2003 Inductee – The Vocal Group Hall of Fame

The Whispers

crosbbw — Thu, 30 Jun 2016 06:01:46 +0000

The Whispers

Formed in 1962 in the Jordan Downs housing projects located at 103rd and Grape Street in the Watts section of Los Angeles, the group was originally called the Eden Trio. They developed into a quintet consisting of members Walter Scott (led and tenor), Wallace “Scotty” Scott (lead and tenor and Walter’s twin brother), Nicholas Caldwell (tenor), Gordy Harmon (tenor), and Marcus Hutson (baritone). The Jordan High School Students practiced day and night, often until 4 in the morning, working on songs by their influences THE FLAMINGOS, THE TEMPTATIONS, THE HI-LO’S, THE FOUR FRESHMAN, Johnny Mathis, and Nat King Cole. They sang everything they could learn, including Hertz car rental commercials.

In 1964 they came to the attention of Lou Bedell and his Vine Street-based Dore Records in Hollywood. He liked their soft sound and renamed then, appropriately, the Whispers. The teenagers recorded five Dore singles, including “It Only Hurts for a Little While,” “Never Again,” and As I Sit Here,” all worthwhile ballads and all recorded at the legendary Gold Star Studios in Hollywood.

Their first big gig was at the California Club with one of their idols, the Temptations.

In 1969 the group signed with the Fantasy distributed Soul Clock label and issued and soul harmony ballad called “Great Day.” But it was the summer release of their follow-up, “The Time Will Come,” with Wallace’s wailing lead and the group’s weaving, high harmonies, that first put them on national R&B radio. “The Time” charted on August 2, 1969, and rose to number 17.

Their fourth Soul Clock single proved they were on their way as “Seems Like I Gotta Do Wrong” reached number six R&B and number 50 Pop. That success wasn’t yet reflected in their life on the road, however; the five-member group and its four-man band often shared one hotel room.

By 1970 The Whispers had signed with Janus Records. The single “There’s a Love for Everyone” charted the day after Christmas, eventually reaching number 31 R&B and number 116 Pop.

8 of 12 Janus singles charted, and though none made the group household names, they helped the group build a following with songs like “Your Love Is Doggone Good” (#93 Pop, #19R&B, 1971) and “I Only Meant to Wet My Feet” (#27 R&B, 1972).

Their only full-time personnel change came in 1971 when Leaveil Degree, who sang for a time with the Friends of Distinction, replaced Gordy Harmon.

By late 1975 the group had moved to the Soul Train label, which gained them some welcome top 10 exposure with “One for the Money (Part 1)” (#88 Pop, #10 R&B, 1976) and a rhythmic version of Bread’s 1970 hit “Make It with You” (#93 Pop, #10 R&B, 1977).

When Soul Train became Solar Records, the group hit its stride and racked up 22 soul charters from 1978 to 1988 out of only 27 releases. Some of their best included “(Let’s Go) All The Way” (#10 R&B, 1978), “And The Beat Goes On” (#19 Pop, #1 R&B, 1980), “Lady” (#28 Pop, #3 R&B, 1980), “It’s a Love Thing” (#28 Pop, #2 R&B, 1981), “Tonight” (#84 Pop, #4 R&B, 1983) and the top 10 Pop hit it took them 23 years of recording to get, “Rock Steady” (#7 Pop, #1 R&B).

“Rock Steady” also gave the fledgling writers/producers L.A. and Babyface their first major chart success, as did the group’s Just Gets Better with Time LP that went double platinum.

After 17 LPs, 38 chart singles, and over 27 years bouncing from the studio to the stage, the title of the 1987 LP pretty much said it all.

– Jay Warner

Martha and The Vandellas

crosbbw — Thu, 30 Jun 2016 05:58:05 +0000

Martha and The Vandellas

One of the most aggressive-sounding girl groups, Martha and the Vandellas, were originally formed because the brother of the 19-year-old Martha Reeves would not let her sing with his group. Martha’s early background in music came from her father’s Methodist church, where she was schooled in the sounds of The Soul Stirrers, The Five Blind Boys, and Clara Ward, among others. At Northeastern High School she was vocally trained by the same man who later taught Mary Wilson and Florence Ballard of The Supremes (Abraham Silver). She then began doing solo work in clubs as Martha LaVelle.

In 1960 Martha, Gloria Williams, Rosalind Ashford, and Annette Sterling, having been friends from high school, formed the Del-Phis. In 1961 the group did one 45 for Checkmate Records (a division of Chess) called “I’ll Let You Know” and then Martha went to Motown Records to audition. Instead she was offered a secretarial job in the A&R Department and she took it, hoping it would lead to an opportunity. As assistant to producer Mickey Stevenson, one of Martha’s jobs was to book studio time for upcoming recording sessions. On one occasion when Mary Wells couldn’t make a session, Martha brought in the Del-Phis and they recorded “There He Is at My Door.” Since the group was technically still signed to Chess, Motown named them the Vels and issued the 45 on their Melody affiliate. Gloria sang lead at the time. When the Melody release went nowhere, she quit the group, leaving them a trio with Martha as lead.

Their real break came in July 1962 when the group backed new Tamla artist Marvin Gaye on his fourth single, “Stubborn Kind of Fellow.” When it took off, the trio knew they’d finally get their chance. Martha came up with a new name, a combination of Van Dyke Street (where her grandmother lived) and the name of one of her favorite singers, Della Reese.

They released the single “I’ll Have to Let Him Go” in September 1962, but it received little attention. The beginning of their collaboration with songwriters Holland, Dozier, and Holland led in February 1963 to their second single, the rhythmic “Come and Get These Memories.” It charted on April 27th, eventually reaching number 29 (#6 R&B). With the 1963 hit “Heat Wave,” the girls established their forceful formula: power vocals with a tinge of gospel laid over the emerging Motown trademark bass and drums. It burned its way up the Billboard Hot 100 and reached number four (#1 R&B). More hot rockers followed, including “Quicksand” (#8) and “Live Wire” (#42).

Toward the end of 1963, Annette left to marry and was replaced by Betty Kelley.

Martha and the Vandellas were easily the most popular in-person act in the Motown stable, and they rocked audiences at such shows as the Labor Day week performance at the Brooklyn Fox, with Murray and the K and the Supremes, Marvin Gaye, and The Shangri-Las.

In the summer of 1964 Martha and company had their biggest hit with “Dancing in the Street,” which reached number two on October 17, right behind Manfred Mann’s
Do Wah Diddy Diddy.” In February 1965 “Nowhere to Run” was issued just as the group took off for England as part of Motown’s first European package tour alongside The Temptations, the Supremes, Marvin Gaye, The Miracles, and Stevie Wonder. “Nowhere” rose to number eight Pop and number five R&B.

In 1966 Lois Reeves, Martha’s sister and formerly with the Orlons, replaced Kelly. The group then continued to soar with hits like “My Baby Loves Me” (#22 Pop, #3 R&B) and “I’m Ready for Love (#9 Pop, #2 R&B).

1967 opened with the smash “Jimmy Mack” (#10 Pop, #1 R&B). Another change occurred with Sandra Tilley replaced Rosalind Ashford that year.

In the fall of 1967 Gordy labels began reading “Martha Reeves and the Vandellas” with the release of “Honey Chile,” their last top 10 R&B hit (#5 R&B, #11 Pop). On September 15th the group appeared on the debut episode of NBC TV’s “Soul” with Lou Rawls and Redd Foxx.

The group had three more chart singles in 1968 and two in 1969, ut it was becoming increasingly clear that Berry Gordy’s energies were primarily directed toward the Supremes.

Martha suffered a breakdown in the spring of 1969 but fought her way back by 1971. Upon returning to Detroit from an overseas tour, she learned that Motown had moved to Los Angeles but no one had the courtesy to inform her.

On July 15, 1972, “Tear It Down” became the group’s last charter, reaching number 37 R&B and number 103 Pop. It was also the group’s last single. On December 31, 1972, Martha and the Vandellas performed a farewell concert at Cobo Hall in Detroit. The group broke up in early 1973 and Martha went out as a solo. In 1974 Martha had her biggest solo success “Power of Love” (#76 Pop, #27 R&B) on MCA, produced by the legendary Richard Perry.

In 1978 the group reunited for a benefit for actor Will Geer in Santa Cruz, California.

