Lynyrd Skynyrd

Three members and one road crew member died in an airplane crash in 1977; the band reformed in 1987 for a reunion tour with lead singer Ronnie Van Zant's younger brother Johnny as the frontman. Lynyrd Skynyrd continues to tour and record. Of its original members, only Gary Rossington remains. The band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on March 13, 2006

In the summer of 1964, teenage friends Ronnie Van Zant, Allen Collins, and Gary Rossington formed the band "The Noble Five" in Jacksonville, Florida. The band changed in 1965 to "My Backyard", when Larry Junstrom and Bob Burns joined. In 1968, the group won a local Battle of the Bands contest and the opening slot on several Southeast shows for the California-based psychedelic rock band Strawberry Alarm Clock.

In 1970, Van Zant sought a new name. "One Percent" and "The Noble Five" were each considered before the group settled on "Leonard Skinnerd", a mocking tribute to a physical-education teacher at Robert E. Lee High School, Leonard Skinner, who was notorious for strictly enforcing the school's policy against boys having long hair. The more distinctive spelling was adopted before they released their first album.

In 1972 the band was discovered by musician, songwriter, and producer Al Kooper of Blood, Sweat, and Tears, who had attended one of their shows at a club in Atlanta, GA. They changed the spelling of their name to "Lynyrd Skynyrd", and Kooper signed them to his Sounds of the South label that was to be distributed and supported by MCA Records, producing their first album (Pronounced 'Lĕh-'nérd 'Skin-'nérd).

In January 1976, backup singers Leslie Hawkins, Cassie Gaines and JoJo Billingsley (collectively known as The Honkettes) were added to the band, although they were not considered official members. Lynyrd Skynyrd's fourth album Gimme Back My Bullets was released in the new year.

Both Collins and Rossington had serious car accidents over Labor Day weekend in 1976 which slowed the recording of the follow-up album and forced the band to cancel some concert dates. Rossington's accident inspired the ominous "That Smell" – a cautionary tale about drug abuse that was clearly aimed towards him and at least one other band member. Rossington has admitted repeatedly that he was the "Prince Charming" of the song who crashed his car into an oak tree while drunk and stoned on Quaaludes. Van Zant, at least, was making a serious attempt to clean up his act and curtail the cycle of boozed-up brawling that was part of Skynyrd's reputation.

1977's Street Survivors turned out to be a showcase for guitarist/vocalist Steve Gaines, who had joined the band just a year earlier and was making his studio debut with them. Publicly and privately, Ronnie Van Zant marveled at the multiple talents of Skynyrd's newest member, claiming that the band would "all be in his shadow one day."

Plane crash (1977)
In October 20, 1977, just three days after the release of Street Survivors, and five shows into their most successful headlining tour to date, Lynyrd Skynyrd's chartered Convair CV-300 ran out of fuel near the end of their flight from Greenville, South Carolina, where they had just performed at the Greenville Memorial Auditorium, to LSU in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

Though the pilots attempted an emergency landing on a small airstrip, the plane crashed in a forest in Gillsburg, Mississippi. Ronnie Van Zant, Steve Gaines, Cassie Gaines, assistant road manager Dean Kilpatrick, pilot Walter McCreary and co-pilot William Gray were killed on impact; the other band members suffered serious injuries.

Following the crash and the ensuing press, Street Survivors became the band's second platinum album and reached #5 on the U.S. album chart. The single "What's Your Name" reached #13 on the single airplay charts in January 1978. The original cover sleeve for Street Survivors had featured a photograph of the band, particularly Steve Gaines, engulfed in flames. Out of respect for the deceased (and at the request of Teresa Gaines, Steve's widow), MCA Records withdrew the original cover and replaced it with a similar image of the band against a simple black background Thirty years later, for the deluxe CD version of Street Survivors, the original "flames" cover was restored.

Lynyrd Skynyrd disbanded after the tragedy, reuniting just once to perform an instrumental version of "Free Bird" at Charlie Daniels' Volunteer Jam V in January 1979. Collins, Rossington, Powell and Pyle performed the song with Charlie Daniels and members of his band. Leon Wilkeson, who was still undergoing physical therapy for his badly broken left arm, was in attendance, along with Judy Van Zant, Teresa Gaines, JoJo Billingsley and Leslie Hawkins.

Return (1987–present)
In 1987, Lynyrd Skynyrd reunited for a full-scale tour with five major members of the pre-crash band: crash survivors Gary Rossington, Billy Powell, Leon Wilkeson and Artimus Pyle, along with guitarist Ed King, who had left the band two years before the crash. Ronnie Van Zant's younger brother, Johnny, took over as the new lead singer and primary songwriter. Due to Collins' paralysis from the 1986 car accident, he was only able to participate as the musical director, choosing Randall Hall, his former bandmate in the Allen Collins Band, as his stand-in. As part of his plea deal, Collins would be wheeled out onstage each night to explain to the audience why he could no longer perform (usually before the performance of "That Smell", which had been partially directed at him). Collins was stricken with pneumonia in 1989 and died on January 23, 1990.


The fact that the band chose to continue after the 1987 tribute tour caused legal problems for the survivors, as Judy Van Zant Jenness and Teresa Gaines Rapp (widows of Ronnie and Steve, respectively) sued the others for violating an agreement made shortly after the plane crash, stating that they would not "exploit" the Skynyrd name for profit. As part of the settlement, Jenness and Rapp collect nearly 30% of the band's touring revenues (representing the shares their husbands would have earned had they lived), and hold a proviso which forces any band touring as "Lynyrd Skynyrd" to include at least two from the pre-crash era.

The reconstituted Lynyrd Skynyrd has gone through a large number of lineup changes and continues to record and tour today. One by one, the members of the pre-crash band have left, been forced out, or have died. Artimus Pyle left the band in 1991 and his place has been taken by a variety of drummers since, with Michael Cartellone finally becoming his permanent replacement. Randall Hall was replaced by Mike Estes in 1993.

On January 28, 2009, keyboardist Billy Powell died at age 56 at his home near Jacksonville, Florida. Powell called 911 at 12:55 a.m., complaining of shortness of breath. He had previously missed his doctor's appointment on the day before his death; the appointment was for a checkup on his heart.

The EMS responders found Powell unconscious and unresponsive, with the telephone still in his hand. Rescue crews performed CPR, but he was pronounced dead at 1:52 a.m. Although a heart attack was suspected, and it was originally reported that an autopsy was to be performed, none in fact was ever done. Powell's death left Gary Rossington as the sole pre-crash member of the band, unless Rickey Medlocke's brief stint with the band in the early 1970s is counted.

Present Day
On March 17, 2009, it was announced that Skynyrd had signed a worldwide deal with Roadrunner Records, in association with their label, Loud & Proud Records, and released their new album God & Guns on September 29 of that year. They toured Europe and the United States in 2009 with Peter Keys of the 420 Funk Mob on keyboards and Robert Kearns of The Bottle Rockets on bass (in place of Ean Evans, who died of cancer at age 48 on May 6, 2009, at his home in Columbus, Mississippi).Scottish rock band Gun performed as special guests for the UK leg of Skynyrd's tour in 2010.

In addition to the tour, Skynyrd appeared at the Sean Hannity Freedom Concert series in late 2010. Hannity had been actively promoting the God & Guns album, frequently playing portions of the track "That Ain't My America" on his radio show. The band will continue to tour throughout 2011, in a tour known as "Rebels and Bandoleros" playing alongside ZZ Top and The Doobie Brothers. Currently the band is active, and continues to do shows.

The Lovin' Spoonful

The Lovin' Spoonful
An American pop rock band of the 1960s, named to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000. When asked about his band, leader John Sebastian said it sounded like a combination of "Mississippi John Hurt and Chuck Berry," prompting his friend, Fritz Richmond, to suggest the name "Lovin' Spoonful" from a line in Hurt's song, "Coffee Blues".

Formed:

1965 (New York, NY)

Genres:

Pop, Folk-pop, Pop-rock, Folk, Country

Members:

John Sebastian (b. Match 17, 1944, Greenwich Village, New York, NY): lead vocals, guitar, autoharp
Zalman "Zal" Yanovsky (b. December 19, 1944, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; d. December 13, 2002, Kingston, Ontario, Canada): guitar
Steve Boone (b. September 23, 1943, Camp Lejeune, NC): bass
Joe Butler (b. Joseph Campbell Butler, January 9, 1943, Long Island, New York, NY): drums

Contributions to music:

• Instrumental in popularizing "folk-rock" music
• Helped provide an American response to the "British Invasion" of the Sixties
• Brought a jug-band sense of instrumentation and arangement into the folk-rock genre
• Leader John Sebastian is considered one of the era's most accomplished and uniquely individual songwriters
• One of the first rock acts to revisit straight country music
• The first rock band to record on a 16-track console
• One of the first rock bands to perform on college campuses

Early years:

The Lovin' Spoonful had its genesis in the Greenwich Village folk scene of the early Sixties; indeed, leader John Sebastian had already played with several of the genre's leading lights before he and Zal Yanovsky met in 1964. Mutual friend Cass Elliot -- later of the Mamas and Papas -- invited both to her house to watch the Beatles' historic first appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show, and the two decided to form a rock band on the spot. By 1965, the Spoonful were a fulltime endeavor.

