2004 Inductee – The Vocal Group Hall of Fame

The Tokens

crosbbw — Thu, 30 Jun 2016 03:59:51 +0000

The Tokens

This Brooklyn doo wop group was originally known as the Linc-Tones when they formed in 1955 at Lincoln High School. Hank Medress, Neil Sedaka, Eddie Rabkin, and Cynthia Zolitin didn’t have much impact in their early days recording for Melba. They later disbanded, but Medress re-formed the group in 1960 as the Tokens. Brothers Phil and Mitch Margo and Jay Siegel were now the members. They recorded for Warwick in 1960, then had their one glorious hit in 1962, “The Lion Sleeps Tonight.” It was based on the South African Zulu song “Wimoweh,” and reached number seven on the R&B chart while topping the pop surveys. The Tokens formed their own label in 1964, B.T. Puppy, but weren’t able to keep the hits coming very long, although “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” remains a standard.

– Ron Wynn

In New York City during the late 50s and early 60s, it was hardly extraordinary for a bunch of guys to get together on a street corner or in a high school bathroom to sing doo-wop. The history of Brooklyn alone testifies to the remarkable talent that called just that borough “home” back in those days. What is extraordinary,though, is the incredible feat that one of those groups has accomplished.

After having their music break onto the pop charts for the first time in 1961, The Tokens have been back on the charts!

It was more than 30 years after the debut of their first big hit, “Tonight I Fell In Love” when they re-emerged on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart in August of 1994, following the re-release of their chart topping single, “The Lion Sleeps Tonight.” With that re-entry comes the distinction of having the second-longest chart span in the rock era! Billboards archives also show that the South African folk song, “Wimoweh,” which inspired the song that went to number one worldwide first charted 42 1/2 years earlier. No other title can claim that longevity.

The release of the Disney motion picture “The Lion King” prompted RCA to re-release “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” and a Compact Disc featuring a unique compilation of The Tokens earlier tunes. It gives their fans a rare opportunity to enjoy many of the songs The Tokens wrote more than 30 years ago, as well as songs popularized by other artists which The Tokens later recorded in their own distinctive style.

That style and sound, of course, is elegantly defined by Jay Siegel whose tenor lead and trademark falsetto have characterized all The Tokens music since the group began recording, and continues to do so as they perform around the country.

While dyed-in-the-wool. Tokens fans know that Jay Siegel had always sung lead on the group’s hits (including, among many others, “Portrait Of My Love”, “LaBamba”, “B’Wanina”, “He’s In Town”, “She Lets Her Hair Down”, and “I hear Trumpets Blow”), and know that he had a hand in writing them. Some may not be aware of the number of hats he wore.

The Tokens were one of the first independent , not to mention teams to produce recordings for a major lable, breaking into the really big in 1962, when they became the first vocal group to produce a number one record for another vocal group! Remember “He’s So Fine” by “The Chiffons? That was the first of many smash hits Jay and his group had a hand in producing. They became the production geniuses behind numerous other hits by The Chiffons, as well as the biggest hits by Tony Orlando and Dawn, The Happenings, Randy and The Rainbows, and Robert John. While many know that the group DAWN was named was named by Jay after one of his daughters, it is a lesser known fact that Jay and two session singers actually were the group on Orlando’s first album! Jay and The Tokens also sang backup vocals for such diverse artists as Del Shannon, Melissa Manchester, The Blues Project, Kieth, Mac Davis, and Bob Dylan.

Besides leaving their imprint on the pop music scene as singers, arrangers, producers, and record executives, Jay Siegel and The Tokens were successes as writers producers, and singers of commercials, reminding us that “Pan Am makes the going great”, Ban won’t wear off as the day…” and that Bensen and Hedges are a silly millimeter longer”. They were also the voices for Clairol, General Foods, Wrigley’s Gum, Sunkist, and Wendy’s.

The Stylistics

crosbbw — Thu, 30 Jun 2016 03:56:00 +0000

The Stylistics

After the Spinners and the O’Jays, the Stylistics were the leading Philly soul group produced by Thom Bell. During the early ’70s, the band had 12 straight Top Ten hits, including “You Are Everything,” “Betcha by Golly, Wow,” “I’m Stone in Love With You,” “Break Up to Make Up,” and “You Make Me Feel Brand New.” Of all their peers, the Stylistics were one of the smoothest and sweetest soul groups of their era. All of their hits were ballads, graced by the soaring falsetto of Russell Thompkins Jr. and the lush yet graceful productions of Bell, which helped make the Stylistics one of the most successful soul groups of the first half of the ’70s.

The Stylistics formed in 1968, when members of thePhiladelphia soul groups the Monarchs and the Percussions joined forces after their respective band dissolved. Thompkins, James Smith, and Airrion Love hailed from the Monarchs; James Dunn and Herbie Murrell were from the Percussions. In 1970, the group recorded “You’re a Big Girl Now,” a song their road manager Marty Bryant co-wrote with Robert Douglas, a member of their backing band Slim and the Boys, and the single became a regional hit for Sebring Records. The larger Avco Records soon signed the Stylistics, and single eventually climbed to number seven in early 1971.

Once they were on Avco, the Stylistics began working with producer/songwriter Thom Bell, who had previously worked with the Delfonics. The Stylistics became Bell’s pet project and with lyricist Linda Creed, he crafted a series of hit singles that relied as much on the intricately arranged and lush production as they did on Thompkins’ falsetto. Every single that Bell produced for the Stylistics was a Top Ten R&B hit, and several — “You Are Everything,” “Betcha by Golly, Wow,” “I’m Stone in Love With You,” “Break Up to Make Up,” and “You Make Me Feel Brand New” — were also Top Ten pop hits.

Following “You Make Me Feel Brand New” in the spring of 1974, the Stylistics broke away from Bell and began working with Van McCoy, who helped move the group towards a softer, easy listening style. In 1976, they left Avco and signed with H&L. The group’s American record sales declined, yet they remained popular in Europe, particularly in Great Britain, where “Sing Baby Sing” (1975), “Na Na Is the Saddest Word” (1975), “Can’t Give You Anything” (1975), and “Can’t Help Falling in Love” (1976) were all Top Five hits. The Stylistics continued to tour and record throughout the latter half of the ’70s, as their popularity steadily declined. In 1980, Dunn left the group because of poor health, and he was followed later that year by Smith. The remaining Stylistics continued performing as a trio on oldies shows into the ’90s

– Stephen Thomas Erlewine

The Ronettes

crosbbw — Thu, 30 Jun 2016 03:53:36 +0000

The Ronettes

No girl group set male hearts pounding in quite the way The Ronettes did. Most female aggregations, from The Bonnie Sisters, The Andrews Sisters, and The Chantels to The Angels, The Chiffons, and The Shirelles presented the picture of innocence. Not so for the group that many consider the first bad girls of rock ‘n’ roll. Veronica (Ronnie) Bennett, her sister Estelle, and their cousin Nedra Talley grew up in New York City’s Washington Heights listening to rock and pop, especially fancying Frankie Lymon And The Teenagers (Ronnie) and Rosemary Clooney (Nedra).