Martha later settled in Detroit and often toured with “The Legendary Ladies of Rock and Roll,” including The Crystals and Ronnie Spector, among others.

– Jay Warner

Soundtrack/Filmography

Standing in the Shadows of Motown (2002) (performer: “Nowhere To Run”, “Dancing In The Street”)
- A.K.A. Standing in the Shadows of Motown: The Story of the Funk Brothers (USA: promotional title)
The Martins (2001) (performer: “Heatwave”)
Recess: School’s Out (2001) (performer: “Dancing In The Street”)
Frequency (2000) (performer: “(Love Is Like A) Heatwave”)
There Goes My Baby (1994) (performer: “(Love is like a) Heatwave”)
- A.K.A. The Last Days of Paradise (USA)
Backdraft (1991) (performer: “(Love Is Like A) Heat Wave”)
The Wizard (1989) (“Nowhere To Run”)
In Country (1989) (performer: “Dancing in the Street”)
One Crazy Summer (1986) (performer: “DANCING IN THE STREET”)
The Hollywood Knights (1980) (performer: “Heatwave”, “Quicksand”)
More American Graffiti (1979) (performer: “(Love Is Like A) Heat Wave”)
- A.K.A. Purple Haze
Carrie (1976) (performer: “(Love is Like a) Heatwave”)
The Boys in the Band (1970) (performer: “(Love is Like a) Heat Wave”)
Vinyl (1965) (performer: “Nowhere to Run”)
Nothing But a Man (1964) (“Heatwave”, “This Is When I Needed You Most”)

Filmography links and data courtesy of The Internet Movie Database

The Peerless Quartet

crosbbw — Thu, 30 Jun 2016 05:50:55 +0000

The Peerless Quartet

The Peerless Quartet is said to be the most commercially successful vocal group of the acoustic recording era.

Personnel changed frequently. The Quartet is an off shoot of the Columbia Male Quartet. In 1904 it consisted of tenors Henry Burr and Albert Campbell, baritone Steve Porter, and bass Tom Daniels. In 1906 Frank C. Stanley replaced Daniels and assumed lead singing and managing responsibilities.

The “Peerless Quartet” name appeared in 1906-1907. The group was called the Columbia Quartet on Columbia records for many years after other companies adopted the Peerless name.

Arthur Collins filled Porter’s slot in 1909. When Stanley died in 1910, John Meyer became the bass and Burr sang the lead. Frank Croxton joined the group when Collins left in 1918.

In 1925 Burr changed to personnel to include himself, Carl Mathieu, Stanley Baughman and James Stanley. The Quartet disbanded in 1928.

Biographical sources: “The Encyclopedia of Acoustic Era Recording Artists,” by Tim Gracyk, “Billy Murray, The Phonograph Industry’s First Great Recording Artist,” by Hoffmann, Carty, & Riggs.

Henry Burr was the pseudonym of Harry McClaskey, a world famous pop singer and recording artist of the 1902-1929 period. Credited with making over 5000 phonograph recordings for almost every record company and performing in many concerts throughout North America, this Canadian-American remains one of the most famous, and yet, one of the most forgotten recording artists of all time. Most information about Burr has come from a series of article written by Jim Walsh and the New York Times obituary.

Born in Saint Stephen, New Brunswick, Canada, Harry’s family moved to Saint John, New Brunswick, where Harry began his singing career as a boy tenor performing in local churches, and exhibitions. In 1901 he ventured into New York City, and found work as a church soloist. He also met Miss Kate Stella Burr, an organist and a vocal teacher, whose name he borrowed. By the fall of 1902 he became one of the recording artists for Columbia Graphophone, Edison Records, and later Victor Records. In 1905 he had a hit song with In the Shade of the Old Apple Tree. He was accepted into the Columbia Quartet which later became the Peerless Quartet. He became its manager in 1912. For the next 10-15 years, the Quartet and its later offshoot, the Sterling Trio, became one of the most popular recording groups in America, recording hundreds of 78’s of popular songs. Some estimates of the number of records made by Burr and his ensembles (Peerless Quartet and Sterling Trio) reach over 10,000.
Between 1916 and 1928, in addition to recording, Burr managed and toured the US and Canada with the Peerless Quartet, Billy Murray, and three other Victor Artists. The group was called the Eight Famous (Popular) Victor Artists and were a great success wherever they appeared.

The onset of radio, moving pictures, and jazz, outdated the sentimental style of music that Burr was familiar with and he disbanded the Quartet in October of 1928. After making several solo recordings on smaller labels, freelancing, and working for a short while at CBS, in 1934, Burr became a popular regular performer on Chicago’s WLS radio programs. He died of complication associated with throat cancer and heart failure at the age of 59. Burr lies buried in an unmarked grave in an upstate New York cemetery in Kenisco.

In his early years, Burr often returned to give concerts in New Brunswick, Canada, where even today, he is still remembered and appreciated.

Henry Burr Research Project

Started in 1984 this labor of love, is an ongoing effort to document as much as possible about Burr’s life and his recordings.

Two paperbacks, The Life and Times of Henry Burr, and the Preliminary Henry Burr Discography are currently being compiled. The publication date has been delayed several times as additional information trickles in, but 2003 should be it. Each book contains over 350 pages, tens of rare photographs, and is a result of much research through various archives, libraries, microfilms, personal interviews, record collections. The Life, reconstructs Burr’s early life and career in New Brunswick and New York, follows him through his recording period, tours with the Eight Victor Artists, and his final work at WLS. The Discography will contain a detailed discography of over 4000 records issued with Burr, Peerless Quartet, and the Sterling Trio on over 100 labels.

The Project welcomes any information on Burr or the recordings. We are always looking for lost relatives of Harry McClaskey (Henry Burr), or relatives of any of the artists that Harry recorded with, such as Albert Campbell, Monroe Silver, Frank Banta, Sammy Hermany, and anyone who may still be alive from the WLS National Barn Dance radio broadcasts, where Burr performed from 1935 to 1941. Also of great interest are titles, matrix numbers and issue numbers of records other than Victor and Columbia.

When Henry Burr died in Chicago, his wife Cecilia McClaskey was the only remaining relatives. Cecilia died in 1954 with no siblings left behind. There, the trail seemed to end, or so it seems.

If you may have any clues, please do send us mail to art@me.uvic.ca. You will be put on the list for the bio/disco and will be notified when it becomes available.

The Merry Macs

crosbbw — Thu, 30 Jun 2016 05:47:40 +0000

The Merry Macs

Back in the early ‘20’s, when America was singing in three parts and barbershop style. The Merry Macs, a trio of teenaged brothers, Ted, Judd, and Joe McMichael, heard a fourth harmony part usually played only by musical instruments and never before sung. So different was the resulting sound of their smooth four-part blend that only other musicians had an inkling of what they were doing.

Their emphasis on four-part harmony helped stoke the fires of popular demand for vocal groups.

The Merry Macs formed in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in the 1920’s and sang harmony with their mom singing the melody. They attended West High School and sang at school proms and college dances, fine-tuning their close-harmony style.

In 1930 they added a girl, Cheri McKay, to sing the melody line. While searching for a new name (somehow, Cheri didn’t qualify as a Personality Boy), they realized all their last names started in “Mc,” so they became the Merry Macs.

Influenced by The Mills Brothers, the close-harmony quartet began with Ted on baritone, Joe and Judd on tenor, and Cheri singing melody. Their blend was so incredibly tight that it was difficult to distinguish one vocalist from another.
In 1932 the group’s manager, Harry Norwood, got them signed to Victor Records, source of their historic four-part harmony 78 “The Little White Church on the Hill.” This was also the year of their first live performance at the Chicago Theatre and the commencement of their appearances on Don McNeil’s “Breakfast Club” program several times a week under an NBC Radio contract.

A number of firsts are attributable to this trend-setting group: they were the first close-harmony quartet to include a female, the first to use purely rhythmic accompaniment, and reportedly the first to wear white tie and tails, thus setting the trend toward formal attire on stage.

In 1936 the Macs performed on NBC’s national network show, “The Maxwell House Showboat Program,” and soon after, they were in demand for all the important network shows from the “Lucky Strike Hit Parade” to “Fred Allen’s Town Hall Tonight,” where a single performance blossomed into a three-year contract. During that same year Cheri was replaced by Helen Carroll.

