THE DELRAYS, INC. (West Roxbury, MA)

The Delrays Inc. were a short-lived band of high school kids from West Roxbury, Mass., who played the Surf Nantasket club in Hull, Mass. The lineup consisted of Jay Kenney on lead guitar and lead vocals (Roslindale High School Class of 1965); Tom Power on rhythm guitar (Roslindale High School Class of 1967); Billy O'Donnell on drums (Boston Technical High School Class of 1966); and Keith DeLisle on bass (Xaverian Brothers High School Class of 1967).

Luckily for us, the crew recorded two tough, rockin’ original tunes in early 1965 at the famed Continental Recording Studios in Framingham, Mass., which were released on its house “Salem” label.

I'm a-lovin’ the pompadour! From left: Jay Kenney (lead vocals, lead guitar); Tom Power (rhythm guitar); Keith DeLisle (bass); Billy O’Donnell (drums).

Jay Kenney recalls: ““I'm A Lovin’” was planned, but the flip side was made up right there in the studio. The producer said, ‘What do you want to put on the B side?’ We looked at each other and said, ‘Other side?’ So we just winged it.” [And so “Billy’s Beat” was named after their drummer.]

“I remember we had about 100 or so pressed (we had no money, nor our parents), all we could afford. I really don't remember any distribution. In those days ‘payola’ was a big thing with radio stations.”

And Tom Power checked in with some anecdotes from his busy teenage gigging days:

Basement Walls was sure it!! I could bust the concrete on the walls of my parents basement in West Roxbury with my Fender Jazz bass and Marshall amp. So bad I had to move out to a band apartment on Beacon Hill in Boston when I was 15. I started playing out with the Novas when I was 12 (1961).

The bands that I played with were as best as I can recall … The Novas … The Delrays … The Yankee Clippers … and the best was the Shillings. 

We played most of the venues that you list on your site … Opened many times for Moulty and The Barbarians at the Surf Nantasket. Won the battle of the bands many times at Pleasure Island in Wakefield, Mass. Played all the high schools and colleges from Maine to New Jersey. I also had a “union card” and worked the Revere Beach clubs when the mob owned them. I played bass with Ike & Tina once in Revere (best gig ever). The Shillings opened for Cream on their first American tour at the Psychedelic Supermarket in Boston. I got to play through Jack Bruce’s Marshall stack!!! 

Jay Kenney and Keith DeLisle both now live in Tennessee; Tom Power resides in Texas; and sadly, Billy O'Donnell passed away in Massachusetts in 2015.

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THE DELRAYS, INC.
I'm A Lovin' / Billy's Beat
Salem (SR-002 • TB-350/351)
March 1965