Christie's Yellow River

Despite public belief to the contrary, Christie was a British trio, not American, and like so many other groups on the periphery of seventies glam-rock, they lasted only a short time.
Jeff Christie, born on 12 July 1946, and late of two groups, The Outer Limits and The Epics, formed Christie during the late sixties. He recruited drummer Mike Blakely and guitarist Vic Elmes, and it was this trio that chanced to record ‘Yellow River’ via a recording contract with CBS Records.
Christie wrote ‘Yellow River’ for The Tremeloes because Mike Blakely’s brother Alan was a member of the group. However, when they passed on it, Jeff Christie decided to record it with Elmes and Blakely, persuading The Tremeloes’ producer Mike Smith to oversee the recording session. ‘Yellow River’ shot to the top of the British chart in June 1970. Christie’s gain; The Tremeloes’ loss!
Four months on, the chart-topper’s clone ‘San Bernadino’ was issued to reach the British Top Fifty, and upon re-entry reached the Top Ten. Early in 1972, the ‘Iron Horse’ single was the trio’s last hit as it struggled into the Top Fifty. Nothing Christie did could turn their career around.
So they accepted the inevitable. The hit run was over. If it’s any consolation, though, by this time The Tremeloes were in the mire. Bet they’re still kicking themselves for their hasty rejection!