On those occasions, starting in 1959, when the young girls weren’t being little ladies, their grandmother would sequester the trio in a room for an indefinite period and encourage the threesome to harmonize. They became surprisingly proficient on songs such as “Red Red Robin” and “Goodnight Sweetheart.”

The girls, age 13 to 16, called themselves The Darling Sisters and took their act – with grandma’s encouragement – to the Apollo Theatre amateur night contest. When they won, grandma packed them off for singing lessons. Phillip Halikus heard the look-alike vocalists, saw their potential and became their manager. He started out by arranging appearances at hops and charity shows.

On a fateful night in 1961, the girls, dressed in tight skirts and with their hair piled high, stood in line at Joey Dee’s Peppermint Lounge on New York’s 45th Street. The manager mistook them for a singing trio that hadn’t arrived, and the three were whisked inside. Ushered onstage, the trio took advantage of the moment, with Ronnie belting out a stimulating version of Ray Charles’ “What’d I Say,” even using the choreography they had been working on. The girls took the club by storm and were signed to appear regularly for the sum of $10 a night.

The Darling Sisters were also booked to perform at the Miami Peppermint Lounge. They were spotted there by New York disc jockey Murray Kaufman, who converted the trio into Murray The K’s dancing girls for his Brooklyn Fox shows. They also did duty with Clay Cole’s “Twist-A-Rama” tour, and when those tough-looking young girls starting wiggling and singing onstage, pandemonium broke loose even before they had a record.

Meanwhile, Phillip Halikus set up their first recordings through Stu Phillips at Colpix Records. Colpix renamed the girls Ronnie And The Relatives and issued their first single in the summer of 1961, an up-tempo piece titled “I Want A Boy.”

Their next single, “I’m On A Wagon,” listed the girls as The Ronettes. Around this time they recorded an album’s worth of material for Colpix/May, but it went unreleased until their glory days.

In early 1961 they recorded a good Exciters-styled teen rocker called “Good Girls,” arranged by Bert Keyes, which showed continued recording maturity and a developing sound.

In between their other activities, the girls found themselves working in the Joey Dee Revue, as well; as recording with them.

At this juncture two conflicting stories emerge. One has it that Estelle, while dialing a phone number for confirmation of a recording session, dialed the wrong number and wound up talking to producer Phil Spector. One thing led to another and he supposedly asked the group to demo for him. After hearing them, he went immediately to thoughts of producing a finished Ronettes record.

The other, less romantic, version is that 16 magazine staffer Georgia Winters introduced Spector to the girls when he was in New York talent hunting. Whichever version is true, Spector was taken with Ronnie’s hard-but-sweet sound and saw the “bad girls” in bouffants that had it’s unique image. Up to that time, girl groups rarely had an identity or even their pictures on the sleeves of their 45s. That certainly changed with The Ronettes.

Their first single on Spector and Lester Sill’s new Philles label in July 1963 is a classic, the Ellie Greenwich/Jeff Barry/Phil Spector-penned collage of castanets, maracas, strings and Hal Blaine drumwork titled “Be My Baby.” Ronnie’s distinctive, seductive vocal delivery, along with her now-legendary “who-oh-oh-oh,” drove teen boys wild, while Spector’s production drove the single to chart success. The July review in Billboard stated, “This is the best record The Ronettes ever made, and more than that, it’s one of the strongest records of the week. It was made by Phil Spector, and he has transformed the gals into a sock singing group who handle this dramatic piece of material with flair. Backing has a stunning, rolling rock sound that’s bound to make the disc score with the kids.”

Brian Wilson of The Beach Boys went further. He called it “the most perfect pop record of all time.”

By October 12, 1963, it was at #2, denied the top spot by Jimmy Gilmore’s “Sugar Shack.” “Be My Baby” became an international hit, reaching #4 in England.

In November, earth-shaking hand claps, thousand-pound drums, and Leon Russell’s insistent piano playing introduced the most powerful wall-of-sound record yet – “Baby I Love You.” If “Be My Baby” was a musical storm, “Baby I Love You” was a symphonic hurricane. The Ronettes held their own in a sea of orchestration, but not with out some support: Spector added the backing voices of Darlene Love And The Blossoms and Cher, overdubbing them until he had 20 to 25 voices balancing out the dense instrumental tracks. “Baby I Love You” charted Dec. 21, 1963, but only reached #24, although the British took it to #11.

In November The Ronettes joined Dick Clark’s Caravan Of Stars and then returned to New York to participate in one of the most memorable Christmas records ever made, Spector’s A Christmas Gift For You. Of the 12 seasonal songs, The Ronettes recorded “Sleigh Ride,” “I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa,” and “Frosty The Snowman” – all in true “Be My Baby” style. The LP’s climb to greatness was halted by the assassination and death of President Kennedy.

On the wings of two solid U.K. hits, the group flew to Britain in February 1964 and toured with The Rolling Stones. While there, they also met the newest sensations, The Beatles. They were the first girl group to produce anything resembling hysteria among audiences; the headlines in the British press read, “Girls scream at Stones, boys at Ronettes.”

That same month they released their third wall-of-sounder, “The Best Part Of Breaking Up.” It reached #39 in the U.S. and #43 in England before Spector returned to high-powered orchestral teen rock with “Do I Love You,” a Vinnie Poncia/Pete Androli/Spector masterpiece that had one of the most power-driven intros ever recorded. Despite its U.S. peak at only #34 and British high of #35, “Do I Love You” became known as one of their best recordings.