Success:

After landing a steady gig at New York's Night Owl cafe, the Spoonful were signed to the fledgling Kama Sutra label in 1965, scoring an immediate hit with "Do You Believe In Magic?" It epitomized the openhearted Spoonful style, specifically the songwriting of Sebastian; more influenced by jug-band and blues music than pure folk, the group epitomized the radio-friendly face of folk-rock. (The exception was their biggest hit, the uncharacteristically gritty and urban "Summer In The City.")

Later years:

In 1967, Yanovsky was busted for marijuana, however, and when he gave up the name of his dealer, his name became mud in the counterculture, forcing him to leave the group. Not sure what to do with psychedelia and the acid-rock of the late '60s, the group disbanded a few years later. Sebastian played Woodstock and enjoyed a somewhat successful solo career, scoring a #1 hit with the theme to the television show Welcome Back, Kotter (titled simply "Welcome Back"). Zal died of heart disease in 2002.

Other facts:

• Also included Jerry Yester (b. November 24, 1939, Birmingham, AL): guitar (1967-1968)
• An early performance of the Spoonful inspired future members of the Grateful Dead to "go electric"
• Wrote and performed the soundtracks for Woody Allen's What's Up, Tiger Lily? and Francis Ford Coppola's You're a Big Boy Now
• The band's name is taken from the lyrics to Mississippi John Hurt's "Coffee Blues"; supposedly a reference to the amount of ejaculate produced by one male orgasm

Awards/Honors:

• Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (2000)
• GRAMMY Hall of Fame (1999, 2002)

Recorded work:

#1 hits:
Pop:

• "Summer In The City" (1966)

Top 10 hits:
Pop:

• "Do You Believe In Magic?" (1965)
• "Daydream" (1966)
• "Did You Ever Have To Make Up Your Mind?" (1966)
• "Rain On The Roof" (1966)
• "You Didn't Have To Be So Nice" (1966)
• "Nashville Cats" (1967)

Top 10 albums:
Pop:

• Daydream (1966)
• The Best Of The Lovin' Spoonful (1967)

Other important recordings: "On The Road Again," "Didn't Want To Have To Do It," "Jug Band Music," "Pow!" "Lovin' You," "Darlin' Companion," "Coconut Grove," "Full Measure," "Darling Be Home Soon," "Lonely (Amy's Theme)," "You're A Big Boy Now," "Younger Girl," "She Is Still A Mystery," "Six O'Clock," "Money," "Younger Generation," "Never Going Back"

Appears on: "They're On The Outside", Sonny and Cher

Covered by: David Lee Roth, Joe Cocker, Slade, Bobby Darin, Joe Jackson, Butthole Surfers, The Beau Brummels, Tim Curry, David Cassidy, Right Said Fred

Appears in the movies: "What's Up, Tiger Lily?" (1966), "One Trick Pony" (1980)

Paul Revere and The Raiders

Paul Revere & the Raiders
An American rock band that saw considerable U.S. mainstream success
in the second half of the 1960s and early 1970s with hits such as "Kicks"

Formed:

1960 (Portland, OR)

Genres:

Rock and Roll, Garage Rock, Pop-Rock, Psychedelia

Original Members:

Paul Revere (b. Paul Revere Dick, January 7, 1938, Harvard, NE): organ
Mark Lindsay (b. March 9, 1942, Eugene, OR): lead vocals
Drake Levin (b. Drake Maxwell Levinshefski, August 17, 1946, Chicago, IL): lead guitar
Phil "Fang" Volk (b. October 25, 1945, Nampa, ID): bass guitar
Mike "Smitty" Smith" (b. Michael LeRoy Smith, March 27, 1942, Beaverton, OR; d. March 5th, 2001, Kona, HI): drums

Contributions to music:

• Instrumental in helping popularize the Pacific Northwest garage rock scene of the mid-Sixties
• With their Revolutionary War outfits, styled as America's answer to the British Invasion
• The most consistently popular garage-rock band of the decade
• Notable for a hilarious and convoluted stage show unlike anything else at the time
• A major influence on mod British bands of the era and their later punk brethren
• The first rock band to be given a weekly gig as a "house band" on a major television series (Dick Clark's Where The Action Is, 1965-1967 and also Happening '68, both on ABC)

Early years:

Although a big fan of both Spike Jones and Jerry Lee Lewis, the young Paul Dick was a 19-year-old who made most of his money with the barber shop and drive-in he owned in his hometown of Caldwell, Idaho. (Yes, owned; the young Dick was also a master barber!) He'd formed an instrumental rock band called the Downbeats in order to promote the restaurant; while gigging one night, a 16-year-old saxophonist named Mark Lindsay asked to sing on stage with them, and the two founding fathers of the Raiders struck up a fast friendship. By the early Sixties the newly-rechristened band had scored a few hits in Boise.

Success:

In 1961, the group -- still instrumentalists, primarily -- finally struck gold with "Like, Long Hair," a novelty which melded classical and boogie-woogie in the style of B. Bumble and the Stingers' "Nut Rocker." Revere's draft notice soon put an end to that success, but after serving his two-year stint, he and Lindsay reconvened in Portland, Oregon, taking the band in a new direction by covering an old Richard Perry R&B hit called "Louie, Louie." They attracted so much attention in their new garage-rock guise that Columbia soon signed them; they soon became the pre-eminent American rock band of the era (1965-1967).

Later years:

Using the name, Lindsay scored what was essentially a solo hit in 1971 with the massive smash "Indian Reservation," but the Raiders' brand of goodtime garage had faded by the early Seventies, although the group continued to hone its stage act and tour the oldies circuit. Lindsay -- who'd scored a solo hit for real in 1971 with "Arizona" -- left for his own career in 1975. Revere continues to tour with an updated version of the Raiders to this day, and still dabbles in the restaurant business; original drummer Mike Smith died in 2001.

Other facts:

• Other Raiders members have included: Jim "Harpo" Valley (guitar, 1966-1967), Charlie Coe (bass, guitar, 1963, 1967-1968), Freddy Weller (guitar), Joe Correrro (drums), Keith Allison (bass)
• Paul found Mark the day after his first stage appearance, working in a bakery Revere was picking up hamburger buns from
• Leon Russell played piano in an early version of the Raiders
• Revere was a Conscientious Objector during his Army stint, due to his Mennonite upbringing
• Recorded "Louie Louie" at the same studio the Kingsmen cut their hit version, at around the same time
• Producer Terry Melcher was a member of the Rip Chords

Awards/Honors:

• Oregon Music Hall of Fame (2007)

Recorded work:

#1 hits:
Pop:

• "Indian Reservation (The Lament Of The Cherokee Reservation Indian)" (1971)

Top 10 hits:
Pop:

• "Hungry" (1966)
• "Kicks" (1966)
• "Good Thing" (1967)
• "Him Or Me - What's It Gonna Be?" (1967)

Top 10 albums:
Pop:

• Just Like Us! (1966)
• Midnight Ride (1966)
• Greatest Hits (1967)
• Revolution! (1967)
• A Christmas Present...And Past (1967)
• The Spirit Of '67 (1967)

Other popular recordings: "Like, Long Hair," "Steppin' Out," "Just Like Me," "The Great Airplane Strike," "I Had A Dream," "Ups And Downs," "Don't Take It So Hard," "Too Much Talk," "Let Me!" "Mr. Sun, Mr. Moon," "Birds Of A Feather," "Louie, Louie," "Louie, Go Home," "Action," "I'm Not Your Stepping Stone," "Ballad Of A Useless Man," "Why? Why? Why? (Is It So Hard)," "Louise," "Mo'reen," "Gone - Movin' On," "Tighter," "Peace Of Mind," "Too Much Talk," "Cinderella Sunshine," "Just Seventeen," "Country Wine," "Powder Blue Mercedes Queen"

Covered by: The Who, Pat Benatar, John Cougar Mellencamp, The Monkees, The Flamin' Groovies, Sammy Hagar, Leif Garrett, The Nazz, Del Shannon

Appears in the movies: Paul Revere: "Operation Thanksgiving" (2005)

Dave Clark Five

The Dave Clark Five
(also known as "The DC5")
Were an English pop rock group.
Their single "Glad All Over" knocked The Beatles' "I Want to Hold Your Hand" off the top of the UK singles charts in January 1964: it eventually peaked at No.6 in the United States in April 1964.

Formed:

1961 (Tottenham, London, England)

Genres:

Rock and Roll, Pop, Pop-rock, British invasion

Principal Members:

Dave Clark (b. David Clark, December 15, 1942, Tottenham, London, England): drums
Mike Smith (b. Michael George Smith, December 6, 1943, Edmonton, North London, England): vocals, organ
Lenny Davidson (b. Leonard Arthur Davidson, May 30, 1944, Enfield, London, England): lead guitar
Rick Huxley (b. Richard Huxley, August 5, 1942, Dartford, Kent, England): bass
Denny Payton (b. Denis West Payton, August 11, 1943, Walthamstow, London, England; d. December 17, 2006, Bournemouth, Dorset, England): rhythm guitar, harmonica, saxophone

Contributions to music:

• Led the second wave of the Sixties' "British Invasion," after the Beatles
• The first British rock band to tour the US
• Cultivated a "cleaner" image than even the Beatles had, yet created an arguably harder sound
• Drummer Dave Clark was the first prominent rock drummer to lead his own band, as well as the first to manage his own band, and one of the first musicians to produce his own band
• One of the first UK bands to base their sound around drums as opposed to guitar, and to write its own material
• Appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show more often than any other band
• One of the first and most successful bands to cross over into movies

Early years:

The DC5 began life as a side project, a way for Clark to raise money for his soccer team; although not a musician, he bought a set of drums, taught himself to play them, and formed a band, which soon found a steady gig backing up singer Stan Saxon in a North London club. Soon they were signed to Britain's Pye Records, and even enjoyed a small hit with their cover of the Contours' "Do You Love Me." But their next single, the original "Glad All Over," hit big, knocking the Beatles' "I Want To Hold Your Hand" out of the top spot in their native country. Clark's primitive, self-produced tribal drum sound was a smash.

