by Robert Wilkinson
Our Saturday early show features the music of the Flamingos, the Dells, and the twisting wizard backed by the Church Street Five with a guest appearance by the Boss!
We’ll begin our dance with the high tenor of Johnny Carter! Johnny Carter (June 2, 1934 – August 21, 2009) was an American doo-wop and R&B singer. He was a founder and first tenor of The Flamingos and a member of The Dells. As both groups have been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, it makes Carter one of the relatively few multiple inductees. He joined The Dells as a replacement for Johnny Funches in 1960 and remained an active member of the group until his death.
We’ll begin with his first movie appearance! From the Alan Freed jukebox movie Rock, Rock, Rock, Johnny’s out front singing lead for the Flamingos on “Will I Be Crying”
From March 1953, their first! “If I Can’t Have You”
Their follow up, a standard of the era. “That’s My Desire”
Their final hit written and sung by Johnny, “Golden Teardrops”
After that Johnny went into the military, and when he got out he took over lead vocals for the Dells, who besides being stars in their own right, sang backup on some big ones!
The Dells sang backup on this one by Barbara Lewis which went to #3 pop and #1 on R&B charts! “Hello Stranger” (Seems Like A Mighty Long Time)
After that, in 1968 they had this enormous breakthrough hit, the title song of the same album, here for your enjoyment! You can even just let it play, since this album is great! “There Is”
Here’s the smooth harmonies of “Always Together”
This one was big! “I Can Sing A Rainbow/Love is Blue”
We’ll close this short set with this one which went to the top of the R&B charts and into the top 10 pop! Live in 1972, the extraordinarily smooth live soul of “Stay in My Corner”
For our encore, two live performances of their greatest hit! While Johnny didn’t sing on the first version, he took it to the heights in their 1969 version! “Oh What A Night” and from 1969 live on stage, the classic harmonies of “Oh What A Night”
*********
Gary U.S. Bonds (born Gary Levone Anderson, June 6, 1939) was all over the airwaves in the early 60s, and even headlined above the Beatles in Europe in a 1963 tour. Yes, he was THAT big! Today we have a short set of his best. Time to twist!
We begin with an obscure classic! Sax maestro Gene Barge recorded this instrumental in 1961 which didn’t get much traction on the airwaves, but please take a listen, since you’ll hear what it became! “A Night With Daddy G – pts 1 & 2"
Yes, later in 1961 it was given words, and became a classic across the ages! It’s a unique “live in the studio” hit made to sound like a party was happening after hours in the studio! Here’s the original by Gary “US” Bonds of the iconic “Quarter to Three”
Here’s another one where he clearly rips himself off! This followed “Quarter to Three” and made it all the way to #5 in 1961! Time to twist to “School Is Out”
Here's Gary in a video backed by the Jive Five (no kidding) lip synching to another 1962 doo-wop hit based in "the rock and roll chord progression." (If you don't know, it's 1-6-4-5, or C-Am-F-G, the basis of 10,000 songs.) Great dancing tune! "Seven Day Weekend."
Here was Gary “US” Bonds’ second hit from 1962 which went to #9, very much in a twisting groove and sounding like Toots Hibbert! “Dear Lady Twist”
Here’s one from a few months later in 1962 which went to #9, Gary “US” Bonds twisting up a storm with “Twist Twist Senora”
Here was his first big hit which went all the way to #6 in 1960! This was all over the radio waves back then! “New Orleans”
This is a great live appearance on The Merv Griffin Show from 1981! He took this really rocking tune written by the Boss to #11 and made a comeback with “This Little Girl”
Here's a great upbeat version of his best known work! In 2016, Gary US Bonds got together with Gene, Chuck D, and Daddy O and did this great live video of a hiphop influenced “Quarter to Three”
Speaking of that classic, our closer is a rare 1975 live performance by Bruce Springsteen at the Hammersmith Odeon in London. This is how much he loves that tune, and this performance seriously rocks! “Quarter to Three”
Our encore comes from the October 2016 Richmond Folk Festival, 24 minutes of Gary and Daddy G! Gary US Bonds and Gene Barge at the 2016 Richmond Folk Festival – A Night With Daddy G
Our second encore is 31 minutes on New Year’s Eve 2000 in Destin Florida! For your enjoyment, dancing with Gary! Gary US Bonds Live in Florida - 2000
Our final encore gives us the Boss and Gary live in East Rutherford in 2012 giving us a duet on “Jole Blon” and “This Little Girl”
Copyright © 2024 Robert Wilkinson
Comments