When The Ronettes returned to the U.S., The Beatles were right behind them. Murray The K, who prided himself on being the self-proclaimed fifth Beatle, met them because of The Ronettes. Murray called the girls and asked to meet the mop-tops, so The Ronettes brought the starstruck DJ along with them to the group’s hotel. Also during 1964, Spector apparently test-marketed Ronnie as a solo act, issuing two singles under the name Veronica on his Phil Spector label. The first was a remake of The Students’ ballad classic “I’m So Young,” and the second was a Barry/Greenwich/Spector composition, “Why Don’t They Let Us Fall In Love,” but pulled them from the marketplace almost immediately after its release.

In November 1964 the group released “Walking In The Rain,” their most dramatic ballad. The Mann/Weil/Spector-penned record (done in one vocal take by Ronnie) reached #23 and won a Grammy Award for Best Sound Effects – the only Grammy Spector ever received.

Their next two singles, “Born To Be Together” (#52) and “Is This What I Get For Loving You” (#75), were worthy of greater response than they received back in 1965. Their LP Presenting The Fabulous Ronettes Featuring Veronica reached only #96, though cut for cut it was the best Philles album.

Spector’s practice was to put an instrumental on the B-side of The Ronettes’ singles (as he had done with earlier Philles acts) to keep the disk jockeys from flipping the record and taking attention away from his “push” side. Titles such as “Bee Bee And Su Su” (the names of Ronnie’s and Nedra’s moms) and “Chubby Danny D.” (the name of some long-since-forgotten promo man) graced those early B sides. But from the single “Is This What I Get” forward, an actual Ronettes recording was paired with the A side. In this case it was “Oh I Love You,” which was the last side Spector produced with The Ronettes before he married Ronnie in 1968.

Prior to that, The Ronettes (minus Ronnie, who stayed behind with Phil), with another cousin named Elaine, toured the U.S. with The Beatles who personally requested the group open for their final tour..

In September 1966, Jeff Barry was given the reins for The Ronettes’ only non-

Spector produced single on Philles (and their last Philles 45), “I Can Hear Music” (#100). The song was later covered by The Beach Boys (1969, #24).

By the end of 1966, The Ronettes had disbanded. Nedra married WINS program director Scott Ross and Estelle married Joe Dong. Ronnie, forced into retirement by Spector, managed to emerge with an occasional single such as “You Came, You Saw, You Conquered,” a Toni Wine/Irwine Levine composition. It was released on Spector/A&M in 1969 with the backing of studio singers under the name of “The Ronettes Featuring The Voice Of Veronica,” and produced by Spector.

In 1971, Ronnie recorded “Try Some, Buy Some” for The Beatles’ Apple label. Written by and produced former Beatles George Harrison, it peaked at #77 in the spring of 1971.

In 1973, her marriage with Spector almost at an end, Ronnie returned to performing and appeared as Ronnie And The Ronettes at Richard Nader’s “Rock And Roll Revival” at New York’s Madison Square Garden with a new female trio that included Denise Edwards and Chip Fields.

In the fall of ’73, Stan Vincent produced two singles of the new Ronettes for Buddah Records; “I Wish I Never Saw The Sunshine” was a re-recording of a song the original Ronettes recorded for Spector in 1965 (and Ronnie’s favorite). Spector didn’t release it until his 1976 Rare Masters II LP came out in the U.K.

In 1976 Ronnie was backed up by Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band at his New York Palladium performance. (Springsteen acknowledged her and The Ronettes as an influence on his music.) This led to E Street Band member Miami Steve Van Zant producing a 1977 single with Ronnie Spector And The E Street Band, titled “Say Goodbye To Hollywood.” The Billy Joel-penned powerhouse (Joel was also heavily influenced by Ronnie and company) rocked with Ronnie’s most inspired vocals since the early Spector days. It never charted.

In 1978 Ronnie tried again with an Australian song called “It’s A Heartache,” produced by Kyle Lehning and Steve Popovich. The record was beaten to the charts by Bonnie Tyler’s version (#3).

In 1986 she re-emerged in the song “Take Me Home Tonight” by Eddie Money, which put her back in the spotlight at #4. In 1992, Ronnie recorded a track for the multi platinum top 10 album “A Very Special Christmas 2”

In 1999, Ronnie released the critically acclaimed E.P. “She Talks To Rainbows” co-produced by Joey Ramone.

While The Ronettes were unique musically, they were also the first really seductive girl group. Others before them seemed to be singing to their friends about the boys they desired (“Maybe,” The Chantels; “I Met Him On Sunday,” The Shirelles; “He’s So Fine,” The Chiffons). The Ronettes, on the other hand, sang directly to the boys (“Be My Baby,” “Baby I Love You”). Performer-to-audience relations have never been the same since.

– “American Singing Groups” By Jay Warner

The Penguins

crosbbw — Thu, 30 Jun 2016 03:49:39 +0000

The Penguins

Best known for their hit single “Earth Angel,” the doo wop quartet the Penguins were never able to replicate the success of their only Top 40 hit, but the song became a rock & roll classic. The Penguins formed in 1954, when the members — Cleveland Duncan (lead vocal), Curtis Williams (tenor vocal), Dexter Tisby (baritone vocal), and Bruce Tate (tenor vocal) — were all attending Fremont High School in Los Angeles, CA.

Although he wasn’t the lead singer, Williams was the leader of the group. He learned “Earth Angel” from vocalist Jesse Belvin — some sources claim that Williams wrote the song alone, others say he co-wrote the song with Belvin, while others claim Gaynell Hodge, a member of the doo wop group the Turks, wrote the song with the duo (in fact, Hodge won a lawsuit filed in 1956 that gave him a co-writing credit) — and had the Penguins sing the song.

Around 1954, the Penguins signed with the local Los Angeles independent label Dootone Records. The group’s first single was going to be the up-tempo “Hey Sinorita,” and the ballad “Earth Angel” was going to be the B-side.

Upon the release of the single in the latter half of 1954, Los Angeles radio stations were receiving more requests for “Earth Angel”

– Stephen Thomas Erlewine
The world knows The Penguins as the group that recorded “Earth Angel (Will You Be Mine),”one of the best-selling, most beloved oldies of all time. But to doo-wop fans, the group was more than just a one-hit wonder, and lead singer Cleve Duncan has kept The Penguins functioning as a viable outfit for the past 45 years.

“I was singing at a talent show at the California Club on Santa Barbara Avenue [now MLK Blvd.],” says Cleve, “and Curtis Williams came up afterward and wanted to know if I’d form a group with him.” Curtis Williams had recently left The Hollywood Flames, with whom he had recorded a couple of singles. “So Curtis got [baritone] Bruce Tate from his high school [Jefferson] and I got [tenor] Dexter Tisby from my high school [Fremont]. We learned a few songs, got on some talent shows, sang in some clubs. Then Ted Brinson heard us and got involved.”