Success:

Soon, the group was getting airplay in the States, thanks to promoters looking for the logical followup to the Beatles. But the "Tottenham Sound" of the DC5 was harder and more raucous than the "Merseybeat" sound of the Beatles, Gerry and the Pacemakers, The Swinging Blue Jeans, etc. Clark, a natural businessman, managed and produced his own band, and made several smart business decisions which ensured the group would hang on to the money it made. Before the Stones, Kinks, and Who arrived in 1965, the Dave Clark Five were considered the Beatles' chief British Invasion rival, scoring 15 top 20 hits in three years.

Later years:

Although Clark and company tried to shift with the changing cultural tide in the late Sixties, they met with little success, being forever tagged as a teenyboppers' group. After some success in the nascent "oldies revival" trend, they called it quits in 1970. Original member Denis Payton died in 2006; on October 15th, 2003, Mike Smith was horribly injured while climbing a fence on his property in Spain, falling and leaving himself permanently paralyzed in both legs and one arm. Donations may be sent to Mike Smith c/o P.O. Box 4584, Wilmington, DE 19807.

Other facts:

• Clark actually started out as a movie stuntman
• Sold out 12 shows at Carnegie Hall in three days
• "Bits and Pieces" created such stomping from crowds live that it was often banned from performance
• "Over and Over" was originally performed by Bobby Day as the b-side of his hit "Rockin' Robin"
• Clark owns the rights to the legendary British TV pop series Ready Steady Go!
• The very successful London musical Time (1986) was written by Clark
• Mike Smith went on to produce several successful artists, including Shirley Bassey
• Session drummer Bobby Graham has claimed he, not Clark, played drums on the DC5's hits; this has been disputed

Recorded work:

#1 hits:
Pop:

• "Over And Over" (1965)

Top 10 hits:
Pop:

• "Glad All Over" (1964)
• "Because" (1964)
• "Bits And Pieces" (1964)
• "Can't You See That She's Mine" (1964)
• "Catch Us If You Can" (1965)
• "I Like It Like That" (1965)
• "You Got What It Takes" (1967)

Top 10 albums:
Pop:

• Glad All Over (1964)
• The Dave Clark Five Return! (1964)
• Coast To Coast (1965)
• The Dave Clark Five's Greatest Hits (1965)

Other notable recordings: "Do You Love Me," "Everybody Knows (I Still Love You)," "Any Way You Want It," "Come Home," "Reelin' And Rockin," "You Musta Been A Beautiful Baby," "Try Too Hard," "At The Scene," "Nineteen Days," "Please Tell Me Why," "Satisfied With You," "I Know You," "All Of The Time," "Chaquita," "I Knew It All The Time," "No Time To Lose," "Theme Without A Name," "Don't Let Me Down," "Any Time You Want Love," "Thinking Of You Baby," "Whenever You're Around," "Little Bitty Pretty One," "Ol' Sol," "I'm Thinking," "Crying Over You," "Don't Be Taken In," "When," "Mighty Good Loving," "Hurting Inside," "(Having A) Wild Weekend," "'Til the Right One Comes Along," "I'll Be Yours, My Love," "I Am On My Own," "I Need Love," "On The Move" "No One Can Break A Heart Like You," "Red Balloon," "Live In The Sky," "Put A Little Love In Your Heart," "Good Old Rock 'n' Roll," "Everybody Get Together"
Covered by: The Rezillos, Kiss

Appears in the movies: "The Swinging Set" (1964), "Catch Us If You Can" (1965) Dave Clark: "Live It Up!" (1963), "The Being" (1983)

Chubby Checker

Chubby Checker
born Ernest Evans
Born October 3, 1941
An American singer-songwriter. He is widely known for popularizing the twist dance style, with his 1960 hit cover of Hank Ballard's R&B hit "The Twist". In September 2008 "The Twist" topped Billboard's list of the most popular singles to have appeared in the Hot 100 since its debut in 1958.

Born:

Ernest Evans, October 3, 1941, Philadelphia, PA

Genres:

Rock and Roll, R&B, Pop, Folk

Instruments:

Vocals

Contributions to music:

• His 1961 hit "The Twist" remains the biggest-selling American dance-craze record of all time
• Popularized several famous 1960s dances, including the Pony, the Fly, and the Limbo
• A gifted vocalist whose 1959 hit "The Class" found him successfully imitating several popular artists
• Carved out a marginally successful second career as a folk artist in the mid-Sixties
• "The Twist" is the only recording to hit Number One in two separate years (1960 and 1962)

Early years:

A natural jokester and musician, young Ernest Evans made quite an impression on the streets of Philly, so much so that his boss, meat shop owner Henry Colt, soon convinced a music industry vet to recommend him to local impresario to Dick Clark. The result was a 1959 Christmas novelty single called "The Class," which took advantage of the kid's natural ability to imitate any vocalist. Clark's wife, Bobbie, asked him what his name was, and after he said the kids called him Chubby, she came up with his stage name on the spot, a play on Fats Domino (who Chubby also imitated). "The Class" was a Top 40 hit.

Success:

Checker's real break came the next year, however, when Hank Ballard and the Midnighters failed to honor an appearance on American Bandstand. Clark looked around for someone to cover the group's hit "The Twist," and Checker obligingly stepped in, knocking out the vocal over a pre-recorded backing track in 35 minutes. The song shot to Number One with Clark's promotion, and the dance craze it described -- which encouraged boys and girls, for the first time, to dance separately from one another -- changed the teen climate forever, a fad of huge and (relatively long-lasting) proportions.

Later years:

A second wave of popularity at New York's famed Peppermint Lounge brought the record back to #1 two years later, but by the mid-Sixties dance music had gotten funkier, prompting a brief renaissance for Chubby as a folk singer. Although he's since resuscitated the song (and his other hit dance-craze followups) in disco and rap versions, even trying his hand at country, Checker these days mainly plays to his original admirers, touring the oldies circuit and making several outrageous appeals to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for inclusion. (Hank Ballard was inducted way back in 1990.)

Other facts:

• Went to school in Philly with Fabian Forte, who would later become famous as Fabian
• During the first year of his success, "Chubby" lost 30 pounds by twisting at public appearances
• Married to former Miss World Catharina Lodders since 1964
• Daughter Mistie Williams plays basketball for Duke University
• Headlined the halftime show at Super Bowl XXII
• Has a street named after him in North Wildwood, NJ
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Awards/Honors:

• GRAMMY Award (1961)
• South Philly Walk of Fame (1997)

Recorded work:

#1 hits:
Pop:

• "The Twist" (1960, 1962)
• "Pony Time" (1961)

R&B:

• "Pony Time" (1961)

Top 10 hits:
Pop:

• "Let's Twist Again" (1961)
• "The Fly" (1958)
• "Limbo Rock" (1962)
• "Popeye (The Hitchhiker)" (1962)
• "Slow Twistin'" (1962)

R&B:

• "The Twist" (1960, 1962)
• "Limbo Rock" (1962)
• "Slow Twistin'" (1962)

Top 10 albums:
Pop:

• Bobby Rydell/Chubby Checker (1962)
• For Twisters Only (1962)
• Twist With Chubby Checker (1962)
• Your Twist Party (1962)

Other popular recordings: "The Class," "Hoot," "The Hucklebuck," "Dance The Mess Around," "Twistin' U.S.A.," "Dancin' Party," "Birdland," "Let's Limbo Some More," "Hooka Tooka," "Loddy Lo," "Surf Party," "Twenty Miles," "Twist It Up," "Twistin' Round The World," "Hey, Bobba Needle"

Covered by: Herb Alpert and The Tijuana Brass, Showaddywaddy, Klaus Nomi, The Fat Boys
Appears in the movies: "The Teenage Millionaire" (1961), "Twist Around the Clock" (1961), "It's Trad, Dad!" (1962), "Don't Knock the Twist" (1962), "Rote Lippen Soll Man Küssen" (1983), Let The Good Times Roll" (1973), "Purple People Eater" (1988), "Twist" (1992), "Calendar Girl" (1993), "Wildwood Days" (2005)

The Ronettes

The Ronettes
Were a 1960s girl group from New York City, best known for their work with producer Phil Spector. The group consisted of lead singer Veronica Bennett (later known as Ronnie Spector); her older sister, Estelle Bennett; and their cousin Nedra Talley. The group began singing as teenagers in Spanish Harlem, where they grew up, with their official recording career beginning at Colpix Records in 1961.