With their 1938 appearance in Love Thy Neighbor, starring Jack Benny and Fred Allen, the Merry Macs became the first close-harmony group to show up in a Hollywood film. This supplemented a performing schedule that had them headlining with Glenn Miller, Ray Noble, Glen Gray, Paul Whiteman, and other top orchestras of the era.

In 1938 the foursome signed with Decca Records, recording the single “Pop Goes the Weasel” on August 4, 1938. They also signed a 10-year contract with Universal Studios, leading to appearances in such films as Ride ‘Em Cowboy with Abbott and Costello and Mr. Music with Bing Crosby.

A national hit came in March 1939 with the unlikely title “Ta Ha Wa Nu Wa (Hawaiian War Chant)” (#14). By now Mary Lou Cook had become the obligatory female lead of the group, replacing Helen Carroll.

“The Hut Hut Song” (June 1941) was their initial Decca hit of the ‘40s. Marjory Garland stepped in for Mary Lou Cook in 1941 and spent the next 22 years with the Macs, eventually marrying one (Judd).

Known for their bouncy pop tunes, the Merry Macs were also polished jazz stylists, as one listen to their 1940 single “Vol Vistu Gaily Star” will prove. They hit the top 10 with the bounce tune “Jingle Jangle Jingle” (#4, 1942), and contributed to the war effort with the 1942 number eight hit, “Praise the Lord and Pass the Ammunition.” The Macs’ biggest hit came in early 1944 with “Mairzy Doats,” which reached number one for five weeks.

Around this time Joe died and was replaced by Clive Erard, who stayed until the War’s end and was then replaced by Dick Baldwin.

In 1945 they hit with “Sentimental Journey” (#4) and in 1946 with “Laughing on the Outside” (#9). Their last of 12 chart hits had as strange a title as their first and several in-between: “Ashby De La Zooch” (#21, 1946).

The group continued to perform worldwide. They recorded commercials with Gilda Maiken (Anderson) of The Skylarks singing melody. The group stayed with Decca until 1949, when they moved over to Capitol and later to Era.

In 1954 Vern Rowe took over for Dick Baldwin. The foursome of Judd and Ted McMichael, Marjorie Garland McMichael, and Vern Rowe continued the group’s activities until 1964 when the act retired. Their last American performance was a 1968 reunion at the Hollywood Bowl.

One of Ted’s daughters, Geri Benson, became a second-generation lead singer of the Marry Macs, keeping the group’s tradition alive. Ted is the only surviving member of the group and lives in Hemet, California, with his wife Carolyn.

Soundtrack/Filmography

Bright Young Things (2003) (performer: “Mairzy Doats”)

Radio Days (1987) (performer: “Mairzy Doats”)

Class of ’44 (1973) (performer: “Mairey Doats”)

A.K.A. Tre kompisar

Mr. Music (1950) (performer: “Life Is So Peculiar”)

Melody Lane (1941) (performer: “Cherokee Charlie”, “Peaceful Ends the Day”, “Caliacau (Let’s Go To Calicau)”, “Listen to the Mocking Bird”, “Swing-a-bye My Baby”)

San Antonio Rose (1941) (performer: “Mexican Jumping Bean”, “The Hut-Hut Song”)

Seeing Red (1939) (performer: “Down by the Old Mill Stream”)

Filmography links and data courtesy of The Internet Movie Database

Danny and The Juniors

crosbbw — Thu, 30 Jun 2016 05:40:30 +0000

Danny and The Juniors

Performers of rock’s national anthem, “Rock and Roll Is Here to Stay,” written by David White, founder and original member of Danny & the Juniors. Danny and the Juniors are remembered more for their hits than for holding a pivotal place in vocal group history. Not too many groups of the late ‘50s or early ‘60s would have cited the Juniors as an early influence. They came along when most white groups, like The Four Coins and The Four Lads, were singing straight pop, but before acts like The Elegants, The Earls, and Dion and The Belmonts were on the scene. That made Danny and the Juniors one of the first acts to interpret black music and R&B in the context of white rock and roll.

Dave White was the initial culprit forming the Juvenairs in John Bartram High School in Philadelphia during 1955. The members were Danny Rapp (lead), Dave White (Tricker) (first tenor), Frank Maffei (second tenor), and Joe Terry (Terranova) (baritone).

Influenced early on by the likes of Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers, the Four Lads, The Four Freshmen, the Schoolboys, The Ravens, and Steve Gibson and his Red Caps, the group practiced in the back of a car (just like the Freshmen).

By 1957 the Juvenairs, like many of Philadelphia’s groups, were also practicing on street corners, only they decided to kill two birds with one song by singing on a corner under the window of producer John Madara. After telling them several times, “Get lost – you’re waking my kids,” he finally went downstairs and was impressed enough to take them to local disc jockey Larry Brown and Larry’s partner Artie Singer of Singular Records. The group had a few originals including a ballad called “Sometimes” and a dance tune titled “Do the Bop.” Singer took “Do the Bop” to a friend for an opinion. The friend was Dick Clark of “American Bandstand.” He liked it, but knowing that the dance the bop was on its way out, he suggested a name change to “At the Hop.”

In November 1957 “At the Hop” written by David White, John Madara and Artie Singer came out (the group had been renamed Danny and the Juniors by Singer), but it wasn’t getting much attention. On December 2, 1957, Dick Clark frantically called Singer saying the group scheduled to appear on his show (reportedly Little Anthony and The Imperials) couldn’t show up and he needed a fill-in act immediately. Artie sent over Danny and company, who lip-synced “At the Hop.” The switchboard lit up with hundreds of callers wanting to know what that was and who was singing it.

ABC Paramount quickly became aware of the record, bought the masters, and issued the single. One week (December 9th) after their TV appearance, the record appeared on the Billboard charts, and a month later Danny and the Juniors had the number one record in America.

It stayed there for an amazing seven weeks and remained in the Top 100 for three times that. This revolutionary rocker also reached number one on the R&B charts, this time for five weeks. It became an international hit as well, charting in England (#3), Australia (#16), and other countries outside the U.S. The record sold over two and a half million copies and the Juniors soon found themselves in Alan Freed’s touring review.

Next came the song that teens over the next 10 years would sing to their parents whenever they were told to “turn that damn thing down!” – David White’s “Rock and Roll is Here to Stay.” It charted on March 3, 1958, and rose to number 19 Pop and number 16 R&B, but radio played it as if it were number one!

“Dottie,” with nothing to distinguish it, reached only number 39 as their third release in the summer of 1958, while a beautiful ballad called “A Thief” (their fourth single) never charted at all. Their next three ABC singles had the same radio reception as “A Thief.” Their next-to-last ABC disc (“Somehow I Can’t Forget”) in 1959 had the distinction of being the first stereo 45 RPM single.

In late 1960 the group joined Swan Records and issued the quality dance record “Twistin’ USA,” which charted at number 27. Once again the group’s great ballad abilities demonstrated on their excellent B side interpretation of The Heartbeats’ “A Thousand Miles Away,” were ignored.

“Pony Express” (which would have been a great record for the Dovells) rose only as high as number 60 in early 1961, indicating that the group was losing its chart grip. As usual, another strong ballad was passed over on the flip side (“Daydreamer”).

One of the best sequel records, “Back to the Hop,” came out in the late summer of 1961 and managed to climb to number 80 (though it did reach the top 20 in a variety of eastern cities).

Their last Swan charter, “Doin’ the Continental Walk,” barely made number 93 in the spring of 1962, and the group moved over to another Philly label, Guyden, for their last chart record. “Oo-La-La-Limbo” took advantage of the limbo craze (#99, 1963).

After one Mercury issue in 1964 they broke up, but re-formed in 1968 for a contemporary recording of “Rock and Roll Is Here to Stay” on Capitol. While at Mercury they did one vocal backup assignment for Dean Christie on “Mona.”

In the ‘70s Danny and Joe had their own oldies show on WCAM in Camden, New Jersey, with newest Junior’s member Jimmy Testa (the Fabulous Four, Chancellor, and the Four J’s, Jamie). Other notable juniors over the years include Billy Carlucci, Johnny Petillo and Bobby Love.

In 1976 “At the Hop,” was re-issued in Britain and brought the populace back to those days of yesteryear as it charted up to number 39. Meanwhile Lenny Baker, sax player, became a member of a licensed version of Danny and The Juniors and later co-founded Sha Na Na.

