Dixon McIvor

John R Campbell Collection

Dixon McIvor  –  lead singer with The Vigilantes

Dixon Graham McIvor was born on November 21st, 1943 in Christchurch and died on Sunday April 30th, 2023.  He joined The Vigilantes at an early age, and the band started playing weddings and 21sts in dance halls.  This eventually came to include a regular but short-lived gig in Timaru (replacing The Downbeats).  The Vigilantes hit the big-time when they became the second band at The Laredo Lounge in 1963 (alongside Johnny Campbell and The Detours, and Les Stott).  The band finished their gig at The Laredo Nitespot in 1965 having recorded and released Come Tomorrow//The Cruel Sea on the Robbins Recordings label, and continued on making records, accompanying The Southerners on such hits as Don't It Make You Feel Good//South Wind and Endlessly//Unchained Melody, as well as their own last single And I Love Her//Everybody Come And Clap Your Hands.

Robbins RRSP 153  –  Come Tomorrow//The Cruel Sea

Robbins RRSP 55  –  Don't It Make You Feel Good//South Wind

Robbins RRSP 57  –  And I Love Her//Everybody Come And Clap Your Hands

Robbins RRSP 59  –  Endlessly//Unchained Melody

The Village Gate — Dixon McIvor, Paul Humphries,
George Drayton and Don Clarkson

Just Us — Kevin Powell, Paul Humphries, Paul Talbot,
Dixon McIvor, Paul Muggleston and John Campbell

System —
Peter Wilson, John Mitchell and Dixon McIvor

Vigilantes 2006 — Dixon McIvor, Murray Wood and Larry McKay

Christchurch Cathedral
Spencer Street Revisited Concerts 2006

Vigilantes 2006 — Larry McKay and Brian Thomas

Vigilantes 2006 — Bob Wilcock and Trevor Wright

Earlier days with his prized Gretsch guitar

New-look Vigilantes with eye-candy  —  at The Hornby WMC

The Vigilantes' line-up consisted of Brian Thomas (Lead Guitar, Band Leader and occasional singer), Larry McKay (Rhythm Guitar and occasional singer), Dixon McIvor (Vocalist), Derek [Willy] Withers (Bass Guitar and occasional trumpet), Tony Mason (Drums) and Bob Wilcock (Tenor Saxophone).  Subsequent to The Laredo Lounge they appeared on The Des Britten Coca Cola Show  A tour to Pohara Beach Motor Camp was an epic, and the band played lots and lots of dance halls and church halls.  Spencer Street and the reek of Old Spice is a particularly strong memory.  Recording was very demanding and nerve wracking, but yet strangely satisfying.

Dixon McIvor performing with his group SYSTEM

Dixon McIvor

Cashmere Club 2009

Singing with The Viscounts

Relaxing with JC's Parker acoustic

Encouraging Grandson Mitch

..... with Trevor Wright Cashmere Club 2009

..... at Flaxwood Festival 2012

..... with John Campbell - Schuitman Barn 2010

Dixon McIvor with The Flaxwood Shadows at Flaxwood Festival 2011
Peter Kearns, John Campbell, Wayne Allen, Bob Heinz

Dixon McIvor
..... astride a Harley Davidson

Dixon McIvor with The Flaxwood Shadows at Flaxwood Festival 2011
Wayne Allen (obscured), Bob Heinz and Rob Carpenter (obscured)

Additional Dixon McIvor and The Vigilantes information is available on the following websites .....

www.johnnycampbell.co.nz/vigilantes.html   º    www.johnnycampbell.co.nz/main.html#dixon