American Singing Groups: A History from 1940s to TodayAmerican Singing Groups: A History 1940 to Today is the definitive history of pop vocal groups, encompassing the doo-wop of Dion and the Belmonts, the Motown hits of the Supremes, the surf sound of the Beach Boys, country-rock of Crosby, Stills and Nash, and the slick pop sounds of 'N Sync. Each entry details the group's career, key members, and its influences. With extensive discographies and rare photos, this one-of-a-kind entertaining reference is filled with musical facts that will fascinate fans and collectors. Updated and freshly revised, American Singing Groups also chronicles the revival of the pop groups in the nineties and the new millennium. This is an essential and comprehensive guide to an evolving and ever-popular art form. New bands in this revision include Backstreet Boys, 'N Sync, Destiny's Child and many more. |
Contents
THE 1940s | xviii |
The Ames Brothers | 4 |
The Andrews Sisters | 6 |
The Bachelors | 11 |
The Barrett Sisters | 12 |
The Beavers | 13 |
The Blenders | 14 |
The Brown Dots | 15 |
THE 1960s | 320 |
The Accents | 323 |
Alive and Kicking | 324 |
The Arbors | 325 |
The Archies | 326 |
The Association | 327 |
The Beach Boys | 328 |
The Blue Jays | 332 |
The Cats and the Fiddle | 17 |
The Coleman Brothers | 19 |
The Deep River Boys | 21 |
The Delta Rhythm Boys | 23 |
The Dixie Hummingbirds | 26 |
The Five Blind Boys of Mississippi | 27 |
The Five Red Caps | 28 |
The Four Knights | 30 |
The Four Tunes | 32 |
The Four Vagabonds | 34 |
The Golden Gate Quartet | 35 |
The Ink Spots | 37 |
The Mariners | 42 |
The Merry Macs | 43 |
The Mills Brothers | 44 |
The Modernaires | 49 |
The Pied Pipers | 51 |
The Pilgrim Travelers | 53 |
The Ravens | 54 |
The Skylarks | 56 |
The Soul Stirrers | 57 |
The Swan Silvertones | 58 |
Sonny Til and the Orioles | 59 |
The 1950s | 62 |
The Admirations | 66 |
Lee Andrews and the Hearts | 67 |
The Aquatones | 72 |
Hank Ballard and the Midnighters | 73 |
The Bay Bops | 76 |
The Blossoms | 78 |
The Bobbettes | 80 |
The Bonnie Sisters | 82 |
The Buccaneers | 83 |
The Cadets | 84 |
The Cadillacs | 86 |
New York | 89 |
Philiadelphia | 92 |
The CapTans | 93 |
The Cardinals | 94 |
The Carollons | 96 |
The Carols | 97 |
The Castelles | 98 |
The Cellos | 100 |
The Channels | 101 |
The Chantels | 104 |
The Chanters | 107 |
The Charms | 108 |
The Charts | 111 |
The Chestnuts | 112 |
The Chips | 113 |
The Chords | 114 |
The Clefs | 116 |
The Cleftones | 117 |
The Clovers | 120 |
The Coasters | 124 |
The Colts | 127 |
The Crests | 128 |
The Crewcuts | 131 |
The Crickets | 133 |
The Criterions | 135 |
The Crows | 137 |
The Cues | 139 |
The Danderliers | 140 |
The Danleers | 141 |
Danny and the Juniors | 142 |
The Billy Dawn Quartette | 144 |
The Dells | 145 |
The Delroys | 148 |
The DelVikings | 149 |
The Desires | 152 |
The Diablos | 153 |
New York | 155 |
Ontario | 156 |
The Dootones | 158 |
The Drifters | 159 |
The Dubs | 167 |
The Du Droppers | 169 |
The Edsels | 171 |
The El Dorados | 172 |
The Elegants | 174 |
The El Venos | 177 |
The Falcons | 178 |
The Five Crowns | 180 |
The Five Discs | 181 |
The Five Keys | 183 |
The 5 Royales | 185 |
The Five Satins | 188 |
The Five Sharps | 191 |
The Flamingos | 193 |
The Fleetwoods | 198 |