Frank went on to become an optometrist; Dave continued Co-writing, including hits by Chubby Checker (“The Fly”) Len Barry of The Dovells (“One, Two Three”) and (You Don’t Own Me) Leslie Gore. Danny became assistant manager in a toy factory and sadly was found dead in Parker, Arizona, of apparent suicide on April 8, 1983, at the age of 41.

The legacy of this fine vocal group is kept alive by Danny and the Juniors featuring Joe Terry still performing classic rock and roll. Joe’s Juniors include original member Frank Maffei and his brother Bobby Maffei.

– Jay Warner

The Isley Brothers

crosbbw — Thu, 30 Jun 2016 05:36:27 +0000

The Isley Brothers

Coming from a gospel background, the Isley Brothers successfully entertained several generations of R&B and rock and roll lovers.

The Isley family was from Cincinnati, Ohio, and the original group was a quartet consisting of four Isley sons of Kelly and Sallye Isley. They were Ronald (b. 5/21/41, lead), O’Kelly (b. 12/25/37), Rudolph (b. 4/1/39), and youngest brother Vernon.

In 1944, three-year-old Ronald won a $25 war bond for singing in a spiritual contest at the Union Baptist Church, and by the time he was seven he was singing on stage at the Regal Theatre alongside Dinah Washington and others. With their mother accompanying them, the Isleys toured churches throughout Kentucky and Ohio, but activities ground to a halt in the 1950’s when young Vernon was killed in a traffic accident. A year later their parents convinced them to regroup, and the trio set about crafting a balance of gospel, rhythm and blues, and doo wop into an energetic style.

In 1957 The Isley Brothers left for New York with bus fare and $20 out of the family fund. A woman on the bus liked their harmonizing and recommended they see an agent in New York that she knew. The introduction allowed the teens to work and earn money for food and lodging.

Through their local shows they met Bill (Bass) Gordon, former lead singer of the Colonials (Gee, 1956) and owner of Teenage Records. He recorded the group and issued their first single, the doo wop, tenor-led ballad “The Angels Cried.”

A year later they crossed paths with George Goldner and recorded the Ron Isley-penned JESTERS/”So Strange” styled ballad “Don’t Be Jealous”

Three more Goldner singles (two on Gone and one on Mark-X) went nowhere. The group was then spotted by Howard Bloom of RCA at the Howard Theatre in Washington, D.C., and in the spring of 1959 they signed with that label.

On July 29th the trio made the historic recording of “Shout, Parts I and II,” the song that epitomized the merging of gospel and rock and roll. With a high-energy rhythm, gospel shouts, insistent tambourines, Professor Herman Stephens (their hometown church organist) on the keys, and the Isleys’ now-famous “hey-ey-ey-ey” call-and-response section, “Shout” charted Pop on September 21, 1959, and reached number 47. It never made it to the R&B chart, but in years to come it sold over a million copies as a standard rock and roll oldie and became one of oldies radio’s most popular plays.

In 1962 it charted again (#94), but their other RCA releases didn’t fare as well even though they included such gospel rockers as “Respectable,” which the Outsiders (another Ohio group, this one from Cleveland) took to number 15 in 1966, and the rousing “Tell Me Who.”

The Isley Brothers moved to Atlantic Records in 1961 and were produced by Leiber and Stoller, but they couldn’t come up with a commercial package for the group’s gospel power. Four singles failed. In 1962 the brothers switched over to Wand (a division of Florence Greenberg’s Scepter operation) and hit with a Bert Berns song and production called “Twist and Shout” (#17 Pop, #2 R&B, #42 U.K.). The Beatles made it a number two hit in 1964.

In 1964 the group set up their own T-Neck label named after the New Jersey city where they and their family now lived. They issued only one single at the time, “Testify, Parts I and II,” a recording that featured a 22-year-old touring band member named Jimi Hendrix on guitar.

By 1966 the Isleys had signed with Motown’s Tamla affiliate and recorded some of their best material, including the Holland , Dozier, and Holland song “This Old Heart of Mine” (#12 Pop, #6 R&B, #47 U.K.).

In 1968 the group toured England and “This Old Heart” was reissued for a chart climb to number three. The group wasn’t on Tamla anymore, so they resurrected T-Neck, arranged distribution through Neil Bogart’s Buddah label, and in 1969 hit with “It’s Your Thing,” which turned out to be their biggest record ever (#2 Pop,#1 R&B, #30 U.K.). Their It’s Your Thing LP eventually sold over two million copies.

Meanwhile, in the U.K. Tamla releases that did little in the U.S. began to hit the upper reaches of the charts. “I Guess I’ll Always Love You” hit number 11 in early 1969 and “Behind a Painted Smile” went to number five in the spring of 1969 – just two of the eventual charters the Isleys would accumulate in Britain.

By the fall of 1969 the family trio had been joined by brothers Marvin (bass), Ernie (Guitar and drums), and cousin Chris Jasper (keyboards).

The group began producing other acts for T-Neck like Dave “Baby” Cortez (of THE VALENTINES, Rama) and Judy White.

The Isley Brothers also began covering rock and folk-rock material, adding their own gospel flavor to songs like Stephen Stills’s “Love the One You’re With” (#18 Pop, #3 R&B, 1971 and Bob Dylan’s “Lay, Lady, Lay” (#71 Pop, #29 R&B, 1971), while doing a whole LP of covers (Giving It Back) that included James Taylor’s “Fire and Rain.”

In 1973, T-Neck moved from Buddah to Columbia and the initial release, “That Lady,” became on of their biggest hits (#6 Pop, #2 R&B).

From 1974 to 1984 the group scored 27 times on the R&B chart and 12 times on the Pop list with songs like Seals and Crofts’ “Summer Breeze” (#60 Pop, #10 R&B, 1974), “Fight the Power” (#4 Pop, #1 R&B, 1975), “The Pride” (#63 Pop, #1 R&B, 1977), “Take Me to the Next Place” (#1 R&B, 1978), “I Want to Be with You” (#1 R&B, 1979), and “Don’s Say Goodnight” (#39 Pop, #1 R&B, 1980).

In 1984 the younger brothers, Ernie and Marvin, along with cousin Chris, formed the Isley, Jasper, Isley group and hit number 51 in late 1985 with the gospel-influenced “Caravan of Love.” The House Martins in England did an a cappella version in 1986 and reached number one there. The split of the family into two groups may have taken the wind out of the original trio’s sales for a while but in late 1985 they mothballed T-Neck, signed with Warner Bros., and reached number 12 R&B with “Colder Are My Nights.”

On March 31, 1986, O’Kelly died of a heart attack at age 48, and little Isley Brother action happened after that.

A previous cut, “Smooth Sailing Tonight,” became their last top five R&B single (#3) in the spring of 1986, and in 1990 Ron Isley and Rod Stewart teamed up for a strong remake of “This Old Heart of Mine” (#10) Pop).

– Jay Warner

Soundtrack/Filmography

Big Momma’s House 2 (2006) (performer: “It’s Your Thing”)
The Man (2005) (performer: “It’s a New Thing (It’s Your Thing)”)
Wedding Crashers (2005) (performer: “Shout”)
Rebound (2005) (performer: “Take Me to the Next Phase (Part 1 & 2) (Ignorants featuring Dead Rabbits)”)
Alfie (2004) (performer: “For the Love of You”) (“For the Love of You”)
“Mosca y Smith en el Once” (2004) (mini) TV Series (performer: “Pop That Thang”, “It’s Your Thing”)
Taxi (2004/I) (performer: “Fight the Power”)
- A.K.A. New York Taxi (France)
- A.K.A. Taxi 2004 (UK: promotional title)
Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004) (performer: “That Lady”)
- A.K.A. Anchorman (USA: short title)
The Big Bounce (2004) (performer: “It’s Your Thing”)
Radio (2003) (performer: “That Lady” (1964))
Runaway Jury (2003) (performer: “It’s Your Thing”)
The Ladies Man (2000) (performer: “Don’t Let Me Be Lonely Tonight”, “That Lady”)
- A.K.A.The Ladies’ Man (UK)
Next Friday (2000) (performer: “Make Your Body Sing”)
Boys Don’t Cry (1999) (performer: “That Lady ‘Part 1′”)
Muppets from Space (1999) (performer: “It’s Your Thing”)
Pourquoi pas moi? (1999) (performer: “That Lady”)
- A.K.A. ¿Entiendes? (Spain)
- A.K.A. Why Not Me? (International: English title)
Out of Sight (1998) (performer: “Fight the Power (Part 2)”, “It’s Your Thing”)
Don’t Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood (1996) (performer: “Let’s Lay Together”)
- A.K.A. Don’t Be a Menace
A Low Down Dirty Shame (1994) (writer: “Turn It Up “, “Mind Blowin'”) (performer: “Turn It Up “, “Mind Blowin'”)
- A.K.A. Mister Cool
Guarding Tess (1994) (performer: “Shout”)
Menace II Society (1993) (writer: “For The Love Of You (PART 1)”) (performer: “For The Love Of You (PART 1)”)
Bound by Honor (1993) (performer: “That Lady”)
- A.K.A.Blood In, Blood Out (Australia)
- A.K.A.Blood In, Blood Out… Bound by Honor
Billy Joel: Live at Yankee Stadium (1990) (V) (writer: “Shout”)
Troop Beverly Hills (1989) (performer: “Twist and Shout”)
The Wanderers (1979) (performer: “Shout”)
The Best on Record (1970) (TV) (performer: “It’s Your Thing”)