Before his death in 1991, Walter “Dootsie” Williams, owner of Dootone Records, recalled that he first heard about The Penguins from Brinson. “He had a backyard studio over on 30th Street between Arlington and Western that was very economical, so I recorded there. My stuff was mostly songwriters demos then. They’d pay me $300 and I’d record their song. So I heard the group and liked them. The first thing I did with them was a demo of a song called ‘There Ain’t No News Today,’ which I released.’ Another singer [Willie Headon] was on the other side. “This single was credited to The Dootsie Williams Orchestra, with “Vocal by The Penguins.”

What inspired their name, says Cleve, was Willie the Penguin, the cartoon logo character in Kool mentholated cigarette ads. This was a time when many young black vocal groups, inspired by late-’40s proto-doo-wop groups The Orioles and The Ravens, named themselves after birds. “What was more cool than a penguin?” Cleve says now, with a smile..

Dootsie Williams was already having some success with another young vocal group, The Medallions, but he wasn’t sure if he wanted to follow through with The Penguins. “My distributor, Sid Talmadge [of Record Merchandising], wasn’t impressed with them. He told me they were too pop. And for a small indie like me in those days, the distributor had a lot of say-so. He would tell me what was selling, what kind of beat people were listening to.”

But Dootsie Williams’ was first and foremost a music publisher, and what drew him to The Penguins was that they had brought him a couple of original songs called “Earth Angel” and “Hey, Senorita” (formerly “Esa Chiquita’). He recorded both songs as demos at Brinson’s studio sometime in the late summer of 1954, and then got an unexpected amount of local airplay, first by Huggy Boy, later by Charles Trammell and Johnny Otis. By late September he started pressing up his first copies. At first he treated “Hey, Senorita” as the A-side, but the jocks flipped it over. By October “Earth Angel” was making noise all over Los Angeles, and by December it went national on the R&B charts and slipped over onto the pop charts, where it reached as high as #8 in January 1955 despite two popular cover versions by The Crew-Cuts and Gloria Mann.

The runaway success of “Earth Angel” overwhelmed Dootsie Williams’ tiny operation and almost threatened to bankrupt him, because he had to keep pressing new records even though distributors across the country weren’t paying him for copies already sold. Meanwhile, Buck Ram, a songwriter-publisher who managed another Los Angeles group called The Platters, had taken over The Penguins’ management and wanted to move them onto a larger label. Mercury Records was already impressed with the group because their primitive little recording on a tiny black-owned indie had done so well on the charts against their better-promoted white cover version, so Ram made an agreement with Mercury to sign them with the company on one condition: Mercury also had to sign The Platters. During this time, Ram was also claiming that Dootsie’s contracts with the group and their songwriter Curtis Williams were null and void because they had been under-age. “I told them they’d lose all their royalties,” said Dootsie, “but they told me, ‘To hell with your royalties, we’re gonna make it big!'”

The Penguins’ break from Dootsie Williams became obvious when they didn’t show up at the jam-packed Ookey Ook Dance Contest at the Savoy Ballroom on Central Avenue to promote the release of their follow-up single, “Ookey Ook,” on February 21, 1955.

At first The Penguins’ defection seemed to have put them in the big time. “We were impressed with Mercury’s large size and distribution,” says Cleve Duncan. But it didn’t take long for things to unravel. “Ram just used us to get The Platters on the label. He actually owned The Platters and paid them a salary. So he used them to push his best songs. Everything he wrote for us, like ‘Devil That I See,” sounded like ‘Earth Angel.’ He wanted us to sell him The Penguins name, but we held out.”

The Penguins toured back east, appeared at the Apollo Theater and at Alan Freed’s Brooklyn Paramount rock ‘n’ roll shows, and performed for a national audience on “The Ed Sullivan Show. “During this period they enjoyed the status of hitmakers, sharing the stage with greats like Louis Jordan, Ella Fitzgerald and Dinah Washington. But despite some good recordings on Mercury, they couldn’t come up with a successful follow-up to “Earth Angel.”

[In fact, Mercury even re-recorded “Earth Angel” and “Hey, Senorita,” but the company didn’t release them at the time. Mercury’s “Earth Angel” didn’t come out until 1956. Also, Dootsie Williams won all publishing rights to “Earth Angel” in his lawsuit against Curtis Williams and Peer International.]

“We had to do what [Mercury] wanted us to do,” Cleve Duncan lamented. “Our sound was still there, but they wanted us to project it a different way. At Dootone it was a group effort, but at Mercury we lost control over production. Buck Ram called the shots in the studio.”

When Mercury failed to renew their contract, The Penguins briefly went to Atlantic Records. But the company released only one single, “Pledge of Love,” an R&B cover of a white pop hit, which lasted only one week on the R&B charts.

By the time The Penguins returned to Dootsie Williams in 1957, they were demoralized and broke. Being young and inexperienced, they had made most of the mistakes and bad judgements endemic within the ruthless, manipulative music business. Bruce Tate, having been involved in a fatal hit-and-run accident in Los Angeles over a year earlier, had already been replaced in the group by Teddy Harper. Curtis Williams fled California after a judge put out a warrant for his arrest for nonpayment of alimony and child support, so he was replaced at bass by Randy Jones.

Though competent, these 1957-58 recordings for Dooto lacked the old fire of the earlier Dootone and Mercury sides, and none of them sold. Demoralized, The Penguins broke up. Cleve Duncan tried something different by recording one single with sisters Gladys and Vesta White (The Radiants), but it likewise went nowhere.

By 1961, however, he was approached by a young musician named Frank Zappa to record a tribute song that Zappa had written called “Memories of El Monte,” a pastiche of many of the classic Los Angeles doo-wop songs like “Nite Owl,” “In the Still of the Nite” and “Earth Angel” that had been a staple at Art Laboe’s rock ‘n’ roll shows at the El Monte Legion Stadium. Laboe himself released the record on his Original Sound label, and “Memories of El Monte” turned out to be a local hit–and a perennial favorite. (The vocalists backing Cleve are reputed to be The Viceroys.) Forming a new Penguins as a trio–himself, baritone Walter Saulsberry and tenor/bass Glen Madison (formerly of The Delcos)–Cleve recorded a couple more singles for local labels to capitalize on the dance crazes of the early ’60s.

