It was late 1956, in Pop’s Candy Store on 16th Avenue and 77th Street — just across from New Utrecht High School. The Overons were singing on the corner every night, and polishing their sound. Jim Gribble heard them at an audition and liked their sound. He felt he would have no trouble getting this
Together since high school, the Ohio Express were the ultimate bubblegum band. Their lead singer, Joey Levine, sang like he had a huge wad of bubblegum in his mouth. His super nasal vocals are a bubblegum trademark. The band played tense go-go grooves with chug-chug-chug-chug–chug-chug-chug-chug guitars & roller rink keyboards. Compared to most bubblegum bands,
The Passions are one of the best Brooklyn vocal groups to emerge from New York City in the late 50s and early 60s. They started out as the Sinceres, one of several vocal groups whose “harmony haven” was the alley alongside Loew’s Oriental Theatre in the Bensonhurst section of Brooklyn. Nearby Kelly’s Pool Room occasionally
On December 17, 1949, a lad was born in Middlesbrough, England who would one day be known as one of rock’s most distinctive vocalists. Paul Rodgers first came to prominence in 1968 as a member of the seminal blues group Free. He has often been called the greatest voice in rock. Initially, as the young
Over an illustrious career that has spanned close to 4 decades, Peaches & Herb have established themselves as an international household name. This dynamic duo’s hitmaking reputation has been firmly etched into the public consciousness with nearly 60 records that have made the charts since “Let’s Fall In Love” began its climb up the charts in the
In April 1963, 15 year old “Little” Peggy March scored a No. 1 hit with her instant smash “I Will Follow Him” which stayed at the No. 1 slot for an incredible 3 weeks. With her first recording an instant hit, RCA Records discovered Peggy’s way with language – she had a phenomenal ear and could pick
Formed in 1962, the Persuasions have performed with a legendary line up of artists from Joni Mitchell, Stevie Wonder, Paul Simon, Ray Charles, Liza Minelli, the Grateful Dead, and amassed over 28 album and CD record releases. Known for their creative interpretation of iconic artists, the Persuasions have recorded a wide range of music from
The Rip Chords are a California Group.Their songs tell stories of hot rods, the surf and boys and girls in love. When you think of California in the 60’s, you think of The Beach Boys, Jan and Dean, and The Rip Chords. No wonder. In 1964 “Cashbox” reported that“Hey Little Cobra” was #2 with a bullet
Pop music fans know Ron Dante as the man who sang lead and was all the background voices for the group The Archies hit song Sugar Sugar. This hit single topped the top 40 charts for weeks and was voted “Song of the Year’ in 1969 in an era dominated by the Beatles, the Rolling
In 1957 a group of friends in a Detroit, Michigan high school came together to make music. Billy Henderson, Henry Fambrough, Pervis Jackson, George W. Dixon, and Bobbie Smith called themselves the Domingoes, but soon changed their name to The Spinners. The Spinners first hit the charts in 1961, with “That’s What Girls Are Made For”.
Terry Sylvester started his musical career at the famous Cavern Club Liverpool in the early 1960’s. His first group “The Escorts” appeared at the Cavern with “The Beatles” on many occasions. When The Beatles played at the Cavern for the last time on the 3rd August 1963, “The Escorts” were hand picked by Cavern DJ
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 in the New York City of the late 50’s and early 60’s. The history of Brooklyn alone testifies to the remarkable talent that called just that one borough “home”
The music of Tommy James is played continuously, everyday, in every country in the world, and has been for over a generation. His songs have become so ingrained in modern culture, it’s difficult to go for more than a couple of days without hearing one of them on the radio, TV, in films, or one
If you have heard the hits “My Baby Loves Lovin”‘, “Beach Baby”, “United We Stand”, “Gimme Dat Ding”, “Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes)” and the unforgettable Coke commercial “I’d Like to Buy the World a Coke” you have definitely heard Tony Burrows. British session vocalist Tony Burrows is probably the only singer who can claim he
The Troggs will be forever remembered for their primitive rock anthem“Wild Thing”, a No. 1 hit in the US in June 1966, selling many million copies. Hailing from the town of Andover in southern England, The Troggs (short for Troglodytes) consisted of Reg Presley on vocals, Chris Britton, guitar, Pete Staples, bass guitar and Ronnie
Howard Kaylan and Mark Volman formed a rock group with drummer Don Murray and bassist Chuck Portzin in Westchester, California in 1965 and called it “The Crossfires”. DJ and club owner Reb Foster assisted The Crossfires and they signed with White Whale Records, becoming in the process a folk rock group known as The Turtles.
In 1959, Bob Bogle and Don Wilson, formed the nucleus of the original music group, The Ventures. The duo was joined about a year later by Nokie Edwards and Howie Johnson to record “Walk, Don’t Run”, which hit Billboard’s Singles Chart on July 18,1960 and peaked at #2. Since that spectacular beginning, The Ventures — later