Filmography links and data courtesy of The Internet Movie Database

The Impressions

crosbbw — Thu, 30 Jun 2016 05:26:05 +0000

The Impressions

Two schools of soul were started in the late ‘50s by The Falcons, who promulgated a ragged-edged shouting style, and the Impressions, who gave birth to soul’s intense-yet-soft side. The Impressions were actually made up of members of two groups: Arthur and Richard Brooks (tenors) and Sam Gooden (baritone) of the Roosters, and Jerry Butler (baritone) and Curtis Mayfield (tenor) of the Northern Jubilee Gospel Singers.

The three Roosters splintered from their original quintet when they moved to Chicago from Chattanooga, Tennessee, in 1957. The Jubilees’ Jerry and Curtis were Chicago residents who were traveling the gospel circuit and performing in the Traveling Souls Spiritualist Church, of which Mayfield’s grandmother was a pastor. To help out with the family finances, both boys sang with secular groups on the side, Jerry with the Quails and Curtis as part of the Alphatones.

When the Roosters came on the scene, Jerry convinced Curtis to join, and soon they had both a sound and a manager named Eddie Thomas.

During 1957 Thomas came up with an unusual gig for the teenagers: a downtown fashion show. Performing their usual set of rhythm and blues doo wop songs, the group also did an original with music by the Brooks brothers and lyrics by Butler titled “For Your Precious Love.” It caught the attention of one Mrs. Vi Muzinski, who arranged an audition with Calvin Carter of Vee-Jay Records. A more elaborate version of the Vee-Jay encounter was described by Curtis Mayfield in an interview. It seems the group was standing knee-deep in snow at the door of Chess Records, but the secretary, seeing them through the window, refused to let them in. Rather than freeze, they went across the street to Vee-Jay Records, entered, and were greeted by a great dane that held them at bay until Carter came down. They auditioned with “For Your Precious Love” right in the hallway and wound up recording for the label a few days later. (It was Carter who changed the name of the Roosters to the Impressions).

Whichever version is correct, “For Your Precious Love” was released on Vee-Jay in May 1958. It was an unusual all-verse ballad that never repeated the title, had no hook, and had a quiet gospel tone. With Butler’s baritone lead, it is, arguably, the first recognizable soul-styled ballad. There were immediate complications: before many copies of the Impressions’ single could be pressed on Vee-Jay, Ewart Abner, the label’s general manager, arranged for “Precious Love” to wind up on a Vee-Jay distributed label called Falcon, which some say Ewart owned a piece of. To further complicate matters, Falcon then had to change its name or face an infringement suit, so it became Abner Records, with the exact same logo and artwork (a picture, not surprisingly, of a falcon). The song was now on three labels, each of which read “Jerry Butler and the Impression” since Vee-Jay recognized his distinctive style and wanted him out front.

By July 28th “For Your Precious Love” was at number 11 Pop and number three R&B. Its flip side, the more traditional doo wop rocker “Sweet Was the Wine,” became a street-corner vocal group favorite over the years.

In September, their second single, “Come Back My Love,” with a similarity to “Precious Love,” came out and went to #28 R&B but never crossed into Pop.

By the fall of 1958, Jerry Butler decided to go solo. Three remaining Ewart Abner singles under the name the Impressions went nowhere, including “At the County Fair,” the first recording with a Curtis Mayfield lead.

When Butler’s solo career finally managed to take off, it was due in part to his writing and duetting collaboration with Curtis on “He Will Break Your Heart” (Butler’s fifth solo single and his first on Vee-Jay).

Meanwhile, Fred Cash of Chattanooga, a Rooster before that group moved north, took Jerry’s place in the Impressions. When Vee-Jay left them out in the cold, re-signing only Butler, their manager arranged for the recording of two short-lived singles, “Shorty’s Got to Go” on Bandera, and “Don’t Leave Me” on Swirl, both in 1958. Curtis, now clearly the lead voice and writer, took the quintet to New York and established a record deal with ABC Paramount in 1960.

Their first ABC single established them as distinct from other vocal groups, thanks to Curtis’ unique, fragile-sounding falsetto. “Gypsy Woman” reached number 20 Pop while rising to number two R&B. A few more singles were issued, but none with the impact of “Gypsy,” so in February 1963, Curtis, Sam, and Fred opted to return to Chicago while the Brooks brothers chose to stay in New York. The Impressions were now a trio, and their first 45 release under that configuration was “Sad, Sad Girl and Boy” (#84).

Mayfield began to write in a more spiritual and black-awareness vein, and September’s “It’s All Right” catapaulted the group into the high reaches of stardom (#4 Pop, #1 R&B). Gospel-styled recordings like “Keep on Pushin’” (#10 Pop, 1964), “Amen” (#7 Pop, #17 R&B), “People Get Ready” (#14 Pop, #3 R&B), and “Meeting Over Yonder” (#48 Pop, #12 R&B) followed in 1965.

Mayfield was wearing numerous professional hats. He wrote for other artists (Jan Bradley, “Mama Didn’t Lie,” #14 Pop, #8 R&B, 1963) and became Okeh Record’s head producer, working with an writing for Major Lance (“Monkey Time” with the Impressions backing, #8 Pop, #2 R&B, 1963) and Gene Chandler (“Rainbow,” #47 Pop, #11 R&B, 1963) among others. He continued to pen love songs for the Impressions while singing lead on “Woman’s Got Soul” (#29 Pop, #9 R&B, 1965) and “I’m So Proud” (#14 Pop and R&B, 1964), and in 1966 he started his own short-lived Windy C label (seven singles) that recorded The Five Stairsteps.

In 1967 Curtis addressed black political issues in his Impressions recording of “We’re a Winner,” which was banned on radio in many parts of the U.S. It still made number one R&B and #14 Pop. (Mayfield had another shorter-lived label called Mayfield Records, the chief success of which was the Fascinations’ “Girls AR Out to Get You” [#92 Pop, #13 R&B, 1967].) “We’re a Winner” was the Impressions’ last ABC single. Their contract expired and they signed with the new Curtom label that was distributed by Buddah and just happened to be owned by Curtis Mayfield. ABC issued a few more canned sides and the trio then went on a streak of 19 R&B charters for Curtom from 1968 to 1976, 12 of which crossed over to Pop. They included “Fool for You” (#22 Pop, #3 R&B, 1968), “This is My Country” (#25 Pop, #8 R&B, 1969), “Choice of Colors” (#21 Pop, #1 R&B, 1969), and “Check Out Your Mind” (#28 Pop, #3 R&B, 1970).

In the summer of 1970, Mayfield left the group to go solo but continued writing and producing for them. Leroy Hutson of the Mayfield Singers (on Mayfield) took the lead, but the group’s popularity declined without Mayfield’s familiar sound, much as it did in the early days after Jerry Butler left.

In 1973 Leroy Hutson opted for a solo career. The group then became a quartet with the addition of Ralph Johnson and Reggie Torian. The Impressions hit it big again with the Ed Townsend-produced “Finally Got Myself Together” (#17 Pop, #1 R&B) in the spring of 1974. Follow-up records like “Sooner or Later” (#68 Pop, #3 R&B) and “Same Thing It Took” (#75 Pop, #3 R&B) kept them in the public’s consciousness.

The group recorded the soundtrack for the film Three the Hard Way in 1973 and in 1976 moved over to Atlantic’s Cotillion affiliate.