Since then this Penguins lineup has been steadily performing around the country (and occasionally overseas), and Cleve Duncan still sounds pretty much the same as he did that day in Ted Brinson’s garage. As soon as he opens his mouth to sing “Earth Angel,” the last 45 years just fall away.

Penguins fans can still catch up on most of the their ’50s and ’60s recordings. Ace Records in England has released a Penguins CD that contains all their Dootone material, and two of Ace’s “Dootone Doo-wop” compilation CDs include Cleve’s sides with The Radiants (in stereo). Bear Family in Germany has issued all of The Penguins’ Mercury cuts, and Original Sound has released various sides they recorded during the “Memories of El Monte” period. Their two Atlantic sides are on a couple of Atlantic 2-CD sets from Rhino Records.

The O’Jays

crosbbw — Thu, 30 Jun 2016 03:45:01 +0000

The O’Jays

Inductees: Walter Williams (vocals; born August 25, 1942) , Eddie Levert (vocals; born June 16, 1942), William Powell (vocals; born January 20, 1942, died May 26, 1977), Sammy Strain (vocals; born December 9, 1941,Bobby Massey (vocals; born tk.)

The O’Jays were at the forefront of Seventies soul music. Racking up a lengthy string of modern R&B classics, including “Back Stabbers,” “Love Train,” “For the Love of Money,” “I Love Music” and “Use Ta Be My Girl,” they helped put the “Philly Soul” sound (so named for Philadelphia-based producers, Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff) on the map. In fact, the O’Jays were the backbone of Gamble and Huff’s Philadelphia International label, which released some of the greatest and most influential Seventies records.

During a fifteen-year run from “Back Stabbers” (1972) to “Lovin’ You” (1987), the O’Jays placed more than forty singles on the R&B chart, nine of which went to #1. The vast majority of the group’s hits were made with Gamble and Huff for their various labels – Neptune, Philadelphia International, TSOP – in a relationship dating back to 1969.

The O’Jays’ story dates back further still, beginning in the late Fifties when founding members Eddie Levert and Walter Williams began singing gospel on a radio station in their hometown of Canton, Ohio. Joined by fellow high-schoolers William Powell, Bobby Massey and Bill Isles, they became the Triumphs, an R&B vocal group, in 1959. Their popularity as a live act got them signed to Syd Nathan’s King label, where they released a pair of singles as the Mascots.

They were then taken under the wing of Cleveland disc jockey Eddie O’Jay and renamed the O’Jays – a name that stuck. In 1961 they headed to Los Angeles, where they honed their craft with producer H.B. Barnum. They recorded for Barnum’s Little Star label and then got signed to Imperial Records. The O’Jays spent much of the Sixties on the Imperial and Bell labels, enjoying chart success on the R&B side with such hits as “Stand in For Love” (#12) and “I’ll Be Sweeter Tomorrow (Than I Was Today)” (#8).

The group’s fortunes took a leap when they met producers Gamble and Huff backstage at Harlem’s Apollo Theater in 1968. The O’Jays signed to the duo’s fledgling Neptune label, for which they recorded seven singles, including the R&B hit “One Night Affair” (#15). The relationship really took off when Columbia Records gave Gamble and Huff their own imprint, Philadelphia International, in 1972. Writers, producers and label impresarios, this dynamic duo honed the Philly Soul sound with the O’Jays. Philly Soul – a.k.a. “The Sound of Philadelphia” or “TSOP,” for short – was a churchy yet contemporary melange of strings, keyboards, octave-leaping guitars and propulsive dance rhythms, crowned by rich, gospel-drenched vocal harmonies. Such O’Jays records as “Back Stabbers” and “Love Train” – both from Back Stabbers, their stunning 1972 debut album for Philadelphia International – apotheosized Seventies soul in general and Philly Soul in particular.

“The day we signed [with Philadelphia International] was the day we finally came in from the rain,” Walter Williams said. The group was now down to a trio of Levert, Williams and Powell, with original members Isles and Massey having left in 1966 and 1971, respectively. “Back Stabbers” kicked off a hit streak that finally made crossover stars of the O’Jays. With Gamble and Huff, they cut consistently strong records and tore up the R&B and pop charts with high-spirited and often message-minded songs. Highlights include such soul essentials as “Time to Get Down” (#2 R&B, #33 pop), “Put Your Hands Together (#2 R&B, #10 pop), “For the Love of Money” (#3 R&B, #9 pop), “Give the People What They Want” (#1 R&B), “I Love Music” (#1 R&B, #5 pop), “Livin’ for the Weekend” (#1 R&B, #20 pop), “Message in Our Music (#1 R&B), “Darlin’ Darlin’ Baby” (#1 R&B), “Use Ta Be My Girl” (#1 R&B, #4 pop), “Forever Mine” (#4 R&B, #28 pop) and “Lovin’ You” (#1 R&B). However, the O’Jays were more than just a hot singles act, as they released such solid albums as Back Stabbers (1972), Ship Ahoy (1973), Survival (1974), Family Reunion (1975), Message in the Music (1976) and So Full of Love (1978).

Founding member Powell dropped out in 1975 due to health reasons, dying two years later of cancer. He was replaced by Sammy Strain, who’d previously sung with Little Anthony and the Imperials. Strain lasted with O’Jays until 1993, when he was replaced by Nathaniel West. Meanwhile, Eddie Levert’s sons, Gerald and Sean, had begun enjoying success with their own R&B group, Levert, in the mid-Eighties, and this multigenerational link helped keep the O’Jays in the public eye.

The O’Jays’ historic run with Gamble and Huff continued until 1988. Even after switching labels and producers, the trio kept having hits. The O’Jays scored their ninth R&B chart-topper, “Have You Had Your Love Today,” in 1989. Emotionally Yours (1991) yielded three R&B smashes, including their choir-filled arrangement of the Bob Dylan-penned title track. The group’s latest album of new material, Love You to Tears, appeared in 1997. The O’Jays received the Rhythm & Blues Foundation’s Pioneer Award in 1998, and they remain a popular performing entity.

