The Hollies

The Hollies were an English rock and pop band formed in Salford in 1962 by singer Allan Clarke and rhythm guitarist/singer Graham Nash. One of the most successful British bands of the 1960s and 1970s, their first stable line-up consisted of Clarke, Nash, lead guitarist Tony Hicks, bassist Eric Haydock, and drummer Don Rathbone. Rathbone was replaced by Bobby Elliott in late 1963, while Haydock was replaced by Bernie Calvert in mid-1966. During the Hollies' early years, most of their original songs were written by the trio of Clarke/Hicks/Nash, until Nash left the group in late 1968 to co-form Crosby, Stills & Nash, and was replaced by Terry Sylvester. Apart from a short time during late 1971 to early 1973 (during which Clarke was replaced by Mikael Rickfors), the Clarke/Hicks/Elliott/Calvert/Sylvester line-up remained in place until Calvert and Sylvester both departed in 1981. Over the next 23 years, the band underwent several more personnel changes, including a brief return of Nash during the 1980s and the final departure of Clarke in 2000, before stabilising in 2004 with their last line-up of Hicks, Elliott, singer Peter Howarth, rhythm guitarist Steve Lauri, bassist Ray Stiles, and keyboardist Ian Parker.

The Hollies enjoyed considerable popularity in the UK and Europe during the mid-1960s with a string of hits that included "Searchin'", "Stay" (both 1963), "Just One Look", "Here I Go Again", "We're Through" (all 1964), "Yes I Will", their first UK number one "I'm Alive", "Look Through Any Window", "If I Needed Someone" (all 1965) and "I Can't Let Go" (1966), although they did not achieve US chart success until "Bus Stop" was released in 1966. The group went on to have periodic success on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean over the next decade, with further UK and/or US hits including "Stop Stop Stop" (1966), "On a Carousel", "Pay You Back with Interest", "Carrie Anne", "King Midas in Reverse" (all 1967), "Dear Eloise", "Jennifer Eccles", "Listen to Me" (all 1968), "Sorry Suzanne", "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother" (both 1969), "I Can't Tell the Bottom from the Top", "Gasoline Alley Bred" (both 1970), "Hey Willy" (1971), "Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress", "Long Dark Road" (both 1972), "The Day That Curly Billy Shot Down Crazy Sam McGee" (1973) and "The Air That I Breathe" (1974). "He Ain't Heavy" reached number one on the UK Singles Chart following a 1988 re-release. Overall, the Hollies had over 30 charting singles on the UK Singles Chart, and 22 on the US Billboard Hot 100.

The Hollies retired from touring following Hicks and Elliott's retirement from touring in 2026. They were one of the few UK groups of the early 1960s, along with the Rolling Stones, who had never disbanded. In recognition of their achievements, the Hollies were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2010.