Johnson left at that time to for the group Mystique, and Nate Evans took his place. Coming full circle, the quartet charted in 1981 with a remake of “For Your Precious Love” (#58, Chi-Sound), and by the late ‘80s was recording for MCA with its most recent charter being “Can’t Wait ‘Till Tomorrow” (#91 R&B, 1987).

In 1983 Jerry and Curtis joined with the original Impressions for a reunion tour.

Curtis Mayfield had a very successful solo career from 1970 through 1985, charting $&B 29 times and crossing Pop 11 of those times with songs like “(Don’t Worry) If There’s a Hell Below We’re All Going to Follow” (#29 Pop, #3 R&B, 1970), “Freddy’s Dead” (#4 Pop, #2 R&B), and “Superfly” (#8 Pop, #5 R&B), both from the 1972 film Superfly.

Butler became an international star with an incredible 54 black charters after his Impressions days and 37 Hot 100 residents, including “Moon River” (#11 Pop, #14 R&B, 1962), “Make It Easy on Yourself” (#20 Pop, #18 R&B, 1962), “Let It Be Me” with Betty Everett (#5 Pop, 1964), “Hey Western Union Man” (#16 Pop, #1 R&B, 1968) and “Only the Strong Survive” (#4 Pop, #1 R&B, 1969).

Combine Mayfield’s and Butler’s hits with the Impressions’ 50 R&B chart songs and 37 Pop sides and you have three entities rooted in one group that had a total of 133 R&B chart singles and 85 on the Pop list. Add that to their position as one of the early proponents of soul and you’ve got an impressive set of accomplishments.

– Jay Warner

Soundtrack/Filmography

Alfie (2004) (performer: “Woman’s Got Soul”)
Terrorister – en film om dom dömda (2003) (performer: “It’s All Right”)
- A.K.A. Terrorists: The Kids They Sentenced (International: English title)
“American Dreams” (2002) TV Series (performer: “People Get Ready”)
- A.K.A. Our Generation (Australia) (USA: working title)
RFK (2002) (TV) (performer: “It’s All Right”)
Deuces Wild (2002) (performer: “For Your Precious Love”)
- A.K.A. Deuces Wild – Wild in den Straßen (Germany)
Cherish (2002) (performer: “Get Up and Move”)
Vanilla Sky (2001) (performer: “Keep On Pushing” (1964))
Simon Birch (1998) (performer: “It’s All Right”)
- A.K.A. Angels and Armadillos
Get on the Bus (1996) (performer: “People Get Ready”, “Keep On Pushing”) (“We’re A Winner”)
Phenomenon (1996) (performer: “It’s All Right”)
Dead Presidents (1995) (performer: “Keep On Pushing”, “(Man Oh Man) I Want To Go Back”)
Angels in the Outfield (1994) (performer: “It’s All Right”)
- A.K.A. Angels (UK)
A Bronx Tale (1993) (performer: “For Your Precious Love”, “I’m So Proud”)
The Flamingo Kid (1984) (performer: “It’s all right”)

Filmography links and data courtesy of The Internet Movie Database

The Four Lads

crosbbw — Thu, 30 Jun 2016 05:16:21 +0000

The Four Lads

Probably the only group that ever made it by auditioning over a phone, the Four Lads were an early ‘50s pop harmony delight. They were originally choirboys at St. Michael’s Cathedral Choir School in Toronto during the late ‘40s. The four included Bernie Toorish (lead), Jimmie Arnold (second tenor), Frank Busseri (baritone), and Connie Codarini (bass).

By day they attended school and by night their practices gave way to performances at local hotels. One such evening at the Toronto Hotel they did an imitation of the famed GOLDEN GATE QUARTET. Gates leader Orlando Wilson happened to be in the audience and was so impressed by the performance that he telephoned his manager Mike Stewart in New York right from the hotel. Holding the phone in the direction of the stage Stewart agreed with Wilson’s assessment and agreed to sign the quartet sight unseen to a management contract.

The boys pooled their life savings for the New York trip and Stewart immediately put them into the fashionable Le Ruban Bleu nightclub for a tryout of two weeks. That tryout lasted 30 weeks and the Lads’ reputation began to spread. Performances at the Paramount and on the Perry Como and Dave Garroway TV shows followed. During the Lads’ appearance at Le Ruban Bleu, Columbia A&R guru Mitch Miller spotted them and brought them aboard.

They were originally signed to Columbia as a backup group and given the unique opportunity few acts ever get with a major label, that of choosing which of the roster’s stars they’d like to sing backup for. In what can only be termed a fateful decision they passed over several name acts to back an unknown newcomer named Johnnie Ray.

In the fall of 1951 the group supported Ray’s new two-sider “Cry” b/w “Little White Cloud that Cried.” Even the most optimistic expectations didn’t prepare the group or Ray for the incredible success, not just of “Cry” (number one for eleven weeks) but also “Little White Cloud” (number two for two weeks).

The Lads had three more hits with Ray “(Please Mr. Sun” [#6}, “Here Am I Brokenhearted” [#8}, and “What’s the Use” [#13], all in 1952) before getting the opportunity to do it for themselves.

Their first single, “The Mockingbird,” made it to number 23 in the summer of 1952 on Columbia’s Okeh label. They moved up to the parent company starting with their next single, “Somebody Loves Me” (#22) from the musical George White’s Scandals of 1924.

Five of their next 12 singles charted, including “Istanbul” (#10) and “Down by the Riverside” (#17), both in 1953. “Skokiaan,” a South African song, became their first top 10 hit (#7) in the fall of 1954 followed by a charter behind Frankie Laine (“Rain Rain Rain,” #21) at just about the same time. They also backed Columbia thrushes Jill Corey and Toni Arden.

The group continued on the national nightclub circuit but also did double duty wherever they were by officiating at early mass at a local church before going to bed (just like today’s rockers and rappers).

Their biggest hit came in the fall of 1955 with “Moments to Remember” (#2), a pretty ballad done in their schmaltziest of styles. “No Not Much” had the same effect (#2) in early1956. Though rock and roll was taking over, the group (much it its credit and talent) held their own into the late ‘50s, scoring another 16 pop charters including “Standing on the Corner (Watching All the Girls Go By)” (#3, spring of 1956).

With 28 chart singles between 1951 and 1959 the group was certainly a potent force in pop music of the period and their clean-cut harmonies attracted a large following.

By 1961 Connie was in the restaurant business. Lead singer Bernie Toorish left in the ‘70s to pursue the insurance business and Jimmy left in the ‘80s to teach voice in California. Baritone Frank continued on and in the early ‘90s was still performing to appreciative audiences, many of whom had fallen in love to the strains of Four Lads songs in the ‘50s.

– Jay Warner

The Five Satins

crosbbw — Thu, 30 Jun 2016 05:14:03 +0000

The Five Satins

One of the greatest rhythm and blues ballads of all time was a B side, and the Five Satins who recorded that B side, “In the Still of the Night,” were actually only four Satins. But those Satins were undoubtedly one of the finest vocal groups of the ‘50s.

Fred Parris of 24 Sperry Street in New Haven, Connecticut, was expelled in 1953 from a vocal group known as the Canaries. The avid ball player (he once had a tryout with the Boston Braves) decided to form his own group and labeled them the Scarlets. The quintet of Hillhouse High School students included Sylvester Hopkins (first tenor), Nathaniel Mosely, Jr. (second tenor), Albert Denby (baritone), and William L. Powers (bass).

Since Fred wrote the songs the guys made him lead singer. The rehearsed under the influence of THE 5 ROYALES, THE CLOVERS, THE DOMINOES, and THE FIVE CROWNS. Fred was a particular fan of the Velvets and THE FOUR FRESHMEN.

As the group’s leader, Parris was saddled with the responsibility of finding them a record label, but the 17-year-old had little idea how to go about it. He traveled to New York without so much as a tape in hopes of finding Red Robin Records (home of the Velvets), which was operated out of a record shop at 301 West 125th Street in Harlem. First he encountered Bob Shad, a record shop owner who also owned the Jax label (Bobby Hall and the Kings). Shad sent Fred down the block where he met Red Robin proprietor Bobby Robinson. When the Scarlets lead told Robinson of his group he got the same response elicited from Shad, which in effect was “go home and bring me a demo tape.” When Fred did return with a tape of the self penned “Dear One,” Robinson still wasn’t impressed, but his brother and partner Dan did like the group and convinced Robinson to record them

In early spring of 1954 the Scarlets were given 15 minutes to cut “Dear One” and another ballad called “I’ve Lost.” (This was done during the same session in which the Velvets spent over three hours on what would become their last Red Robin single, “I Cried.”)