The Honeymooners (2005) (performer: “For the Love of Money”)
Hitch (2005/I) (performer: “Love Train”)
Radio (2003) (performer: “Put Your Hands Together” (1973))
The Fighting Temptations (2003) (performer: “Loves Me Like A Rock”, “Down By The Riverside/To Da River”, “Rain Down”, “He Still Loves Me”, “Come Back Home”) (“Rain Down”, “He Still Loves Me”)
Undercover Brother (2002) (performer: “Love Train”)
Muppets from Space (1999) (performer: “Survival”)
“Friends”
The One in Vegas: Part 1 (1999) TV Episode (performer: “For the Love of Money”)
Dead Presidents (1995) (performer: “Love Train”)
Mixed Nuts (1994) (performer: “What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve?”)
- A.K.A. Lifesavers
Above the Rim (1994) (“POUR OUT A LITILE LIQUOR”)
Twenty Bucks (1993) (performer: “For the Love of Money”)
Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life Is Calling (1986) (performer: “FOR THE LOVE OF MONEY”

Filmography links and data courtesy of The Internet Movie Database.

The Marvelettes

crosbbw — Thu, 30 Jun 2016 03:38:20 +0000

The Marvelettes

Probably the most pop-oriented of Motown’s major female acts, the Marvelettes didn’t project as strong an identity as the Supremes, Mary Wells, or Martha Reeves, but recorded quite a few hits, including Motown’s first number one single, “Please Mr. Postman” (1961).

“Postman,” as well as other chirpy early-’60s hits like “Playboy,” “Twistin’ Postman,” and “Beechwood 4-5789,” were the label’s purest girl group efforts. Featuring two strong lead singers, Gladys Horton and Wanda Young, the Marvelettes went through five different lineups, but maintained a high standard on their recordings.

After a few years, they moved from girl group sounds to up-tempo and mid-tempo numbers that were more characteristic of Motown’s production line. They received no small help from Smokey Robinson, who produced and wrote many of their singles; Holland-Dozier-Holland, Berry Gordy, Mickey Stevenson, Marvin Gaye, and Ashford-Simpson also got involved with the songwriting and production at various points.

After the mid-’60s Wanda Young assumed most of the lead vocal duties; Gladys Horton departed from the group in the late ’60s. While the Marvelettes didn’t cut as many monster smashes as most of their Motown peers after the early ’60s, they did periodically surface with classic hits like “Too Many Fish in the Sea,” “Don’t Mess With Bill,” and “The Hunter Gets Captured By the Game.” There were also plenty of fine minor hits and misses, like 1965’s “I’ll Keep Holding On,” which is just as memorable as the well-known Motown chart-toppers of the era. The group quietly disbanded in the early ’70s after several years without a major hit.

– Richie Unterberger

Soundtrack/Filmography

Standing in the Shadows of Motown (2002) (performer: “Don’t Mess With Bill”)
- A.K.A. Standing in the Shadows of Motown: The Story of the Funk Brothers (USA: promotional title)
Bringing Out the Dead (1999) (performer: “Too Many Fish in the Sea”)
That Night (1992) (performer: “Please Mr. Postman “)
- A.K.A. One Hot Summer
Look Who’s Talking Too (1990) (performer: “Please Mr. Postman”)
Goodfellas (1990) (performer: “Playboy”)
- A.K.A. GoodFellas (USA: promotional title (video box title) (poster title))
“Moonlighting”
- Yours, Very Deadly (1986) TV Episode (performer: “Please, Mr. Postman”)
Mean Streets (1973) (“Please Mr. Postman “)
Nothing But a Man (1964) (“Way Over There”)

Filmography links and data courtesy of The Internet Movie Database.

The Jordanaires

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

The Jordanaires

For over 40 years, the Jordanaires remained one of the premier backup vocal groups in country music, working with such greats as Jim Reeves, Patsy Cline, George Jones, and, of course, Elvis Presley. The quartet began in Springfield, MO, during the late ’40s, featuring original members Bob Hubbard, Bill Matthews, Monty Matthews and Culley Holt who sang barbershop and spirituals. They debuted on the Grand Ole Opry in 1949. The group changed members during the early ’50s, with Gordon Stoker and Hoyt Hawkins replacing Hubbard (who was drafted) and Bill Matthews (who became seriously ill). In 1953, Monty Matthews left the group for personal reasons, and was replaced by Neal Matthews.

By 1954, the Jordanaires were singing behind artists such as Elton Britt, Red Foley, and Jimmy Wakely. That year they appeared on Eddy Arnold’s television show, but didn’t get their big break until Elvis Presley, a longtime fan, invited the group to back him after receiving a major recording contract from RCA Victor. When Elvis became a star, he honored his promise to keep them as his backup singers, and they worked with him until 1970, appearing in many of his films and on his gospel recordings. In 1954, Culley Holt became ill and was replaced by Hugh Jarrett; he left in 1958 and was replaced by Ray Walker.

When not backing Elvis, the Jordanaires were busy making their own mark in country music. Neal Matthews was a talented arranger and was responsible for Jim Reeves’ massive hit “Four Walls” (1957). In 1959, the Jordanaires began working with Patsy Cline, and also devised the Nashville number system of chords that is still widely used in recording studios and performances. The quartet also recorded their own gospel and country albums. It was the Jordanaires who provided the main impetus for the formation of the American Federation of Television/Radio Artists-Screen Actors’ Guild in Nashville. They also established Nashville’s commercial jingle market, which helped singers like Janie Fricke and Judy Rodman get their start.

Soundtrack/Filmography

Coal Miner’s Daughter (1980) (singer: vocal backgrounds)
Speedway (1968) (singer: vocal backgrounds)
Easy Come, Easy Go (1967) (vocal accompaniment)
Paradise, Hawaiian Style (1966) (vocal accompaniment)
Frankie and Johnny (1966) (singer: vocal backgrounds)
Harum Scarum (1965) (singer: vocal backgrounds)
- A.K.A. Harem Holiday
Tickle Me (1965) (vocal accompaniment)
Roustabout (1964) (vocal accompaniment)
Fun in Acapulco (1963) (vocal accompaniment)
Girls! Girls! Girls! (1962) (vocal accompaniment)
Flaming Star (1960) (vocal accompaniment: Elvis Presley’s songs)

Filmography links and data courtesy of The Internet Movie Database.

The Everly Brothers

crosbbw — Thu, 30 Jun 2016 03:23:20 +0000

The Everly Brothers

The Everly Brothers were not only among the most important and best early rock & roll stars, but also among the most influential rockers of any era. They set unmatched standards for close, two-part harmonies and infused early rock & roll with some of the best elements of country and pop music. Their legacy was and is felt enormously in all rock acts that employ harmonies as prime features, from the Beatles, Simon & Garfunkel, and legions of country-rockers to modern-day roots rockers like Dave Edmunds and Nick Lowe (who once recorded an EP of Everly’s songs together).