Formed:

1959 (Washington Heights, New York, NY)

Genres:

Girl group, Pop, R&B

Members:

Veronica "Ronnie" Bennett (b. August 10, 1943, New York, NY): lead vocals
Estelle Bennett (b. July 22, 1944, New York, NY): vocals
Nedra Talley (b. January 27, 1947, New York, NY): vocals

Contributions to music:

• The first "girl group" to cultivate a visual image and unique musical sound
• Their 1963 "Be My Baby" is thought of as the best girl-group song of all time, and one of rock's towering achievements
• Defined Phil Spector's "Wall of Sound" production techniques
• Crucial to the success of the "Brill Building" songwriters
• Ronnie Spector is considered one of rock's greatest survival stories
• Ronnie is also recognized as one of the finest and most emotional vocalists in rock and pop history

Early years:

Encouraged by their grandmother to begin vocalizing at a young age, the two Bennett sisters and their cousin Nedra were already a vocal trio called The Darling Sisters by the time they attended junior high. However, one night, while hanging outside New York's trendy Peppermint Lounge (made famous by the song "Peppermint Twist"), they were mistaken for a girl group already booked by the management. They of course performed anyway, and were a smash hit with their sultry good looks and smoking cover of Ray Charles' "What'd I Say." Later, as Ronnie and the Relatives, they recorded for the Colpix label without success.

Success:

Soon the girls met legendary producer Phil Spector, ostensibly through 16 Magazine writer Gloria Winters, although legend has it that Estelle first talked to Spector after dialing a wrong number. Whichever is the case, the young producer instantly fell for Ronnie, and saw the group in general as the kind he could mold into his perfect pop creation. Before long, the group had scored a massive hit with "Be My Baby," which established Spector's trademark sound like no other record. Several other hits followed, but they made more of an impact with the Brits than in America.

Later years:

By the late Sixties, Ronnie had married Phil, changed her last name to Spector, and gone solo, scoring a contract with the Beatles' new enterprise, Apple Records. The producer's increasingly erratic behavior, which included locking his wife up in their mansion, ensured that her solo career never got off the ground. Literally escaping in 1973, she attempted several hit singles, but poor planning and changing musical tastes kept her off the charts until the mid-Eighties, when she sang "Be My Baby" as part of Eddie Money's hit "Take Me Home Tonight." She continues to perform today.

Other facts:

• Won amateur night at Harlem's famous Apollo Theater in 1960
• The Ronettes performed as backup for Joey Dee and Murray The K, and brought Murray to meet the Beatles for the first time
• "Walking In The Rain" earned Spector his only Grammy -- for Best Sound Effects
• Toured with the Rolling Stones in England before they became stars in the States
• Billy Joel's "Say Goodbye To Hollywood," Bonnie Tyler's "It's A Heartache," and the Ramones' "She Talks To Rainbows" were all originally written for and recorded by Ronnie Spector

Awards/Honors:

• Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (2007)
• GRAMMY Hall of Fame (1999)
• Vocal Hall of Fame (2004)

Recorded work:

Top 10 hits:
Pop:

• "Be My Baby" (1963)

R&B:

• "Be My Baby" (1963)

Other important recordings: "Why Don't They Let Us Fall in Love," "I Wonder," "Baby I Love You," "Sleigh Ride," "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus," "Frosty The Snowman," "(The Best Part Of) Breakin' Up," "When I Saw You," "Do I Love You?," "I'm So Young," "You Baby," "How Does It Feel?," "Walking In The Rain," "Born To Be Together," "Is This What I Get For Loving You?," "Oh I Love You," "Paradise," "Here I Sit," "I Wish I Never Saw The Sunshine," "Everything Under The Sun," "You Came, You Saw, You Conquered," "I Can Hear Music"

Covered by: Travis, The Ramones, Beth Orton, The Turtles, Brian Wilson, Patti Smith, The Shangri-Las, The Beach Boys, John Lennon, Marianne Faithfull, Erasure

Appears in the movies: "Twist Around The Clock" (1962)," "The Big T.N.T. Show" (1966) Ronnie Spector: "Zoo" (1999)

The Crystals

The Crystals
Are an American vocal group based in New York, considered one of the defining acts of the girl group era of the first half of the 1960s. Their 1961–1964 chart hits, including "Uptown", "He's a Rebel", "Da Doo Ron Ron (When He Walked Me Home)" and "Then He Kissed Me", featured three successive female lead singers, and were all produced by Phil Spector.

Why they matter:

• One of the most successful girl groups of all time
• Part of "Wall of Sound" producer Phil Spector's legendary stable of artists
• Specialized in gritty and dramatic tales of urban romance atypical for the genre
• Revolving lead vocalists Barbra Alston, Darlene Love, and La La Brooks are considered among the finest of their era

Styles:

Girl group, R&B, Pop

Formed:

1961 (Brooklyn, NY)

Principal Members:

Barbara Ann Alston (born December 29, 1943, in Baltimore, MD): lead vocals
Mary Thomas (born 1946, Brooklyn, NY): vocals
Dee Dee Kennibrew (born Dolores Henry, 1945, Brooklyn, NY): vocals
Merna Girard (born 1943, Brooklyn, NY): vocals
Patsy Wright (born Patricia Wright, 1945, Brooklyn, NY): vocals

Early years:

The Crystals were formed by Brooklyn native and former big-band sideman Benny Wells, who decided to build a female vocal group around his niece, Barbara Alston, after hearing her sing in church. Alston recommended Mary Thomas and Merna Girard from her Brooklyn neighborhood; Dee Dee Kennibrew was brought in thanks to her mother, Kate Henry, who worked at the public school where the group rehearsed; Pat Wright joined after being recommended by her brother-in-law, local songwriter Leroy Bates. Bates also provided the Crystals with a song he'd written, an uptempo number entitled "There's No Other (Like My Baby)."

Success:

While rehearsing at the offices of Hill and Range, a very influential music publishing concern, they were overheard by producer Phil Spector, who liked what he heard. Bringing the girls into the studio, he dimmed the lights and recast "There's No Other" as a slow, sultry ballad. It became the group's first hit, followed by "Uptown," written by the Brill Building's Mann-Weil team. Girard, who by then was pregnant, was replaced with "La La" Brooks, a fellow P.S. 73 schoolmate discovered by Dee Dee singing in an afterschool show. Mary left in 1962 to get married and was not replaced.

Later years:

The Crystals enjoyed a number of hits in the early '60s, but their relationship with Spector soured after he forced them to record the bizarre domestic-abuse song "He Hit Me (It Felt Like A Kiss)," which radio rejected, as well as a joke song entitled "(Let's Dance) The Screw" and a number of songs, including the hits "He's A Rebel" and "He's Sure The Boy I Love," that were the Crystals in name only, having actually been recorded with Darlene Love and the Blossoms. Barbara, Dee Dee and Mary reformed in 1971 to tour the oldies revival circuit; Dee Dee heads up a version of the Crystals that still tours today.

Other facts and trivia:

• The Crystals were named after Leroy Bates' daughter
• The group recorded "There's No Other" on the night of their Senior Prom, still in their dresses
• "He Hit Me" was written by Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil after their babysitter, Eva Boyd, told them of a fight with her boyfriend; she would go on to be Little Eva of "Locomotion" fame
• Darlene Love was brought in for "He's A Rebel" because Spector was in Los Angeles and couldn't wait for the Crystals to fly across the country
• "La La" Brooks sings lead on "Da Doo Ron Ron" and "Then He Kissed Me"
• "He's A Rebel" was originally offered to the Shirelles, who turned it down

Awards/Honors:

• Vocal Group Hall of Fame (2006)
• GRAMMY Hall Of Fame (2004)

Recorded work and hits:

#1 hits:
Pop:

"He's A Rebel" (1962)

Top 10 hits:
Pop:

"Da Doo Ron Ron (When He Walked Me Home)" (1963)
"Then He Kissed Me" (1963)

R&B:

"There's No Other (Like My Baby)" (1961)

Other important recordings: "Uptown," "He Hit Me (And It Felt Like a Kiss)," "He's Sure The Boy I Love," "I Wonder," "Little Boy," "All Grown Up," "Oh Yeah, Maybe Baby," "What A Nice Way To Turn Seventeen," "No One Ever Tells You," "I Love You Eddie," "Walkin' Along (La-La-La)," "Another Country - Another World," "Please Hurt Me," "Nothing," "You Can't Tie A Good Girl Down," "My Place," "I Got A Man," "Are You Trying To Get Rid Of Me, Baby," "Ring-A-Ting-A-Ling," "Should I Keep On Waiting," "Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer," "Look In My Eyes," "Heartbreaker," "Girls Can Tell"

Covered by: Shaun Cassidy, The Donnas, The Searchers, Dave Edmunds, Hole, Flying Lizards, Rachel Sweet, The Beach Boys

Creedence Clearwater Revival

Creedence Clearwater Revival
(sometimes shortened to Creedence or CCR)
Was an American rock band that gained popularity in the late 1960s and early
1970swith a number of successful singles drawn from various albums.

Formed:

1967 (San Francisco, CA)

Genres:

Rock and Roll, Rockabilly, Swamp-rock, Country, Psychedelic rock, Soul

Members:

John Fogerty (b. May 28, 1945, Berkeley, CA): vocals, guitar
Tom Fogerty (b. November 9, 1941, Berkeley, CA; d. September 6, 1990, Scottsdale, AZ): rhythm guitar, backing vocals
Stu Cook (b. April 25, 1945, Oakland, CA): bass guitar
Doug Clifford (b. April 24, 1945, Palo Alto, CA): drums

Contributions to music:

• The most commercially successful American rock band of their time, and arguably the best American rock band of all time
• Practically invented the genre known as "swamp-rock"
• Brought a psychedelic generation back to roots rock and roll
• John Fogerty is considered one of rock's all-time greatest songwriters
• Adept at merging Americana with extended, often psychedelic workouts, making them in effect one of the world's first "jam bands"

Early years:

Although they'd end up in CCR together, in the late '50s, both Fogerty brothers headed up different bands in and around El Cerrito, CA. By 1961, Tom had joined John's outfit, The Blue Velvets, as lead singer, and by 1964, they'd signed with local Fantasy Records as the Golliwogs. Although they attracted some notice, three years went by without a true hit, until Saul Zaentz bought out Fantasy, renamed the band, and gave them a new image more in line with the burgeoning San Francisco underground.

