Formed as a backing band for Cliff Richard under the name The Drifters, the original members were founder Ken Pavey (born 1932), Terry Smart on drums (1942), Norman Mitham on guitar (1941), Ian Samwell on guitar and Harry Webb (before he became Cliff Richard) on guitar and vocals.
They had no bass player.
Samwell wrote the first hit, "Move It", often mistakenly attributed to "Cliff Richard and the Shadows".
Initially, Norrie Paramor wanted to record using only studio musicians but after persuasion he allowed Smart and Samwell to play as well.
Two session players, guitarist Ernie Shear and bassist Frank Clark, played on the "Move It/Schoolboy Crush" single on Paramor's insistence to ensure a strong sound.
In his memoirs, Welch regrets that he and Marvin could not be at the start of making history with "Move It".

The Drifters signed for Jack Good's Oh Boy!
television series.
Paramor of EMI signed Richard, and asked Johnny Foster to recruit a better guitarist.
Foster went to Soho's 2i's coffee bar, known for musical talent performing there, particularly in skiffle, in search of guitarist Tony Sheridan.
Sheridan was not there but Foster's attention was caught by Marvin, who played guitar well and had Buddy Holly-style glasses.

In spring the same year, the owner of the United States vocal group The Drifters threatened legal action after the release and immediate withdrawal of "Feelin Fine" in the US.
The second single, Jet Black, was released in the States as by The Four Jets to avoid further legal aggravation, but a new band name was urgently needed.
The name "The Shadows" was thought up by Harris (unaware of Bobby Vee's backing group) while he and Marvin were at the Six Bells pub in Ruislip in July 1959.
From The Story of the Shadows:
With a combination of the American situation, Cliff Richard's runaway success ("Living Doll" had by now sold over a million copies in Britain alone) and a bit of nudging from Norrie Paramor, we set about finding a permanent name, which arrived out of the blue one summer's day in July 1959 (maybe the 19th).
When Hank Marvin and Jet Harris took off on their scooters up to the Six Bells pub at Ruislip, Jet hit upon a name straight away. '
What about the Shadows?'
The lad was a genius!
So we became the Shadows for the first time on Cliff's sixth single "Travellin' Light".
Formed as a backing band for Cliff Richard under the name The Drifters, the original members were founder Ken Pavey (born 1932), Terry Smart on drums (1942), Norman Mitham on guitar (1941), Ian Samwell on guitar and Harry Webb (before he became Cliff Richard) on guitar and vocals. They had no bass player. Samwell wrote the first hit, "Move It", often mistakenly attributed to "Cliff Richard and the Shadows". Initially, Norrie Paramor wanted to record using only studio musicians but after persuasion he allowed Smart and Samwell to play as well. Two session players, guitarist Ernie Shear and bassist Frank Clark, played on the "Move It/Schoolboy Crush" single on Paramor's insistence to ensure a strong sound. In his memoirs, Welch regrets that he and Marvin could not be at the start of making history with "Move It".
The Drifters signed for Jack Good's Oh Boy! television series. Paramor of EMI signed Richard, and asked Johnny Foster to recruit a better guitarist. Foster went to Soho's 2i's coffee bar, known for musical talent performing there, particularly in skiffle, in search of guitarist Tony Sheridan. Sheridan was not there but Foster's attention was caught by Marvin, who played guitar well and had Buddy Holly-style glasses.
In spring the same year, the owner of the United States vocal group The Drifters threatened legal action after the release and immediate withdrawal of "Feelin Fine" in the US. The second single, Jet Black, was released in the States as by The Four Jets to avoid further legal aggravation, but a new band name was urgently needed. The name "The Shadows" was thought up by Harris (unaware of Bobby Vee's backing group) while he and Marvin were at the Six Bells pub in Ruislip in July 1959. From The Story of the Shadows:
With a combination of the American situation, Cliff Richard's runaway success ("Living Doll" had by now sold over a million copies in Britain alone) and a bit of nudging from Norrie Paramor, we set about finding a permanent name, which arrived out of the blue one summer's day in July 1959 (maybe the 19th). When Hank Marvin and Jet Harris took off on their scooters up to the Six Bells pub at Ruislip, Jet hit upon a name straight away. 'What about the Shadows?' The lad was a genius! So we became the Shadows for the first time on Cliff's sixth single "Travellin' Light".
The Shadows