The Zombies, The Isley Brothers, and Dionne Warwick being hit by a bus: The 1964 tour that introduced soul to Britain
A 1964 package tour featuring Dionne Warwick and The Isley Brothers helped bring American soul to a wider British audience. They toured alongside British acts The Searchers and The Zombies, at a time when soul had yet to take hold beyond small groups of enthusiasts.
The tour also influenced British musicians: The Zombies later covered The Isley Brothers’ “This Old Heart of Mine”, while Dusty Springfield and Cilla Black recorded Warwick songs. In Glasgow, Warwick was hit by a trolley bus while travelling to a performance; she suffered cuts and bruises and missed that night’s show, but reportedly joked about the accident.
In short
- A 1964 tour helped introduce soul to mainstream British audiences.
- The Isley Brothers influenced The Zombies’ later music.
- Dionne Warwick was injured by a Glasgow trolley bus and missed a show.