“Dear One” had a classic rhythm and blues harmony sound. Fred’s Plaintive lead, shifting to falsetto riffing while the baritone and bass took over, helped make the record a New York hit in the spring of 1954. The flip, “I’ve Tried,” was another solid ballad with more than a hint of the melody line from the 1948 Benny Goodman tune “Beyond the Sea.”

The group got better with each release as December’s “Love Doll” and the later “True Love” demonstrated. Even though “True Love” was almost a clone of “Dear One,” the harmonies had a more confident sound. Parris had his first hit as a writer with the B side but not via the Scarlets. The rocker, “Cry Baby,” was cut a year later by three moonlighting nurses from Bellevue Hospital called THE BONNIE SISTERS, reaching a healthy number 18 on the Pop charts.

The New Haven quintet was called by Uncle Sam in 1955 with the promise that they could stay together. Thus assured, the Scarlets foresaw a great time entertaining troops and officers. Instead, one member wound up in Alaska, One in Texas, and other in Korea, and so on. After basic training in Texas the group returned to New York on leave and cut one farewell single for Red Robin called “Kiss Me.” Fred was then stationed in Philadelphia and was able to return to New Haven for weekends. He formed a new group that included Lou Peebles (tenor), Ed Martin (baritone), Stanley Dortch (tenor), and Jim Freeman (bass). Fred wanted a new name since none of these new members had been in the Scarlets. He liked the idea of something soft and red like the Velvets and the Scarlets. The result: the Five Satins.

At around this time, New Haven teenager Marty Kugell, his partner Tom Zachariah, and their two-track tape recorder came together as a record label and asked the Satins to record for them. As Tom and Marty had no office, much less a studio, they hauled their precious two-track to a V.F.W. (Veterans of Foreign Wars) Post in New Haven on a hot summer day. The musicians never showed up (one rumor had it that their instruments fell of a truck), so they recorded the songs a cappella intending to add the music later. The songs were “All Mine” (written by Fred Parris and “Rose Mary” (by Lou Peebles and Jim Freeman).

In an occurrence that could only happen in the imperfect world of the 1950s rock and roll recording, the group left the hall door open in order to provide some ventilation, and toward the end of the beautiful ballad “All Mine” you can actually hear a truck rumbling – right on the finished record.

Music was later added to “Rose Mary” but not to “All Mine”; upon its release on Standard Records “All Mine” became the first rock and roll a cappella release. The sound was ahead of its time and few people ever heard it.

The group soon reorganized, with Peebles and Dortch out and Al Denby of the Scarlets in.

Fred came up with a rocker titled “The Jones Girl,” but before the group could record again he was back at the army base in Philadelphia. One night he found himself on guard duty. At around 3 a.m. alone and pining for his sweetheart, Fred put down his rifle, picked up his pen, and wrote one of the greatest ballads of all time, “In the Still of the Night.” After he returned to New Haven, he and the Satins went into the basement of St. Bernadette’s church in New Haven on a December night in 1955 (this time the musicians showed up) and cut the two sides on Marty’s trusty two-track. There were only four Satins on the date.

Standard put out “The Jones Girl” and its flip that spring, and when it started getting some New York reactions Herald Record prexy Al Silvers bought the masters and reissued them on his new Ember Label. Meanwhile, Fred was in the studio on his last leave before being sent to Japan. At that time he recorded eight sides with the Satins including “Moonlight and I,” “Sugar,” “Oh Happy Day,” and “Wonderful girl.”

By the summer, “Jones Girl” was getting some play but all of a sudden that B-side ballad with magical “sho doe” and “sho be doe” harmony started popping up on hundreds of radio stations.

Billboard’s June 9th review of “The Jones Girl” called it an “enthusiastic vocal treatment of a bouncy rhythm opus with a strong solid beat.” About “Still of the Night” they wrote, “The Satins chant with warm expressiveness on a smoothly paced ballad with dramatic lyrics.”

On September 1, 1956, “In the Still of the Night” charted on Billboard’s R&B lists and one week later did the same on the Pop charts. The song had become such a symbol of the ‘50s that most listeners don’t realize it never came close to being a number one record (except in New York and on various big-city charts); it only made it to number 24 Pop in the fall (#3 R&B). Still, its steady play on radio for over 35 years has made it a multi-million seller, though its author Fred Parris and the group were never honored with a gold record. It is usually among the top five songs on annual and holiday oldies shows and marathons.

While Fred was out guarding Japan, the label of “In the Still” was revised to read “(I’ll Remember) In the Still of the Night” in order to differentiate it from Cole Porter’s standard (now that the Satins’ song was famous in its own right).

Two more beautiful ballads emerged on Ember: “Wonderful Girl” in late 1956 (with a bass player plucking on a cello since he showed up with the wrong instrument) and the Don Howard oldie “Oh Happy Day” in early 1957, but neither charted. Ember was running out of quality tracks to keep the Satins’ name visible, so in May they added New Havenite Bill Baker on lead and sent him on tour with Freeman, Martin, newcomer Tommy Killebrew, and the Satins’ pianist Jessie Murphy.

Meanwhile, to avoid boredom, Fred began singing with some army buddies in Japan when one guy brought in a copy of a record from the States. He started to teach everyone his versions of it and chided Fred for singing a bass part that didn’t blend with the record. The song was “In the Still of the Night,” and Fred was having some fun singing the part the way he’d written it before it was recorded. When the guy found out who Fred was he never showed his face around the barracks again.

Back in the States, Bill Baker and company recorded Billy Dawn Smith’s “To the Aisle,” It took off in July 1957 and became another Five Satins standard, peaking at number 25 Pop (#5 R&B).

In 1958 Fred received his discharge, returned to New Haven, and formed yet another group with ex-Five Satins member Lou Peebles, ex-Scarlet Sylvester Hopkins, and former Starlarks (Ember) Richie Freeman and Wes Forbes. He called this group Fred Parris and the Scarlets and they recorded an excellent rhythm ballad titled “She’s Gone” for Marty and Tom’s Klik label (the label’s small print read “Originally The Five Satins” directly below the name the Scarlets).

The Klik side didn’t click, and since Marty didn’t sell it to an active company there was no chance for promotion. Meanwhile, Bill Baker went on to sing with one of New Haven’s best groups, THE CHESTNUTS (“Won’t You Tell Me My Heart,” Elgin, 1959).

Fred Parris and the Scarlets then became the Five Satins and moved to Ember for “A Night to Remember,” a single that came and went with little play or support. Their next Ember release was “Shadows” (late 1959), a Parris-penned ballad and their strongest song since “She’s Gone,” but it only managed a number 87 Pop (#27R&B). It also became their last R&B charter for 16 years as they began to lean more toward pop.

Ember then lent the Satins out to First Records for one single, the magnificent rhythm ballad “When Your Love Comes Along,” with innovative “du wah wah” harmonies identical to those that showed up two years later in the Imaginations’ “Hey You” (Musicmakers). Though this was a common practice in the ‘50s, try to imagine Sire Records lending Madonna out to a competing company today.

The Satins did three more Ember singles, the best being a splendid version of the number one 1944 Bing Crosby hit “I’ll Be Seeing You,” which reached number 79 on the Pop chart. The last Ember single (“Wishing Ring,” 1961) wasn’t really the Satins, as Fred and Lou were the only group members to show up for the session; three white musicians were drafted and taught the simplest of harmony parts. One of those musicians, the drummer Jerry Greenberg, later became president of Atlantic Records.

In 1960 the quintet joined Cub Records for “Your Memory,” “A Beggar with a Dream,” and “Can I Come Over Tonight” (THE VELOURS), but the label couldn’t make them click. In 1961 Fred and company decided to keep making name changes until something stuck, so they became the Wildwoods (“When the Swallows Come Back to Capistrano,” Caprice) and the New Yorkers, whose “Miss Fine” (Wall) reached number 69 Pop-not much recognition there for an act that’s spent five years under another name, so they went back to the Five Satins for one side on United Artists (“On Lovers Island”).

In 1962, the Five Satins signed with Bob Marcucci’s Chancellor label for two singles, including a fine arrangement of “The Masquerade Is Over.” The group then moved to the Warner Bros., Roulette, Lana, and Mama Sadie labels under their own name and to Checker and Green Sea as the Restless Hearts.

