Darryl Cotton, the boy from Christies Beach in Adelaide, weaves wide music/TV career from 1970s after Zoot folds
Among his television credits, Darryl Cotton hosted a music series, Summer Rock, on Adelaide's Channel 9.
Darryl Cotton, a product of Adelaide southern coastal suburb Christies Beach where he captained its senior colts football team in 1965, went on to a solo music and television career after the breakup of nationally popular band Zoot.
Cotton, as lead singer, and Beep Birtles were among the Adelaide original members of Zoot that ended in 1971. Cotton and Birtles formed Darryl and Beeb as a soft rock duo that soon became Frieze, sponsored by a clothing company. Their first recording, with Sparmac, was a cover of the Mann-Weill’s “Feelings”. In 1972, Cotton wrote “Try yourself” under Darryl and Beeb Frieze, followed by the 1972 B. C album. By June, Frieze had disbanded and Cotton issued "Why do little kids have to die" from 1972 B. C. as his debut solo single.
Cotton went to the United Kingdom while Birtles joined Mississippi that evolved into Little River Band in 1975. In 1973. Cotton joined United States-based group Friends, with Michael Lloyd and Australian singer-songwriter Steve Kipner. They issued a single, “Gonna have a good time" (a cover of The Easybeats’ "Good times") backed by "Would you laugh", written by Cotton, Lloyd and Kipner. Friends put out a self-titled album before Cotton and Lloyd left to form vocal trio Cotton, Lloys and Christian, with Chris Christian.
In 1975, the trio issued a self-titled album and the single, "I go to pieces", that reached the Billboard Hot 100. Their second album, Number Two (1976) was followed by the "Crying in the rain" single (1977). Cotton based himself in Los Angeles as a singer and songwriter and performed with Olivia Newton John, The Osmonds, Shaun Cassidy and Cliff Richard. His songwriting credits include work for Donny Osmond, Marie Osmond, Englebert Humperdinck and The New Seakers.
In 1978, Cotton returned to Australia, signed with Oz Records and released a single, "Don't let it get to you", also on his solo album Best Seat in the House (1980) on EMI Records and produced by Christian.
In 1979, Cotton hosted a TV music series, Summer Rock, on Adelaide's Channel 9, and released solo singles followed, "I don't want to lose you" and "Glamour girl".Cotton also acted on the Australian soap The young doctors for a season and hosted another series of Summer Rock in 1980. Also in 1980, his most successful single, "Same old girl" (written with Christian) reached the top 10 and he won the award for best solo male performance.
Cotton formed a backing band, The Charts (later The Divers) that toured pubs and clubs. In 1980-81, Cotton had three more singles but none charted. Cotton appeared in the lead of the 1983 Australian stage production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and released his second solo album, It's Rock 'n' Good Fun in 1984.
From 1985-89, Cotton was host, with Marie Van Maaren, on Network Ten’s children’s The Early Bird Show. In 1989, Cotton was awarded the Advance Australia Award for support of many charities and groups. He also sang "Surfin" from the TV’s Pugwall's Summer and released a children's album, Just for Kids (1994)
.In 1996, he formed Burns Cotton & Morris with Ronnie Burns and Russell Morris for a self-titled album. When Burns retired in 2000, it became Cotton Keays and Morris (with Jim Keays, ex-The Masters Apprentices), who also released an album.
From 1987, Cotton performed with the Australian Youth Choir and was the patron of the National Institute of Youth Performing Arts Australia. His solo performances were backed by the Darryl Cotton Band that performed at corporate functions. In 2011, Zoot reunited for a short performance cruise out from Miami with Cotton joining Birtles, Rick Brewer and Rick Springfield.
Cotton was still performing with Cotton Keays & Morris in 2012 when he died after being diagnosed with liver cancer.
