by Robert Wilkinson
We begin our Saturday variety show by celebrating the birthday of Adam Faith. While he only had one hit in the US, he was huge in the UK! Rosetta and the Orlons dominated the charts in the early 60s with some very catchy tunes, and Nikki was Buddy's lead player.
From Wikipedia, “Terence (Terry) Nelhams-Wright, known as Adam Faith (23 June 1940 – 8 March 2003), was a British teen idol, singer, actor, and financial journalist. He was one of the most charted acts of the 1960s. He became the first UK artist to lodge his initial seven hits in the Top 5.
Faith made ... a total of 24 chart entries, of which 11 made the UK Top Ten, including his two No. 1's. Ten of the eleven singles that made the Top Ten actually also made the Top Five. Faith managed to lodge twenty consecutive single releases on the UK singles chart, starting with "What Do You Want?" in November 1959 and culminating with "I Love Being in Love With You" in mid-1964; this was quite a feat for a British artist of Faith's era.
Faith's last Top Ten hit in the UK (in October 1963) was "The First Time" (UK No. 5), which was also his first single with his backing group in 1963 and 1964, The Roulettes, acquired to give Faith's music a harder 'beat group' edge more in keeping with the Merseybeat sound at that time sweeping the British charts. His 1974 single "I Survive" made the Top 30 of the "Capital Countdown" on London's Capital Radio."
His big one! From Shindig in Dec 1964 at the peak of “the British Invasion,” Adam Faith is backed by the Isley Brothers and the Newbeats twisting up a storm! This is a joyous three chord number written by the great Chris Andrews, a rave up that is great for happy feet! “It’s Alright”
Here’s his earlier Oct 1964 first appearance on Shindig. He’s dressed differently, the dancers come in at a different point, and the Shindogs are prominently shadowed in center stage, with both female and male backup singers. Raving up with Adam Faith on US tv to “It’s Alright”
Here’s his first #1 hit from 1959, performed on television in April 1960! “What Do You Want”
Live in 1960, Adam Faith and Bruce Forsyth giving us another #1 hit by Adam Faith titled “Poor Me”
Also from 1960, a live performance of “Big Time”
From 1960, a live performance of “Someone Else’s Baby”
Here's Cliff Richard and Adam Faith live cranking out “Ready Teddy” (England was really into Elvis, you know!)
From 1963, Adam live on television giving us “Hallelujah I Love Her So” and from what looks to be the same gig, “Leave My Woman Alone”
Here’s the original studio version of his hit “The First Time” (The Merseybeat influence is so obvious it hurts!)
From 1963, Adam Faith and the Roulettes in another Merseybeat inspired hit, “We Are In Love”
From the cult classic Beat Girl” Adam Faith delivering the tune banned by the BBC! “Made You”
Last year I had a clip featuring Adam and Ritchie Blackmore giving us a psychedelic version of his 1974 tune “I Survived,” but it’s disappeared. So instead, here’s a polished delivery from Top of the Pops by Adam of “I Survived”
We’ll close this birthday tribute with the song I opened with, since it’s such a rave up! (Loved it in Good Morning Vietnam!) Here’s the original studio version of his only US hit, “It’s Alright”
Thanks for the rave, Adam/Terry. Glad you left film cutting and gave us great rock and roll!
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We also get to give a big Happy Birthday to Rosetta Hightower (June 23, 1944 – August 2, 2014), lead vocalist for the Philly girl group the Orlons who scored several Top 10 US hits between 1962–1964, including "The Wah Watusi", "Don't Hang Up", "South Street", and "Not Me". Formed in 1960, Len Barry of the Dovells pushed them to get a contract, and the Philly sound took flight!
They started as backup singers for Dee Dee Sharp on her hit “Mash Potato Time!” (#2 pop, #1 R&B) I found this live version which has better video of Dee Dee giving us that ultimate twist record “Mash Potato Time!”
Her second hit also featured the Orlons singing backup, “Gravy (for my Mashed Potatoes).” (#9 pop) As was the practice back then, record companies liked to recycle hits to other acts in their stable, so of course Cameo-Parkway took both of these hits and had the Orlons do their own versions of “Mash Potato Time” and “Gravy”
They followed these efforts with 3 tunes written and produced by the legendary Kal Mann that took them into the top 5! This tune went all the way to #2 on the pop charts, the very danceable “Wah-Watusi.”
They followed that one with more Kal Mann hits in 1962-1963, including “Don’t Hang Up” (#4 pop, #3 R&B) and “South Street” (#3 pop, #4 R&B).
Though they already had hit their peak, their run of hits extended through 1963 with “Not Me” (#12 pop) and “Crossfire” (#19 pop, #25 R&B).
Also from the Not Me album, written by the great Curtis Mayfield, here’s the smooth groove of “Mama Didn’t Lie,” their version of the Crystals’ #11 hit written by Brill Building star songwriting team Barry Mann and Cynthis Weil, “He’s Sure the Boy I Love,” and the very upbeat “Bon-Do-Wah.” Interestingly, for the "B" side of "Bon-Do-Wah" they did this tune which became a huge hit for the Searchers the next year! "Don't Throw Your Love Away."
These two were their last charting singles, both in 1964. Early in the year they hit #17 R&B with “Shimmy Shimmy,” and closed out their career with the #23 R&B “Knock Knock! (Who’s There?)” after which the group fell apart as the British Invasion hit peak intensity. (It’s safe to say more of us wanted to hear “Can’t Buy Me Love” and “Hard Day’s Night” than “Knock Knock.”)
So happy and merry to you in the Great Beyond, Rosetta. Glad you had such a great life and gave us all so many great tunes!
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Finally, June 23 was the birthday of Niki Sullivan (June 23, 1937 – April 6, 2004), original Cricket and Buddy Holly's lead player. From wikipedia:
During the summer of 1956, the 19-year-old Sullivan first met Holly, by way of his high school friend Jerry Allison, at a jam session in Lubbock, Texas. Holly was impressed by his guitar-playing talents and offered him the chance to join both of them, as well as Joe B. Mauldin in a band. Sullivan readily accepted the offer, and thus the Crickets were born.While trying to record "Peggy Sue" after many unsatisfactory takes, Sullivan ended up kneeling next to Buddy while he played, and when cued flipped a switch on Holly's Stratocaster, allowing him to break into the now-famous guitar solo. He also helped sing on back up and arrange the music to "Not Fade Away" (which he helped write), "I'm Gonna Love You Too", "That'll Be the Day" and "Maybe Baby". It was around this period that he also wrote and produced the single "Look to the Future," which was recorded by Gary Tollett and The Picks, who often did back-up vocals for the Crickets.
Since he had a slight resemblance to Holly in his skinny posture and spectacles, he was often called "the other guy in glasses" by critics in their reviews. He and Holly were related, being third cousins, but it is not known if they were aware of this relationship. After their December 1, 1957 appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show, the group briefly went on hiatus to plan their next recordings. Later that month, Sullivan formally announced that he had left the band for good. He later stated that this was due to a lack of interest in touring.
For your enjoyment, the only live footage of Buddy with Niki mugging for the camera while strumming an unplugged guitar to a backing track. Live on The Ed Sullivan Show on December 1, 1957, a pair of legendary tunes! We have the classic “That’ll Be The Day” and “Peggy Sue.” (Since the link is still good, here’s the second song of that night “Peggy Sue.”)
If you want to hear the guitar work of this legend, please check out the birthday tribute to Buddy Holly in the archives of last September.
© Copyright 2024 Robert Wilkinson
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