherland Brothers and Quiver Albums

Sutherland Brothers Album

• When the Night Comes Down (1979)

Sutherland Brothers and Quiver Compilation Albums

• Sailing (Island, 1976)
• The Very Best of the Sutherland Brothers and Quiver (2002)

Gavin Sutherland Solo Albums

• Diamonds and Gold (1999)
• The Deal (2008)
• Tango at the Lost Cafe (2013)

Singles (Hit Songs)