The Four Aces | 200 |
The Four Coins | 202 |
The Four Fellows | 204 |
The Four Freshmen | 205 |
The Four Lads | 208 |
The Four Lovers | 209 |
The Four Preps | 210 |
Norman Fox and the RobRoys | 212 |
The Genies | 213 |
The Harptones | 214 |
The Heartbeats | 218 |
The Highway QCs | 220 |
The Hilltoppers | 221 |
The HiLos | 224 |
The Impalas | 227 |
The Jacks | 228 |
The Jaguars | 229 |
The Jesters | 230 |
The Jive Bombers | 232 |
The Kodaks | 233 |
The Kool Gents | 234 |
The Lamplighters | 235 |
The Larks | 236 |
Little Anthony and the Imperials | 238 |
Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers | 242 |
Louis Lymon and the Teenchords | 245 |
The Magnificents | 247 |
Arthur Lee Maye and the Crowns | 248 |
The McGuire Sisters | 250 |
The Medallions | 252 |
The Meditation Singers | 253 |
The MelloKings | 254 |
The MelloMoods | 255 |
The Mellows | 256 |
Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes | 257 |
The Monotones | 258 |
The Moonglows | 260 |
The Mystics | 264 |
Nino and the Ebb Tides | 265 |
The Nutmegs | 267 |
The Olympics | 268 |
The Paragons | 269 |
The Pastels | 271 |
The Penguins | 272 |
The Platters | 275 |
The Playmates | 278 |
The PoniTails | 279 |
The Prisonaires | 280 |
The QuinTones | 281 |
The Rainbows | 282 |
The Rays | 283 |
The Rivieras | 284 |
The Robins | 285 |
The Rocketones | 286 |
The Sensations | 287 |
The Shells | 288 |
The Signatures | 289 |
The Silhouettes | 290 |
The Six Teens | 292 |
The Solitaires | 295 |
The Spaniels | 297 |
The Spiders | 299 |
The Staple Singers | 300 |
The Sultans | 301 |
The Swallows | 302 |
The Teddy Bears | 303 |
The Three Chuckles | 305 |
The Tune Weavers | 306 |
The Turbans | 307 |
The Valentines | 308 |
The Velours | 309 |
The Wanderers | 311 |
Billy Ward and His Dominoes | 312 |
Maurice Williams and the Gladiolus | 315 |
The Willows | 317 |
The Brooklyn Bridge | 333 |
Billy Butler and the Chanters | 334 |
The Camelots | 335 |
The Carnations | 336 |
The Carolons | 337 |
The Cascades | 339 |
The Castells | 340 |
Cathy Jean and the Roommates | 341 |
The Chaperones | 342 |
The Chiffons | 343 |
The ChiLites | 345 |
The Chimes | 346 |
The Concords | 348 |
The Corsairs | 349 |
The Cowsills | 350 |
The Crystals | 351 |
The Delfonics | 354 |
The DelSatins | 355 |
The Demensions | 358 |
The Devotions | 359 |
Dion and the Belmonts | 360 |
The Dixie Cups | 363 |
The Dovells | 364 |
The Dreamers | 366 |
The Dreamlovers | 367 |
The Ducanes | 368 |
The Duprees | 370 |
The Earls | 371 |
The Echoes | 373 |
The Emotions | 374 |
The Escorts | 375 |
The Essex | 376 |
The Excellents | 377 |
The Exciters | 378 |
The Fiestas | 379 |
The 5th Dimension | 380 |
The Five Stairsteps | 382 |
The FourEvers | 383 |
The Four Seasons | 384 |
The Four Tops | 388 |
The Happenings | 390 |
The Highwaymen | 391 |
The Imaginations | 392 |
The Impressions | 394 |
The Intruders | 397 |
Jay and the Americans | 399 |
The Jive Five | 401 |
The Bob Knight Four | 404 |
Patti LaBelle and the Blue Belles | 407 |
The Lettermen | 410 |
Little Caesar and the Romans | 412 |
The Magnificent Men | 413 |
The Majors | 414 |
The Mamas and the Papas | 415 |
The Manhattans | 416 |
The Marcels | 417 |
Martha and the Vandellas | 420 |
The Marvelettes | 421 |
The Mighty Clouds of Joy | 422 |
The Miracles | 423 |
The OJays | 425 |
