Elvis Costello’s father Ross McManus (aka Day Costello) has passed away at the age of 84.
Ross McManus aka Day Costello
Ross was also a musician. In 1950, he formed Ross McManus and his New Era Music. He started out as a trumpet player but soon became the lead singer.
In 1955 he joined Joe Loss and his Orchestra as the trumpet player. With Loss, he recorded ‘I Can’t Take My Eyes Off You’ under his own name. It flopped but was later a hit for Andy Williams.
Later he started to record under pseudonyms. His biggest hit was in Australia. In 1970 at the height of the record ban on radio in Australia Ross released a cover of The Beatles ‘The Long And Winding Road’ and had the hit with that song in Australia. At the time, radio was fighting with the record labels and for 18 months refused to play certain labels including EMI, the label that distributed The Beatles Apple Records. So more than 17 years before Elvis Costello had his first hit in Australia, Ross McManus had a hit with a Beatles song under the name Day Costello. (Costello was his mother’s maiden name).
In 1973 he recorded the jingle ‘The Secret Lemonade Drinker’ for R White lemonade. His song Declan (Elvis) played drums of the ad.
Ross McManus is survived by his 5 sons. His wife has also passed away.