Success:

Immediately, local freeform FM station KMPX began playing their extended jam on Dale Hawkins' classic "Suzie Q." It eventually broke nationally, but it was the followup, "Proud Mary," an instant classic, that established the sound of Creedence, who now featured a more confident John on lead vocals. Six albums and endless hit singles followed over just the next two-and-a-half years, but John's insistance on controlling the band led Tom to leave in 1971. The group broke up just one year later.

Later years:

John's complete dominance of CCR as singer, songwriter and producer has led him to carry the torch for the band, resulting in sporadic solo releases. Bitter disputes with Zaentz caused Fogerty to stop performing CCR songs in concert for many years, though the Fantasy catalogue is now in different hands. The two remaining living members formed Creedence Clearwater Revisited; Fogerty has never reconciled with them or brother Tom, who died in 1990 from AIDS contracted through a blood transfusion.

Other facts:

• The CCR name came from Tom's friend Credence Nuball, Clearwater beer, and the desire to revive the band's fortunes
• Despite 13 Top Ten entries, the band has never made it past #2 on the charts
• John Fogerty wrote "Proud Mary" in a fit of joy at having been rejected for service in Vietnam
• Fogerty was sued for plagiarizing himself in 1985, when Zaentz claimed John's solo hit "The Old Man Down The Road" was a rewrite of CCR's "Run Through The Jungle" (Fogerty represented himself, and won)

Awards/Honors:

• Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (1993)
• GRAMMY Hall of Fame (1998)

John Fogerty:

• Songwriters Hall of Fame (2005)
• Hollywood Walk of Fame (7000 Hollywood Blvd.)

Recorded work:

Top 10 hits:
Pop:

• "Proud Mary" (1969)
• "Bad Moon Rising" (1969)
• "Green River" (1969)
• "Down On The Corner" (1969)
• "Travelin' Band" (1970)
• "Who'll Stop The Rain" (1970)
• "Up Around The Bend" (1970)
• "Run Through The Jungle" (1970)
• "Lookin' Out My Back Door" (1970)
• "Long As I Can See The Light" (1970)
• "Hey Tonight" (1971)
• "Have You Ever Seen The Rain" (1971)
• "Sweet Hitch-Hiker" (1971)

#1 albums:
Pop:

• Green River (1969)
• Cosmo's Factory (1970)

Top 10 albums:
Pop:

• Bayou Country (1969)
• Willy and the Poorboys (1970)
• Pendulum (1971)

Other important recordings: "Porterville," "Suzie Q (Parts 1 and 2)," "Walk On The Water," "Born On The Bayou," "Bootleg," "Keep On Chooglin'," "Commotion," "Wrote A Song For Everyone," "Tombstone Shadow," "Lodi," "It Came Out Of The Sky," "Cotton Fields," "Don't Look Now (It Ain't You Or Me)," "The Midnight Special," "Ramble Tamble," "I Heard It Through The Grapevine," "Pagan Baby," "It's Just A Thought," "Molina," "Lookin' For A Reason"

Appears in the movies: "Creedence Clearwater Revival Live in London" (1970), "Maverick (1994)" (John Fogerty only)

The Bee Gees

The Bee Gees
Are a musical group that originally comprised three brothers: Barry, Robin, and Maurice Gibb. The trio were successful for most of their 40-plus years of recording music, but they had two distinct periods of exceptional success: as a pop act in the late 1960s and early 1970s, and as a foremost act of the disco music era in the late 1970s.

Formed:

1958 (Brisbane, Australia)

Genres:

Pop-rock, Pop, British Invasion, Psychedelic, Disco, Funk, R&B, Dance, Soft Rock, Adult Contemporary

Members:

Barry Crompton Gibb (b. September 1, 1946, Manchester, England): vocals, guitar
Maurice Gibb (b. December 22, 1949, Isle of Man, England; d. January 12, 2003, Miami, FL): vocals, bass, guitar, keyboards
Robin Gibb (b. December 22, 1949, Isle of Man, England): vocals

Contributions to music:

• The most successful and consistently innovative of the Beatles-inspired pop bands
• Singlehandedly brought the flagging disco trend back to popularity
• The most successful pop group of the Seventies
• Barry's lead and the brothers' harmonies are recognized as some of the greatest in rock
• Equally adept at blue-eyed soul, adult contemporary, pop, and funk-inspired dance music
• Barry is widely recognized as one of pop's greatest songwriters
• 
  

Early years:

The children of orchestra leader Hugh Gibb and dance band vocalist Barbara Pass actually numbered five -- Barry, the twins Maurice and Robin, a daughter Lesley, and youngest brother Andy, who would have his own successful solo career in the late 70s. It was the famous trio who began performing first, however, first in bands with names like The Rattlesnakes and Barry and the Twins. By 1963 they were performing as the Bee Gees, short for the Brothers Gibb (courtesy of Australian DJ Bill Gates).

Success:

The group scored a hit in their new home, Australia, in 1966 with a single called "Spicks and Specks," and by 1967 they were enjoying hits in England and America as well. Often considered Australia's answer to the Beatles, they gained a rep as one of the era's most delicate, soulful, and inventive pop bands. In 1975, however, flagging record sales led them to embrace R&B fully, resulting in a major career renaissance that led to their participation in a project called Saturday Night Fever.

Later years:

The soundtrack to that film starring John Travolta soon became the biggest-selling album of all time, and the Bee Gees completely dominated pop radio from 1977-1980 in a way that no band except the Beatles ever had. The resulting backlash kept them off the charts for much of the Eighties, but they enjoyed small comebacks in 1989 and 1997. Sadly, Maurice died in 2003 from what some consider medical malpractice, closing the door forever on one of music's most polarizing yet entertaining acts.

Other facts:

• Other members have included: Colin Petersen (guitar) and Vince Melouney (drums)
• Barry scalded himself badly with hot tea at the age of two, nearly ending his life
• The group's first performance was merely a lip-synching novelty act, but a broken record forced them to sing in public
• Manager Robert Stigwood broke Cream (and therefore Eric Clapton) in the States by making them a package deal with the Bee Gees
• Barry Gibb wrote "To Love Somebody" for Otis Redding, who died before he could record it

Awards/Honors:

• Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (1997)
• GRAMMY Awards (1977, 1978, 1980)
• Songwriters Hall of Fame (1994)
• Hollywood Walk of Fame (6845 Hollywood Blvd.)

Recorded work:

#1 hits:
Pop:

• "How Can You Mend A Broken Heart" (1971)
• "Jive Talkin'" (1975)
• "You Should Be Dancing" (1976)
• "Stayin' Alive" (1978)
• "Tragedy" (1979)
• "Too Much Heaven" (1979)
• "Love You Inside Out" (1979)

Top 10 hits:
Pop:

• "I've Gotta Get A Message To You" (1968)
• "I Started A Joke" (1969)
• "Lonely Days" (1971)
• "Nights On Broadway" (1975)
• "Love So Right" (1976)
• "One" (1989)

R&B:

• "You Should Be Dancing" (1976)
• "Stayin' Alive" (1978)
• "Too Much Heaven" (1979)
• 
  

#1 albums:
Pop:

• Spirits Having Flown (1979)
• Bee Gees Greatest (1980)

Top 10 albums:
Pop:

• Bee Gees' 1st (1967)
• Best Of Bee Gees (1969)
• Children Of The World (1976)
• Here At Last...Bee Gees...Live (1977)
• Staying Alive (1983)

R&B:

• Spirits Having Flown (1979)

Other important recordings: "Spicks And Specks," "New York Mining Disaster 1941 (Have You Seen My Wife, Mr. Jones)," "Massachusetts," "To Love Somebody," "Words," "Jumbo," "Barker of the UFO," "Don't Forget To Remember," "First Of May," "Tomorrow Tomorrow," "I.O.I.O.," "If Only I Had My Mind On Something Else," "Don't Wanna Live Inside Myself," "Alive," "My World," "Run To Me," "Mr. Natural," "Fanny (Be Tender With My Love)," "Boogie Child," "Edge Of The Universe," "Rest Your Love On Me," "He's A Liar," "Living Eyes," "Someone Belonging to Someone," "The Woman in You," "You Win Again," "For Whom the Bell Tolls," "Alone," "Still Waters Run Deep"

Wrote or co-wrote: Barry Gibb: "If I Can't Have You," Yvonne Elliman; "Islands In The Stream," Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton; "Heartbreaker," Dionne Warwick; "A Woman In Love," "Guilty," Barbra Streisand, "Emotion," Samantha Sang; "I Just Want To Be Your Everything," "Shadow Dancing," Andy Gibb; "Grease," Frankie Valli

Covered by: Elvis Presley, Faith No More, Al Green, Ozzy Osbourne, Nina Simone, Michael Bolton, The Flying Burrito Brothers, Janis Joplin, The Animals, Kim Carnes, Bonnie Tyler, Donny Osmond, Rod Stewart, Richie Havens, Vonda Shepard, Sarah Brightman
Appears in the movies:"Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" (1978)

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The Association

The Association
Is a pop music band from California in the folk rock or soft rock genre. During the 1960s, they had numerous hits at or near the top of the Billboard charts and were the lead-off band at 1967's Monterey Pop Festival. As of 2011, they are still performing.