The Orlons | 427 |
The Paris Sisters | 428 |
The Passions | 429 |
Peter Paul and Mary | 430 |
The Quotations | 432 |
Randy and the Rainbows | 433 |
The Regents | 434 |
Reparata and the Delrons | 435 |
Ricky and the Hallmarks | 436 |
Rochell and the Candles | 436 |
The Ronettes | 436 |
Ronnie and the HiLites | 437 |
The Royalettes | 438 |
The Safaris | 440 |
The ShangriLas | 441 |
The Shirelles | 443 |
Spanky and Our Gang | 446 |
The Sparrows Quartette | 447 |
The Spinners | 448 |
The Starlets | 450 |
The Sweet Inspirations | 454 |
The Tarns | 455 |
Tico and the Triumphs | 461 |
The Tokens | 461 |
The Tymes | 463 |
The Vibrations | 465 |
Vito and the Salutations | 467 |
The Vogues | 468 |
The Volumes | 469 |
THE 1970s | 470 |
The Autumns | 473 |
The Blue Stars | 474 |
Brooklyn Dreams | 476 |
Crosby Stills and Nash | 477 |
Dawn | 478 |
The Dramatics | 480 |
Flash Cadillac | 482 |
Hamilton Joe Frank and Reynolds | 484 |
The Honey Cone | 485 |
The Hues Corporation | 488 |
The Jackson 5 | 489 |
Lady Flash | 491 |
The Main Ingredient | 491 |
The Manhattan Transfer | 492 |
Memory | 493 |
The Moments | 494 |
The Osmonds | 495 |
The Persuasions | 496 |
The Pointer Sisters | 497 |
The Ribitoncs | 499 |
Shalamar | 500 |
The Singers Unlimited | 501 |
Sister Sledge | 502 |
The Starland Vocal Band | 503 |
The Stylistics | 504 |
The Sylvers | 506 |
Tavares | 507 |
The Village People | 509 |
The Whispers | 510 |
THE 1980s | 512 |
The Bangles | 515 |
The Bobs | 516 |
BQE | 517 |
Deja Vu | 520 |
The Exquisites | 521 |
Force MDs | 522 |
Mixed Company | 523 |
New Edition | 523 |
The Nylons | 523 |
Reunion | 524 |
Rockapella | 525 |
Yesterdays News | 526 |
The Acappella Era | 527 |
The Atlantics | 528 |
The Citadels | 529 |
The Destinations | 530 |
The Five Jades | 531 |
Little Joe and the Majesties | 532 |
The Potentials | 533 |
The Versailles | 534 |
1990s | 536 |
All4One | 540 |
The Backstreet Boys | 541 |
Bel Biv Devoe | 543 |
Boyz II Men | 544 |
Destinys Child | 545 |
The Dixie Chicks | 547 |
Dru Hill | 548 |
Hanson | 549 |
Jodeci | 550 |
The Mighty Echoes | 551 |
Morrisania Revue | 552 |
98 | 553 |
NSync | 554 |
0Town | 555 |
SWV | 556 |
Sweet Sensation | 557 |
TLC | 558 |
Kenny Vance and the Planotones | 560 |
Wilson Phillips | 561 |
The Vocal Group Hall of Fame | 564 |
Updates | 567 |
Photo Credits | 578 |
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Common terms and phrases
acts airplay Alan Freed album Angeles Apollo artists Atin Baby backup ballad baritone bass became began Billboard Billy Bobby Brooklyn Brothers called cappella career chart single Cleftones Coral Dance Decca Del-Vikings disc jockey doo wop Dream Drifters early five Five Satins Flamingos flip four Frankie Girl Gordy gospel harmony Harptones Heart High School included Ink Spots issued Jimmy Johnny joined King label LABEL/CAT NO DATE late later lead singer Little Love Lover Merc Mills Brothers Moonglows Motown Mtwn never Night number three O'Jays oldies original performed played pop charts quartet quintet R&B charts radio reached number release rhythm and blues rock and roll rocker Ronettes sang second tenor Shirelles SIDE/B SIDE LABEL/CAT signed singing solo song soul sound studio style summer Tamla teen Tony took tour trio tune Vee-Jay vocal group vocalist weeks York