Don (born February 1, 1937) and Phil (born January 19, 1939) were professionals way before their teens, schooled by their accomplished guitarist father Ike, and singing with their family on radio broadcasts in Iowa. In the mid-’50s, they made a brief stab at conventional Nashville country with Columbia. When their single flopped, they were cast adrift for quite a while until they latched onto Cadence. Don invested their first single for the label, “Bye Bye Love,” with a Bo Diddley beat that helped lift the song to number two in 1957.

“Bye Bye Love” began a phenomenal three-year string of classic hit singles for Cadence, including “Wake Up Little Susie,” “All I Have to Do Is Dream,” “Bird Dog,” “(‘Til) I Kissed You,” and “When Will I Be Loved.” The Everlys sang of young love with a heart-rending yearning and compelling melodies. The harmonies owed audible debts to Appalachian country music, but were imbued with a keen modern pop sensibility that made them more accessible without sacrificing any power or beauty. They were not as raw as the wild rockabilly men from Sun Records, but they could rock hard when they wanted. Even their mid-tempo numbers and ballads were executed with a force missing in the straight country and pop tunes of the era. The duo enjoyed a top-notch support team of producer Archie Bleyer, great Nashville session players like Chet Atkins, and the brilliant songwriting team of Boudleaux and Felice Bryant. Don, and occasionally Phil, wrote excellent songs of their own as well.

In 1960, the Everly Brothers left Cadence for a lucrative contract with the then-young Warner Bros. label (though it’s not often noted, the Everlys would do a lot to establish Warners as a major force in the record business). It’s sometimes been written that the duo never recaptured the magic of their Cadence recordings, but actually Phil and Don peaked both commercially and artistically with their first Warners releases. “Cathy’s Clown,” their first Warners single, was one of their greatest songs and a number-one hit. Their first two Warners LPs, employing a fuller and brasher production than their Cadence work, were not just among their best work, but two of the best rock albums of the early ’60s. The hits kept coming for a couple of years, some great (“Walk Right Back,” “Temptation”), some displaying a distressing, increasing tendency toward soft pop and maudlin sentiments (“Ebony Eyes,” “That’s Old Fashioned”).

Don and Phil’s personal lives came under a lot of stress in the early ’60s: They were drafted into the Army (together), and studied acting for six months, but never made a motion picture. More seriously, Don developed an addiction to speed and almost died of an overdose in late 1962. By that time, their career as chart titans in the U.S. had ended; “That’s Old Fashioned” (1962) was their last Top Ten hit. Their albums became careless, erratic affairs, which was all the more frustrating because many of their flop singles of the time were fine, even near-classic efforts that demonstrated they could still deliver the goods.

Virtually alone among first-generation rock & roll superstars, the Everly Brothers stuck with no-nonsense rock & roll and remained determined to keep their sound contemporary, rather than drifting toward soft pop or country like so many others. Although their mid-’60s recordings were largely ignored in America, they contained some of their finest work, including a ferocious Top 40 single in 1964 (“Gone, Gone, Gone”). They remained big stars overseas — in 1965, “Price of Love” went to number two in the U.K. at the height of the British Invasion. They incorporated jangling Beatle/Byrdesque guitars into some of their songs, and recorded a fine album with the Hollies (who were probably more blatantly influenced by the Everlys than any other British band of the time). In the late ’60s, they helped pioneer country-rock with the 1968 album Roots, their most sophisticated and unified full-length statement. None of this revived their career as hit-makers, though they could always command huge audiences on international tours, and hosted a network TV variety show in 1970.

The decades of enforced professional togetherness finally took their toll on the pair in the early ’70s, which saw a few dispirited albums and, finally, an acrimonious breakup in 1973. They spent the next decade performing solo, which only proved — as is so often the case in close-knit artistic partnerships — how much each brother needed the other to sound his best. In 1983, enough water had flowed under the bridge for the two to resume performing and recording together. The tours, with a backup band led by guitarist Albert Lee, proved they could still sing well. The records (both live and studio) were fair efforts that, in the final estimation, were not in nearly the same league as their ’50s and ’60s classics, although Paul McCartney penned a small hit single for them (“On the Wings of a Nightingale”). One of the more successful and dignified reunions in the rock annals, the Everly Brothers continued to perform live, although they have not recorded an album since the late ’80s.

– Richie Unterberger

Soundtrack/Filmography

Must Love Dogs (2005) (writer: “When Will I Be Loved”)
When Will I Be Loved (2004) (writer: “When Will I Be Loved” (1968))
“American Dreams” (2002) TV Series (writer: “Gone Gone Gone”)
- A.K.A. Our Generation (Australia) (USA: working title)
It Came from the Sky (1999) (TV) (performer: “Let It Be Me”, “All I Have To Do Is Dream”)
- A.K.A. Visiteurs impromtus, Les (Canada: French title)
Cocktail (1988) (writer: “When Will I Be Loved”)
Bull Durham (1988) (writer: “WHEN WILL I BE LOVED”)
Any Which Way You Can (1980) (writer: “One Too Many Women In Your Life”)
Every Which Way But Loose (1978) (writer: “Don’t Say You Don’t Love Me No More”) (performer: “Don’t Say You Don’t Love Me No More”)
“American Dreams” (2002) TV Series (writer: “Gone Gone Gone”)
- A.K.A. Our Generation (Australia) (USA: working title)
It Came from the Sky (1999) (TV) (performer: “Let It Be Me”, “All I Have To Do Is Dream”)
- A.K.A. Visiteurs impromtus, Les (Canada: French title)
Bye Bye Love (1995) (writer: “So Sad (To Watch Good Love Go Bad)”)

Filmography links and data courtesy of The Internet Movie Database.

The Four Tunes

crosbbw — Thu, 30 Jun 2016 03:13:11 +0000

The Four Tunes

This New York City group, The Four Tunes dated back to the mid-’40s, when they were known as Deek Watson & the Brown Dots. Former Ink Spots member Watson, Pat Best, Jimmy Gordon, and Jimmie Nabbie were the founding lineup. They made their recording debut for Regis in 1945. They did a session for Manor in 1946 as the Sentimentalists, minus Watson, with Danny Owens taking his place. They then became the Four Tunes. Best and Watson’s composition “I Love You for Sentimental Reasons” became a smash for Nat “King” Cole and several other performers, while Nabbie’s “You Are My Love” was a hit for Jonie James. The Four Tunes did score a pair of triumphs themselves, with “Marie” peaking at number two on the R&B charts (number 13 pop) in 1953 and “I Understand Just How You Feel” becoming a number seven R&B hit in 1954. It was also their lone Top Ten pop single, peaking at number six. Both were for Jubilee Records. The Sid Bass Orchestra backed them on both songs. The Four Tunes continued until 1963. Nabbie maintained a solo career heading an Ink Spots ensemble.