Formed:

1965 (Los Angeles, CA)

Genres:

Pop, Pop-rock, Soft rock, Adult contemporary, Folk-rock, Psychedelia, Bubblegum

Famous Members:

Jules Alexander (b. Gary Alexander, September 25, 1943, Chattanooga, TN): vocals, guitar
Terry Kirkman (b. December 12, 1941, Salina, KS): vocals, brass, woodwinds
Russ Giguere (b. October 18, 1943, Portsmouth, NH): vocals, guitar
Jim Yester (b. November 24, 1939, Birmingham, AL): vocals, guitar, keyboards
Brian Cole (b. September 8, 1942, Tacoma, WA; d. August 2, 1972, Los Angeles, CA): vocals, bass
Larry Ramos (b. Hilario Ramos, Jr., April 12, 1942, Waimea, Kauai, HI): vocals, bass, guitar
Ted Bluechel, Jr. (b. December 2, 1942, San Pedro, CA): vocals, drums

Contributions to music:

• At the forefront of the folk movement's assimilation into California pop
• A multi-instrumentalist band that also performed six-part harmonies live on stage
• Experimented with psychedelic and protest music earlier than most pop groups
• Created a lush adult contemporary sound that still contained a hipster's edge
• Thought to have been one of the first bands to endorse marijuana on their hit "Along Comes Mary"
• One of pop's all-time most romantic groups

Early years:

The Association began life as the thirteen-member (!) vocal group The Men, formed by Kirkman and Alexander as a response to what they saw as the timidity of large folk groups like The New Christy Minstrels. Keeping all those people on the same page proved to be difficult, and though they'd already become the house band at Los Angeles' influential Troubadour club, a heated argument led to six members walking out of the room. Originally planning to call themselves the Aristocrats, Kirkman's wife went to look the name up in a dictionary and instead came back with The Association, which seemed a better name.

Success:

A few ambitious singles flopped, but the b-side of a single called "Your Own Love" caught the ear of several deejays, and the song "Along Comes Mary" became a smash in 1966. Several followups scored, some written by the band, some not: "Cherish," one of their most popular original ballads, was garnering massive crowd support at the Minstrels' shows, but Kirkman refused to let anyone but his band cut it. At the same time, the group experimented with the burgeoning psychedelic and protest movements, but these singles sold considerably worse than the ballads and breezy sunshiny pop hits like "Windy."

Later years:

As the Sixties progressed, the Association fell more and more out of favor with youth due to their AM radio sound and the fact that they didn't play their own instruments on those hit records (they were classically trained musicians, but their labels insisted on L.A.s famous Wrecking Crew of session men anyway). The death of founding member Brian Cole in 1973 was the final nail in the group's coffin, yet after a 1979 television special found them still in possession of the old magic, they began an Eighties touring comeback that continues -- in various forms, with various members -- today.

Other facts:

• Other members have included: Bob Page [b. May 13, 1943): vocals, guitar
• The group's 1968 hit "Windy" was composed by an outside writer about her freewheeling grandfather, and the lyrics changed
• The vocal tracks on the Association's early hits were recorded at completely different studios than the music, an almost unheard-of practice at the time
• The vocals on "Windy" were actually handled mainly by assorted people hanging around the studio, as the two leads had burned their voices out on multiple takes
• Jim Yester has played with versions of the Modern Folk Quartet, The Four Preps, and The Lovin' Spoonful

Awards/Honors:

• Vocal Group Hall of Fame (2003)

Recorded work:

#1 hits:
Pop:

• "Cherish" (1966)
• "Windy" (1967)

Top 10 hits:
Pop:

• "Along Comes Mary" (1966)
• "Never My Love" (1967)
• "Everything That Touches You" (1968)

Top 10 albums:
Pop:

• And Then... Along Comes The Association (1966)
• Insight Out (1967)
• Greatest Hits (1969)

Other notable recordings: "Babe I'm Gonna Leave You," "One Too Many Mornings," "Enter The Young," "Forty Times," "Your Own Love," "Don't Blame It On Me," "I'll Be Your Man," "Remember," "You Hear Me Call Your Name," "Memories Of You," "Pandora's Golden Heebie Jeebies," "Looking Glass," "No Fair At All," "When Love Comes To Me," "Happiness Is," "Requiem For The Masses," "Barefoot Gentleman," "Time For Livin'," "Six Man Band," "Goodbye, Columbus," "Look At Me, Look At You," "Goodbye Forever," "Just The Right Sound," "What Were The Words," "Along The Way," "Names, Tags, Numbers And Labels" Covered by: David Cassidy, Bloodhound Gang, The Ventures, Booker T. & The MG's, Blue Suede, The 5th Dimension, Nina Simone, Acker Bilk, Andy Williams, Vonda Shepherd

The Animals

The Animals
Were an English music group of the 1960s formed in Newcastle upon Tyne during the early part of the decade, and later relocated to London. The Animals were known for their gritty, bluesy sound and frontman Eric Burdon, as exemplified by their number one signature song "The House of the Rising Sun" as well as by hits such as "We Gotta Get Out of This Place", "It's My Life" and "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood". The band balanced tough, rock-edged pop singles against rhythm and blues-oriented album material. They were known in the U.S. as part of the British Invasion.

Formed:

1962 (Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Northumberland, England)

Genres:

R&B, Rock and Roll, Blues, British Invasion, Garage Rock, Folk-rock, Psychedelia

Original Members:

Eric Burdon (b. May 11, 1941, Walker-on-Tyne, England): vocals
Alan Price (b. April 19, 1942, Fatfield, County Durham, England): piano, organ
Hilton Valentine (b. Hilton Stewart Paterson Valentine, May 21, 1943, North Shields, Tyne & Wear, England): guitar
Bryan "Chas" Chandler (b. December 18, 1938, Heaton, Tyne & Wear, England; d. July 17, 1996, Tyneside, England): bass
John Steel (b. February 4, 1941 in Gateshead, Tyne & Wear, England): drums

Contributions to music:

• One of the earliest "British Invasion" bands to achieve massive success in America
• The most authentic of the UK's first wave of R&B bands
• Helped kickstart the folk-rock boom with their cover of "House Of The Rising Sun"
• Lead singer Eric Burdon is considered one of rock's all-time great voices
• Backed numerous American blues giants in the UK
• Amongst the most commercially successful Sixties bands to make the switch to psychedelic music
• A key interpreter of early Brill Building songwriters like Goffin-King and Mann-Weil
• Lead singer Eric Burdon is known for discovering and originally singing with the band War

Early years:

Formed originally as the Alan Price Combo, the Animals were one of several British rhythm and blues bands touring the country in the early Sixties, distinguished mainly by their utter authenticity and to the lead vocals of Eric Burdon, who sang like an American bluesman. Indeed, it was a cover of a Leadbelly standard, "House Of The Rising Sun," which the band heard on blues singer Josh White's 1944 single, that gave them their first transatlantic smash, as the Northeastern group had taken up with Yardbirds manager Giorgio Gomelsky and moved to London just in time for the beat boom.

Success:

Legendary producer Mickie Most took the group under his wing, encouraging them to continue their updating of blues, R&B, and folk standards, but also introducing them to the best songs the New York Brill Building scene had to offer. For two years, the quintet were the toast of two continents, authentic enough to have backed luminaries like John Lee Hooker and Sonny Boy Williamson. However, Alan Price was beginning to chafe under Burdon's insistance that the group expand their repertoire, and he left in 1965, followed the next year by Steel and soon after by the others.

Later years:

Undaunted, Burdon assembled a new group under the same name, moved to San Francsico and embraced the psychedelic boom; by 1969 he had abandoned the band name entirely and scored a hit ("Spill The Wine") with his new discovery, a Latin-funk band called War. Soon after, Burdon embarked on a spotty solo career; the original band members have since reformed on occasion with equally uneven results. Burdon continues to record and tour on his own today. No less than four different Animals line-ups, all containing some original members, have toured in the 21st century.

