▁who ▁had ▁been ▁working ▁as ▁a ▁du o , ▁" The ▁K ens ington ▁S qu ares ". ▁ ▁D ion ▁became ▁Tom ▁Spring field , ▁and ▁Mary ▁became ▁D ust y ▁Spring field . ▁ ▁Tom ▁Spring field ▁was ▁a ▁song writer ▁and ▁arr anger ▁with ▁a ▁wide ▁knowledge ▁of ▁folk ▁music ▁and ▁the ▁group ▁had ▁strong ▁vocal ▁harm on ies ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁D ust y ' s ▁powerful ▁lead . ▁Occ up ying ▁a ▁musical ▁sphere ▁compar able ▁with ▁that ▁of ▁the ▁contemporary ▁Peter , ▁Paul ▁and ▁Mary , ▁they ▁were ▁signed ▁to ▁Phili ps ▁Records ▁and ▁released ▁their ▁first ▁single , ▁" D ear ▁John ," ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 1 , ▁followed ▁by ▁two ▁UK ▁chart ▁hits ▁with ▁" Bre ak away " ▁and ▁" B amb ino " ▁– ▁like ▁their ▁other ▁records , ▁produced ▁by ▁Johnny ▁Franz . ▁▁▁ ▁The ▁first ▁recording ▁contract ▁the ▁Spring fields ▁signed ▁was ▁offered ▁by ▁producer ▁Johnny ▁Franz ▁at ▁Phili ps ▁Records ▁in ▁London . ▁With ▁early ▁singles ▁including ▁" Bre ak away " ▁and ▁" B amb ino ", ▁and ▁numerous ▁television ▁appearances , ▁the ▁tri o ▁soon ▁became ▁very ▁popular ▁in ▁the ▁UK . ▁After ▁Fe ild ▁was ▁replaced ▁by ▁Mike ▁Hur st ▁in ▁February ▁ 1 9 6 2 , ▁the ▁Spring fields ▁became ▁even ▁more ▁successful . ▁In ▁ 1 9 6 1 , ▁the ▁tri o ▁star red ▁in ▁their ▁own ▁ 1 5 - min ute ▁music ▁TV ▁series ▁on ▁the ▁BBC , ▁The