By 1971 the group was Fred, Wes, Richie, Jimmy Curtis of the Chestnuts (Elgin), and Corky Rogers of the Revalons (Pet). They recorded “Summer in New York” for RCA, and by 1972 were label shopping with two other sides, “Fate Has a Brother” and “He Ain’t Heavy He’s My Brother” (Hollies), produced by Five Satins fan Jay Warner.

In 1973 old New Haven mentor Marty Kugell hooked up with publisher Al Altman and the Satins to produce an ode to oldies that mentioned various groups and songs while slipping in a finale of “In the Still of the Night.”

Two years later Kugell, Altman, and company were back at it for a soul LP on buddah, and to counter radio aversion to anything older than their disc jockey’s morning donut, Fred renames the group Black Satin. The 10-cut LP included a soulfully smooth version of “In the Still of the Night” and “Everybody Stand and Clap Your Hands” (#49), their first R&B chart single in 16 years.

With the oldies revival in full swing the Satins became a premier attraction, and following their November 22, 1969, rebirth in Richard Nader’s Madison Square Garden Rock and Roll Revival show, they have been one of the most revered standard bearers of ‘50s music. They appeared in the movie Let the Good Times Roll doing a cappella renditions of “I’ll Be Seeing You” and “In the Still.”

In 1977 the group teamed with Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes for a solid cut on their This Time It’s for Real LP, with “First Night.” The group at that point was Fred, Richie, Jimmy and Nate Marshall. Billy Baker formed Billy Baker and the Satins in around 1981 with three Hopkins brothers, Sylvester (former Scarlet and Satin), Arthur, and Frank (formerly of the Chestnuts). In 1982 they cut another excellent version of “In the Still of the Night” b/w “Crying in the Chapel” on Clifton Records and continued to perform in the Connecticut area for years to come. In the mid-80s Baker’s Satins included former members of the Modulations Harvey Potts, Jr., Anthony Hofler, and Octavio DeLeon. They recorded an LP in 1987 titled I’ll Be Seeing You. No, it does not contain a version of “In the Still of the Night.”

In 1982 Fred and company waxed another LP, this time as Fred Parris and the Satins on Electra, charting Pop for the first time in 21 years with a nostalgic look back on “Memories of Days Gone By,” a medley that contained “Sixteen Candles,” “Earth Angel,” “A Thousand Miles Away,” “Tears on My Pillow,” “Since I Don’t Have you,” and guess which other song.

The group was still performing in the early ‘90s, and when Freddie held 60-second notes at the end of “I’ll Be Seeing You,” all was right with the world.

– Jay Warner

Earth, Wind and Fire

crosbbw — Thu, 30 Jun 2016 05:11:18 +0000

Earth, Wind and Fire

Do you remember the first time you ever heard Earth, Wind & Fire? Do you remember smiling, singing along, shaking your rump or cuddling with your loved one while listening to their albums?

Do you remember the energetic rhythms, sultry love songs, feel-good vibes and lyrics that were intelligent, positive and uplifting? Do you remember the vocal interplay between Philip Bailey’s highs and Maurice White’s lows, propulsive bursts of funk from the horn section, sophisticated instrumentation and complex arrangements?

Do you remember the first time you saw them in concert?

Do you remember the full spectrum of vibrant colors, masterful musicianship and extraordinary theatrics?

Do you remember the purity and spiritual elements that always seemed to elevate your mood and expand your consciousness? And here we are, a breath away from entering a new millennium, and Earth, Wind & Fire’s music is as timely and timeless as ever.

History.. Maurice White knew exactly what he wanted to accomplish when the Memphis-born, Chicago-reared drummer left his gig as a member of renowned jazz pianist Ramsey Lewis’ quartet and session drummer for the famed Chess Records. Simply put, he wanted to form a band that abolished the lines between musical genres. He wanted to be able to freely borrow from all styles of music without regard to convention. “Although we were basically jazz musicians, we played soul, funk, gospel, blues, jazz, rock and dance music which somehow ended up becoming pop,” Maurice recalled. “I wanted to do something that hadn’t been done before. We were coming out of a decade of experimentation, mind expansion and Cosmic awareness and I wanted our music to convey messages of universal love and harmony without force-feeding listeners spiritual content.”

After heading west to Los Angeles, Maurice coaxed his younger brother Verdine, then nineteen, to join him. Verdine was a classically trained bassist who previously had never been outside of Chicago. The first grouping initially took the name “The Salty Peppers.” Maurice renamed the band Earth, Wind & Fire, which he took from his astrological chart (he’s a Sagittarian – no water). At first, EWF was loose and somewhat unfocused. They even tried unsuccessfully using female singers in the mix. After his vision wasn’t quite realized on two 1971 albums for Warner Brothers Records, Maurice demolished the band to its foundation and rebuilt the unit, adding a four-octave singer-percussionist from Denver named Philip Bailey and a drummer-percussionist-vocalist from Los Angeles named Ralph Johnson. Verdine stuck around. Good thing.

Beginning to gel… Maurice’s charismatic tenor and Philip’s stratospheric falsetto helped chisel the band’s vocal identity. The two fit together and complimented one another remarkably well. In the studio, Maurice floated a thicket of elaborate vocal arrangements over a stream of musical rivers. Philip brought an innate sense of melody to their songwriting efforts.
Earth, Wind & Fire created the soundtrack to a pioneering black film, “Sweet Sweetback’s Badasssss Song,” then promptly switched to Columbia Records, which became the home for so many of Earth, Wind & Fire’s classics. The albums “Last Days and Time,” “Head To The Sky” and “Open Our Eyes” propelled the group onto the radio and were backed with concert dates wherever they could play including clubs, colleges and theatres. An underground following began to amass. It was a soundtrack to an ill-fated film that busted them wide open. “That’s The Way Of The World,” was a total stiff at the box office (twice), but it did huge business at record stores. Earth, Wind & Fire got their first #1 single (“Shining Star”), first Grammy Award and first double platinum sales award. They were just getting started.

Music in motion… “Gratitude”, “Spirit” and “All ‘n All” made Earth, Wind & Fire superstars. Hit singles began to flow like the missing element – “Can’t Hide Love,” “Gratitude,” “Fantasy,” “Getaway” and “Got To Get You Into My Life,” an imaginative cover of The Beatles tune for a film. Grammy nominations and wins. Gold, platinum and double platinum sales plaques. Ceaseless international touring. Writing and recording new albums while at soundcheck or in hotel rooms and studios on off-days. The pace was frenetic, the band prolific. “The Best Of Earth, Wind & Fire, Vol. 1,” “I Am,” “Faces,” “Raise!” and “Powerlight” proffered hits “September,” “Boogie Wonderland,” “After The Love Has Gone,” “In The Stone” and “Let’s Groove.”

Soundtrack/Filmography

The Ringer (2005) (performer: “September”)
Robots (2005) (performer: “LOVE’S DANCE”)
- A.K.A. Robots: The IMAX Experience (USA: IMAX version)
Gran Turismo 4 (2004) (VG) (performer: “Getaway”(Gran Turismo 4 Pop Rox Remix))
Love Don’t Cost a Thing (2003) (performer: “Reasons”)
- A.K.A.Love Don’t Co$t a Thing (USA: promotional title)
The Adventures of Pluto Nash (2002) (performer: “Why”, “Fun & Free”)
- A.K.A.Pluto Nash (UK) (USA: working title)
Drumline (2002) (performer: “In the Stone”)
Austin Powers in Goldmember (2002) (performer: “Shining Star”)
- A.K.A. Austin Powers: Goldmember (USA)
- Muppets from Space (1999) (performer: “Shining Star”)
- The Waterboy (1998) (performer: “Let’s Groove”)
- Slam (1998) (performer: “Sex, Money & Drugs”)
- Soul Food (1997) (performer: “September”)
- Get on the Bus (1996) (performer: “Cruisin'”)
- Rock & Rule (1983) (performer: Dance, Dance, Dance)
  - A.K.A. Ring of Power
  - A.K.A. Rock ‘n’ Rule
- Caddyshack (1980) (performer: “Boogie Wonderland”)
- Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (1978) (performer: “Got To Get You Into My Life”)
- A.K.A. Banda de los corazones

Filmography links and data courtesy of The Internet Movie Database.