Other facts:

• Other members included: Dave Rowberry (b. Jul7 4, 1940, Nottingham, England; d. June 6, 2003, London, England): piano, organ; Berry Jenkins (b. December 22, 1944, Leicester, Leicestershire, England): drums; John Weider (guitar and bass); Vic Briggs (guitar and piano); Danny McCulloch (bass), Zoot Money (b. George Bruno, piano and organ)
• Late-period guitarist Andy Somers would go on to become Andy Summers of The Police
• The 1968 hit "Sky Pilot" was the first 45 to be released in stereo only
• Chas Chandler would go on to even greater fame as the man who discovered and managed Jimi Hendrix

Awards/Honors:

• Rock And Roll Hall of Fame (1994)
• GRAMMY Hall of Fame (1999)

Recorded work:

#1 hits:
Pop:

• "The House Of The Rising Sun" (1964)

Top 10 hits:
Pop:

• "See See Rider" (1966)
• "San Franciscan Nights" (1967)
• 
  

Top 10 albums:
Pop:

• The Animals (1964)
• The Best Of The Animals (1966)

Other important recordings: "Gonna Send You Back To Walker," "Boom Boom," "Bury My Body," "She Said Yeah," "I'm Crying," "Shake," "Baby Let Me Take You Home," "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood," "Bring It On Home To Me," "We Gotta Get Out of This Place," "It's My Life," "Inside, Looking Out," "Hey Gyp," "Don't Bring Me Down," "Help Me Girl," "When I Was Young," "Monterey," "A Girl Named Sandoz," "Sky Pilot, Pts. 1-2"

Covered by: Blue Oyster Cult, Fear, Elvis Costello, Frijid Pink, Grand Funk Railroad, Bon Jovi, The Ramones, Tom Petty, David Johansen, Bruce Springsteen

Appears in the movies: "Get Yourself a College Girl" (1964), "Pop Gear" (1965), "Tonite Let's All Make Love in London" (1967), "Monterey Pop" (1968) Eric Burdon: "Comeback" (1982), "The Doors" (1991), "O Adelfos Mou Kai Ego" (1998), "Schnee In Der Neujahrsnacht" (1999), "Fabulous Shiksa In Distress" (2003)

The Beach Boys

The Beach Boys
Are an American rock band, formed in 1961 in Hawthorne, California. The group was initially composed of brothers Brian, Dennis and Carl Wilson, their cousin Mike Love, and friend Al Jardine.

Formed:

1961, Hawthorne, CA

Main Members:

• Brian Wilson (b. June 20, 1942 Inglewood, CA): Vocals, piano, keyboards, guitar, bass guitar
  
• Mike Love (b. March 15, 1941 Baldwin Hills, CA): Lead vocals
  
• Carl Wilson (b. December 21, 1946 Hawthorne, CA; d. February 2, 1998 Los Angeles, CA): Vocals, lead guitar, keyboards
  
• Al Jardine (b. September 3, 1942 Lima, OH): Vocals, bass guitar
  
• Dennis Wilson (b. December 4, 1944 Inglewood, CA; d. December 28, 1983 Marina Del Rey, CA): Drums, percussion, keyboards, guitar

Genres:

Surf music, Sixties pop, Baroque pop, Psychedelic pop, Sunshine pop

Contributions to music:

• Brought the surf craze into the national consciousness
  
• Introduced harmonies which were a major influence on pop and rock
  
• Leader Brian Wilson's production techniques proved revolutionary and brilliant
  
• Created a rock soundtrack for summer fun
  
• Helped advance and personalize rock and roll songwriting
  
• Created Pet Sounds and "Good Vibrations," two of the biggest creative landmarks in pop history
  
• Helped influence their peers in the Sixties pop scene tremendously

Early years:

The brothers Brian, Dennis, and Carl Wilson, along with their cousin Mike Love and Brian's classmate Al Jardine, vocalized together often as teenagers (usually in the mold of pop vocal groups like the Four Freshmen). California natives except for Jardine, the five rented instruments and learned them well enough to record the Chuck Berry-influenced "Surfin'," a novelty tune meant to capitalize on the burgeoning craze. It did well enough regionally to prompt Capitol to sign the boys in 1961.

Success:

In 1962, the group took off nationally with "Surfin' Safari," and soon parlayed that success into a number of songs about sun, surf, and girls. Brian, who had been studying Phil Spector's productions, soon began writing and producing much of the group's material. The result was one of the few American acts who could hold their own, creatively and commercially, with the rising British Invasion. In 1966, the group peaked with two masterworks: the Pet Sounds album and the single "Good Vibrations."

Later years:

Driven by that desire to compete with acts like The Beatles, Brian worked for months on the Pet Sounds followup, called SMiLE. The pressure of the work, combined with drugs and Wilson's trouble family history, led to one of rock's most famous flameouts -- Wilson gained weight, became a recluse, and spent hours in a sandbox he'd installed in his living room. The group continues to perform, and has had some hits since, but Brian's dissolution essentially marked the end of the group's reign.

Other Facts:

• Other members of the band include:
• Bruce Johnston (b. June 27, 1942 Peoria, IL): Vocals, piano; David Marks (b. 1948, Newcastle, PA): Vocals, guitar; Blondie Chaplin (b. July 7, 1952 Durban, South Africa): Vocals, guitar; Ricky Fataar (b. May 9, 1952 Durban, South Africa): Drums
  
• Earlier names of the band were Carl and the Passions, The Pendletones, and Kenny and the Cadets
  
• Drummer Dennis Wilson was friendly with Charles Manson before his notorious crimes
  
• Only Dennis actually surfed

Awards/Honors:

• Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (1988)
  
• Grammy Hall of Fame (1994, 1998, 1999)
  
• Grammy Lifetime Achievment Award (2001)

Songs, Albums, and Charts:

#1 hits:

• "I Get Around" (1964)
• "Help Me Rhonda" (1965)
• "Good Vibrations" (1966)
• "Kokomo" (1988)

Top 10 hits:

• "Be True To Your School" (1963)
• "Little Saint Nick" (1963)
• "Surfer Girl" (1963)
• "Surfin' U.S.A." (1963)
• "Dance, Dance, Dance" (1964)
• "Fun, Fun, Fun" (1964)
• "When I Grow Up (To Be A Man)" (1964)
• "California Girls" (1965)
• "Barbara Ann" (1966)
• "Sloop John B" (1966)
• "Wouldn't It Be Nice" (1966)
• "Rock And Roll Music" (1976)
• 
  

#1 Albums:

• Beach Boys Concert (1964)
• Endless Summer (1974)

Top 10 Albums:

• Shut Down (1963)
• Surfer Girl (1963)
• Surfin' U.S.A. (1963)
• All Summer Long (1964)
• Little Deuce Coupe (1964)
• The Beach Boys' Christmas Album (1964)
• Summer Days (And Summer Nights!!) (1965)
  
• The Beach Boys Today! (1965)
• Beach Boys' Party! (1966)
• Best Of The Beach Boys (1966)
• Pet Sounds (1966)
• Spirit Of America (1975)
• 15 Big Ones (1976)

Other important recordings: "Surfin'," "409," "Little Deuce Coupe," "Surfin' Safari," "Shut Down," "Don't Worry Baby," "Little Honda," "Wendy," "Caroline, No," "God Only Knows," "Hang On To Your Ego," "Heroes And Villains," "Wild Honey," "Darlin'," "Let The Wind Blow," "All I Wanna Do," "Do It Again," "Sail On, Sailor"

Covered by: David Lee Roth, They Might Be Giants, David Cassidy, Art Garfunkel, The Everly Brothers, Neil Diamond, David Bowie, Andy Williams, The Cowsills, The Troggs, Todd Rundgren, The Pixies, Sonic Youth, The Apples In Stereo, Grant Lee Buffalo, The Ventures, The Ramones, Leif Garrett, Pennywise, The Queers, Pere Ubu, Sixpence None The Richer, Johnny Rivers, Joan Jett, Status Quo, Fleetwood Mac, Wall of Voodoo

Appears in the movies: "The Monkey's Uncle" (1965), "The Girls on the Beach" (1965), "The T.A.M.I. Show" (1965)

Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes

Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes
Were an American singing group, one of the most popular Philadelphia soul groups of the 1970s. The group's repertoire included soul, R&B, doo-wop, and disco. Founded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in the early 1950s as The Charlemagnes

Claims to fame:

• Lead vocalist Teddy Pendergrass was one of soul's greatest, most powerful, and most seductive vocalists
• The Blue Notes carried on a four-decade singing career in all styles of R&B
• The group was one of the biggest in the "Philly Soul" genre, and a crucial part of that style's development and acceptance
• Scored the first big disco hits, including disco's biggest ever dance hit, "Bad Luck"
• Balanced romantic heartbreak with social awareness
• Pendergrass' highly emotional, epic, spontaneous vocalese inspired whole generations of soul belters

Styles:

Philly soul, R&B, Disco

Principal members:

Harold Melvin (born June 25, 1939 in Philadelphia, PA; died March 24, 1997, Philadelphia, PA): vocals (first tenor)
Teddy Pendergrass (born Theodore DeReese Pendergrass, March 26th, 1950, Kingstree, SC; died January 13th, 2010, Bryn Mawr, PA): lead vocals (baritone)
Bernard Wilson (born Philadelphia, PA): vocals (baritone)
Lawrence Brown (born November 5th, 1944, Philadelphia, PA; died April 6th, 2008, Philadelphia, PA): vocals (bass)
Lloyd Parks (born Philadelphia, PA): vocals (second tenor)

Additional members:

Jerry Cummings, first tenor (1974-1977); Sharon Paige, alto (1975-1980); David Ebo, lead vocals (1977-1980); Dwight Johnson, first tenor (1977-1997); William Spratelly, second tenor (1977-1997); Roosevelt Brodie, Jesse Gillis, Jr., and Franklin Peaker (1954-?); John Atkins, lead vocal (1965-1970)

Formed:

1954, Philadelphia, PA

Early years:

Self-taught pianist Melvin formed the Blue Notes as a doo-wop group way back in 1954, after leaving his first group, The Charlemagnes; the group was just successful enough to maintain a following over the next fifteen years, scoring the occasional hit (1956's "If You Love Me," with Melvin as lead, 1960's "My Hero," their first national R&B hit, and their biggest hit to that point, 1965's "Get Out (And Let Me Cry)," with singer John Atkins. But in 1970 Harold made his most fateful move: while touring with the Cadillacs of "Speedoo" fame, he recruited their young drummer, one Teddy Pendergrass.