– AllMusic.com

The Doobie Brothers

crosbbw — Thu, 30 Jun 2016 03:04:18 +0000

The Doobie Brothers

As one of the most popular Californian pop/rock bands of the ’70s, the Doobie Brothers evolved from a mellow, post-hippie boogie band to a slick, soul-inflected pop band by the end of the decade. Along the way, the group racked up a string of gold and platinum albums in the US, along with a number of radio hits like “Listen to the Music,” “Black Water” and “China Grove.” The roots of the Doobie Brothers lay in Pud, a short-lived Californian country-rock band in the vein of Moby Grape featuring guitarist/vocalist Tom Johnston and drummer John Hartman. After Pud collapsed in 1969, the pair began jamming with bassist John Shogren and guitarist Patrick Simmons. Eventually, the quartet decided to form a group, naming themselves the Doobie Brothers after a slang term for marijuna. Soon, the Doobies earned a strong following throughout

Southern California, especially among Hell’s Angels, and they were signed to Warner Bros. in 1970. The band’s eponymous debut was ignored upon its 1971 release. Following its release, Shogren was replaced by Tiran Porter and the group added a second drummer, Michael Hossack for 1972’s Toulouse Street. Driven by the singles “Listen to the Music” and “Jesus Is Just Alright,” Toulouse Street became the group’s breakthrough. The Captain and Me (1973) was even more successful, spawning the Top 10 hit “Long Train Runnin'” and “China Grove.” Keith Knudsen replaced Hossack as the group’s second drummer for 1974’s What Once Were Vices Are Now Habits, which launched their first number one single, “Black Water,” and featured heavy contributions from former Steely Dan member Jeff “Skunk” Baxter. Jeff “Skunk” Baxter officially joined the Doobie Brothers for 1975’s Stampede. Prior to the album’s spring release, Johnston was hospitilized with a stomach ailment, and was replaced for the supporting tour by keyboardist/vocalist Michael McDonald, who had also worked with Steely Dan. Although it peaked at number four, Stampede wasn’t as commercially successful as its three predecessors, and the group decided to let McDonald and Baxter, who were now official Doobies, revamp the band’s light country-rock and boogie. The new sound was showcased on 1976’s Takin’ It to the Streets, a collection of light funk and jazzy pop that resulted in a platinum album. Later that year, the group released the hits compilation, The Best of the Doobies. In 1977, the group released Livin’ on the Fault Line, which was successful without producing any big hits. Johnston left the band after the album’s release to pursue an unsuccessful solo career. Following his departure, the Doobies released their most successful album, Minute By Minute (1978) which spent five weeks at number one on the strength of the number one single “What a Fool Believes.” Hartman and Baxter left the group after the album’s supporting tour, leaving the Doobie Brothers as McDonald’s backing band.

Following a year of audition, the Doobies hired ex-Clover guitarist John McFee, session drummer Chet McCracken and former Moby Grape saxophonist Cornelius Bumpus and released One Step Closer (1980), a platinum album that produced the Top Ten hit “Real Love.” During the tour for One Step Closer, McCracken was replaced by Newmark. Early in 1982, Doobie Brothers announced they were breaking up after a farewell tour, which was documented on the 1983 live album, The Doobie Brothers Farewell Tour. After the band’s split, McDonald pursued a successful solo career, while Simmons released one unsuccessful solo record. In 1987, the Doobies reunited for a concert at the Hollywood Bowl, which quickly became a brief reunion tour; McDonald declined to particpate in the tour. By 1989, the early ’70s lineup of Johnston, Simmons, Hartman, Porter, and Hossack, augmented by percussionist and former Doobies roadie Bobby La Kind, had signed a contract with Capitol Records. Their reunion album, Cycles, went gold upon its summer release in 1989, spawning the Top Ten hit “The Doctor.” Brotherhood followed two years later, but it failed to generate much interest. For the remainder of the ’90s, the group toured the US, playing the oldies circuit and ’70s revival concerts. By 1995, Michael McDonald had joined the group again and the following year saw the release of Rockin’ Down the Highway. But the line up had once again shifted by the turn of the new millennium. 2000 saw the band — Michael Hossack, Tom Johnston, Keith Knudsen, John McFee, and Pat Simmons — issue Sibling Rivalry, which featured touring members Guy Allison on keyboards, Marc Russo on saxophone, and Skylark on bass.

Biography by Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Soundtrack/Filmography

Rail Kings (2005) (V) (performer: “Long Train Runnin'”)
House of D (2004) (performer: “China Grove”)
Radio (2003) (performer: “China Grove” (1973))
“Six Feet Under”
- I’m Sorry, I’m Lost (2003) TV Episode (“It Keeps You Running”)
Joe Dirt (2001) (performer: “Listen To The Music”, “China Grove”)
- A.K.A. The Adventures of Joe Dirt (Canada: English title: TV title) (USA: working title)
Outside Providence (1999) (performer: “Long Train Runnin'”)
The Limey (1999) (performer: “China Grove”)
Forrest Gump (1994) (performer: “It Keeps You Runnin'”)
Fire in the Sky (1993) (performer: “Black Water”)
Frankie and Johnny (1991) (performer: “What A Fool Believes “)
- A.K.A. Frankie & Johnny (USA: poster title)
Crooked Hearts (1991) (performer: “China Grove”)
Stone Cold (1991) (performer: “Dangerous”)
Field of Dreams (1989) (performer: “China Grove”)
Personal Best (1982) (performer: “What A Fool Believes “)
“What’s Happening!!”
- Doobie or Not Doobie: Part 2 (1978) TV Episode (performer: “Black Water”, “Takin’ it to the Streets”)
- Doobie or Not Doobie: Part 1 (1978) TV Episode (performer: “Little Darling (I Need You)”)
The Squeeze (1977) (performer: “Listen To The Music “, “Cotton Mouth “)

Filmography links and data courtesy of The Internet Movie Database.