Success:

Teddy's booming baritone impressed Melvin so much he replaced Atkins with him as lead; the resultant powerful sound got the group an audition with Philadelphia International Records at the exact time the label's "Philly Soul" was just beginning to make a national impact. The group scored almost immediately with "If You Don't Know Me By Now," "I Miss You," and "The Love I Lost," singles written and produced by the legendary Philly Int'l teams Gamble-Huff and McFadden-Whitehead. By 1975, the group was riding high on the strength of great songwriting and production and Teddy's voice.

Later years:

However, Melvin downplayed his band members, spotlighting himself as the leader though he had almost no direct involvement with the group's music by that time. Pendergrass was therefore one of the most popular singers in the country with no recognition to show for it. When Melvin refused to give Teddy star billing, the singer left for an equally successful solo career only somewhat derailed by a tragic 1982 car wreck which left him a paraplegic. Today, with the blessing of Harold Melvin's widow, late-Seventies members Dwight Johnson and William Spratelly lead a group called simply The Blue Notes.

Other facts and trivia:

• Pendergrass was reportedly an ordained minister in his youth
• Teddy eventually formed the Teddy Pendergrass Alliance to help others with spinal cord injuries like his own
• January 28th is Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes Day in the city of Louisville, KY
• Teddy was one of the first singers to work with a young unknown named Whitney Houston
• On Snoop Dogg's 1993 song "Doggy Dogg World" the rapper tells a woman, "You without me is like Harold Melvin without the Blue Notes. You'll never go platinum!"

Songs, chart hits, and albums:

#1 hits:
R&B:
"If You Don't Know Me By Now" (1972)
"The Love I Lost (Part 1)" (1973)
"Hope That We Can Be Together Soon" with Sharon Paige (1975)
"Wake Up Everybody (Part 1)" (1975)
Disco:
"Where Are All My Friends" (1974)
"Bad Luck (Part 1)" (1975)
"Tell The World How I Feel About 'Cha Baby" (1976)

Top 10 hits:
Pop:
"If You Don't Know Me By Now" (1972)
"The Love I Lost (Part 1)" (1973)
R&B:
"I Miss You (Part 1)" (1972)
"Satisfaction Guaranteed (Or Take Your Love Back)" (1974)
"Where Are All My Friends" (1974)
"Bad Luck (Part 1)" (1975)
"Tell The World How I Feel About 'Cha Baby" (1976)
"Reaching For The World" (1976)
Disco:
"Tell The World How I Feel About 'Cha Baby" (1976)

#1 albums:
R&B:
To Be True (1975)
Wake Up Everybody (1975)

Top 10 albums:
Pop:
Wake Up Everybody (1975)
R&B:
Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes (1972)
Black & Blue (1973)

Other important songs: "Yesterday I Had The Blues," "Don't Leave Me This Way," "Keep On Lovin' You," "You Know How To Make Me Feel So Good," "I'm Weak For You," "Be For Real"

Covered by: Simply Red, Thelma Houston, Seventh Avenue, Patti LaBelle, Seal, Sybil, Lester Bowie, Jean Carn, Lyn Collins, David Ruffin, Jimmy Somerville, Ray Conniff, Jose Feliciano, Alisha King, Human Nature, Hugh Masekela, Joe Stampley, The Trammps, West E

Brook Benton

Brook Benton
September 19, 1931 – April 9, 1988
Was an American singer and songwriter who was popular with rock and roll, rhythm and blues, and pop music audiences during the late 1950s and early 1960s, when he scored hits such as "It's Just A Matter Of Time" and "Endlessly", many of which he co-wrote.

He made a comeback in 1970 with the ballad "Rainy Night in Georgia." Benton scored over 50 Billboard chart hits as an artist, and also wrote hits for other performers.

Genres:

R&B, Pop, Pop-Soul, Adult Contemporary

Instruments:

Vocals

Contributions to music:

• Helped bring R&B into the mainstream with his string-drenched yet soulful brand of pop
• Possibly the most famous baritone of his day
• An established songwriter who crafted a number of classic hits for other artists
• His duets with Dinah Washington are among the era's sexiest
• The bass-heavy, funnier, more emotionally deep counterpoint to singers like Nat "King" Cole

Early years:

Like many of his contemporaries, Brook Benton had his roots in gospel: the son of a choir director, he was soon harmonizing with a local South Carolina group called the Camden Jubilee Singers. By 17, Brook was in New York City, singing with The Golden Gate Quartet, the Jerusalem Stars, and the Langfordaires. The money in spiritual music was limited, however, so Benton returned home, began driving a truck, and joined an R&B group called the Sandmen. New York's legendary Okeh label signed them, but with limited success; finally, A&R man Marv Halsman changed Benjamin's name and started to promote him as a solo act.

Success:

The Sandmen had no idea "Brook" was now the featured artist on their recordings, and split up; for his part, Benton began making demos of his material for other artists. Upon signing to Mercury in the late Fifties, however, the singer's career caught fire, with 1959's "It's Just A Matter Of Time" -- Benton's own composition -- becoming a huge crossover hit. Brook ruled the pop charts through the early Sixties, sometimes with his own material, sometimes not. But as the decade wore on, black music became harder and grittier, leaving the performer a metaphorical man without a country.

Later years:

In 1970, Benton attempted a full-scale re-branding of his persona with a song by Tony Joe White, who'd just scored a hit with his own "Polk Salad Annie." The resultant single, "Rainy Night In Georgia," not only became Brook's biggest hit but also his signature song. It kept him a steady concert draw throughout the Seventies, even as he fell off the charts; an abortive attempt at a disco comeback sealed his commercial fate once and for all. In the mid-Eighties, he stopped touring due to spinal meningitis, and on April 9, 1988, he passed on from pneumonia, which his weakened system couldn't handle.

Other facts:

• Often promoted as "The Babbling Brook"
• The Sandmen spent some time as a backing vocal group for Chuck Willis; their early sides were arranged by Quincy Jones
• Placed a dozen hits on the charts -- written or sung by himself -- in just one eighteen month period
• His 1960 hit "The Boll Weevil Song" was an adaptation of an old folk-blues standard dealing with the cotton crop's greatest menace
• His story song "Shadrack" was inspired by the Biblical tale of Shadrack, Meshach, and Abednago (Daniel 3:1-30)
• Black activist Petey Greene's YouTube clip "How To Eat Watermelon" features Brook's 1961 hit "Think Twice"

Recorded work:

#1 hits:
R&B:

• "It's Just A Matter Of Time" (1959)
• "Thank You Pretty Baby" (1959)
• "So Many Ways" (1959)
• "Baby (You've Got What It Takes)" with Dinah Washington (1960)
• "Kiddio" (1960)
• "A Rockin' Good Way (To Mess Around And Fall In Love)" with Dinah Washington (1960)
• "Rainy Night In Georgia" (1970)

Top 10 hits:
Pop:

• "It's Just A Matter Of Time" (1959)
• "So Many Ways" (1959)
• "Baby (You've Got What It Takes)" with Dinah Washington(1960)
• "Kiddio" (1960)
• "A Rockin' Good Way (To Mess Around And Fall In Love)" with Dinah Washington (1960)
• "The Boll Weevil Song" (1961)
• "Hotel Happiness" (1963)
• "Rainy Night In Georgia" (1970)

R&B:

• "Endlessly" (1958)
• "So Close" (1959)
• "Fools Rush In (Where Angels Fear To Tread)" (1961)
• "For My Baby" (1961)
• "Think Twice" (1961)
• "The Boll Weevil Song" (1961)
• "Lie To Me" (1962)
• "My True Confession" (1963)
• "I Got What I Wanted" (1963)
• "Hotel Happiness" (1963)

Top 10 albums:
R&B:

• Brook Benton Today (1970)

Other popular recordings: "A Million Miles From Nowhere," "The Time Of The Year," "Hurtin' Inside," "The Same One," "The Ties That Bind," "Frankie And Johnny," "It's Just A House Without You," "Hit Record," "Revenge," "Shadrack," "Still Waters Run Deep," "Walk On The Wild Side," "Two Tickets To Paradise," "Another Cup Of Coffee," "A House Is Not A Home," "Mother Nature, Father Time," "Nothing Can Take The Place Of You," "Don't It Make You Want To Go Home," "My Way," "Shoes," "Making Love Is Good For You"

Wrote or co-wrote: "The Stroll," The Diamonds; "Looking Back," Nat King Cole; "A Lover's Question," Clyde McPhatter; "I'll Take Care Of You," Roy Hamilton Covered by: Randy Travis, Clyde McPhatter, Ted Hawkins, Ray Charles, Otis Redding, Charlie Rich, Johnny Burnette, Del Reeves, Lou Rawls, Jay and the Americans, The Drifters, Ronnie McDowell, Shakin' Stevens, Bonnie Tyler, Scott Walker, Ruth Brown, Bill Medley, Sonny James, Mavis Staples, Louis Jordan, Don Gibson, Jose Feliciano, Trini Lopez, Ivory Joe Hunter, Van Morrison, Bobby Blue Bland, O.V. Wright, Etta James, Slim Harpo, Tom Jones, Elvis Presley

Appears in the movies: "Mister Rock and Roll" (1957)