BIRMINGHAM RECORD COLLECTORS
DEDICATED TO THE COLLECTING OF MUSIC, ITS PRESERVATION AND LASTING FRIENDSHIP
THIS MONTH’S MEETING THE FIRST SUNDAY, APRIL 7TH 2:30 PM
HOMEWOOD PUBLIC LIBRARY 1721 OXMOOR RD BIRMINGHAM, AL 35209
NEXT MEETING, MAY 5TH 2:30 PM THE FIRST SUNDAY
APRIL & MAY MEETINGS ARE BOTH ON THE 1ST SUNDAY OF THE MONTH
THIS MONTH’S MEETING
We had a very productive business meeting last month. All positions needed were filled. Of course we will need your help during the August show working the front table. More info on that later. Thanks to everyone who volunteered to help. Soon we will have cards and posters advertising the show for members to pass out for the August 16-18 show. When they are available be sure to pick some up and hand them out.
One thing about having a BRC member be our guest “DJ” is the records they play. Many of them are records that never got air-play or very little air-play and this month’s “DJ” will not disappoint. Bob Friedman has shared with us some of his Doo Wop and group harmony 78’s before and has more he is ready to play. If you have ever heard what Bob has played in the past you know what I am talking about. If you have not been to a meeting when Bob has been the “DJ” then be sure and make this month’s meeting and see what I am talking about. See ya there!
IS IT THE SINGER OR THE SONG
Pete Townsend of The Who wrote a song called ‘Join Together’ with lyrics that said ‘It’s the singer not the song that makes the music move along’. Over the years I am sure some of your favorite groups have changed a lead singer for some reason or another. Did it ever affect your feelings for the band and their music?
A few groups that came to my mind included Van Halen which found a new singer after David Lee Roth went solo for whatever reason. I think it depends on who you ask. They added Sammy Hagar in 1985 and continued on to much success.
AC/DC started having many hit records with Bon Scott as the lead singer but he died in 1980 so the band replaced him with Brian Johnson and success continued.
The Doobie Brothers started with Tom Johnston and Patrick Simmons sharing the lead vocal job until Johnston’s long-time health issue with stomach ulcers required hospitalization on the eve of a major tour. The band brought in Michael McDonald as a replacement and when Johnston returned he left shortly after due to differences in the bands musical direction and they continued on successfully.
It is hard to say the Temptations ever changed lead singers because they really took turns doing the lead on many recordings. With the line-up of Eddie Kendricks, Paul Williams, Otis Williams, Melvin Franklin and David Ruffin the group had hit after hit but their music style changed when Ruffin went solo after being fired. Dennis Edwards was brought in as lead and the group started doing some psychedelic soul style music. Going from songs like ‘The Way You Do The Things You Do’ and ‘My Girl’ to ‘Cloud Nine’ and ‘Psychedelic Shack’ but no drop in popularity.
I mention these groups to bring up a question for those old enough or would it be more polite to say for those who were around when The Drifters put out hit after hit and used over a half-dozen lead singers. Who was your favorite singer the Drifters used? Here is a list of the lead singers, the years they were with the group and the songs they did. I include all songs that made the Top 100 of the R&B and Pop charts. Maybe looking at the list you will discover that the lead was not who you thought it was. Maybe you’ll change your mind about your favorite. The group began recording in 1953 and had hits through 1976. The group and groups using the Drifters name continued to tour with various new and former members into the 2000’s. Here goes:
Clyde McPhatter – 1953-55: ‘Money Honey’ (the groups first #1 R&B hit), ‘Lucille’, ‘Such A Night’, ‘Honey Love’, ‘White Christmas’ (which also featured Bill Pinkney on bass lead), ‘What’cha Gonna Do’.
Johnny Moore (from Selma, Alabama) 1954-57, 63-78, and various times through the 80’s-90’s – ‘Adorable’, ‘Ruby Baby’, ‘I Gotta Get Myself A Woman’ (which also featured Bill Pinkney on bass lead), ‘Fools Fall In Love’ (other than ‘White Christmas’ which made# 80 on the pop charts, this is the first pop charted Drifters record), ‘Hypnotized’, ‘I’ll Take You Home’, ‘One Way Love’, ‘Under The Boardwalk’, ‘I’ve Got Sand In My Shoes’, ‘Saturday Night At The Movies’, ‘At The Club’, ‘Come On Over To My Place’, ‘I’ll Take You Where The Music Is Playing’, ‘Memories Are Made Of This’, ‘Baby What I Mean’, ‘Ain’t It The Truth’, ‘Still Burning In My Heart'(the groups last pop hit – 1968), ‘Kissin’ In The Back Row Of The Movies'(the groups last R&B hit – 1974), ‘You’re More Than A Number In My Little Red Book’ (1976) and ‘There Goes My First Love’ (1975) Although these last two songs didn’t chart, they deserve mentioning in my opinion. Hear these 2 songs below. FYI: ‘Under The Boardwalk’ was written for the lead singer at the time, Rudy Lewis. But Rudy died the night before so Johnny Moore who had been with the group, left and had returned recently was given the lead. The song went to #1 on the R&B Chart and #4 on Billboard Hot 100.
Bobby Hendricks 1957-58 – ‘Drip Drop’
Ben E. King 1958-60, 81-85 – ‘There Goes My Baby’ (the groups fist top ten hit making #2), ‘Dance With Me’, ‘This Magic Moment’, ‘Lonely Winds’, ‘Save The Last Dance For Me’ (the groups first #1 pop hit), ‘I Count The Tears’
Johnny Lee Williams 1959-60– ‘(If You Cry) True Love, True Love’
Rudy Lewis 1960-64– ‘Some Kind Of Wonderful’, ‘Please Stay’, ‘Sweets For My Sweet’, ‘When My Little Girl Is Smiling’, ‘Stranger On The Shore’, ‘Up On The Roof’, ‘On Broadway’, Rat Race’, ‘Vaya Con Dios’
Charlie Thomas 1958-67, 1988-2023 – ‘Room Full Of Tears’, ‘I Feel Good All Over’, ‘Follow Me’.
I know there have been many other groups that have used new leads over the years and the success continued. Jay & The Americans comes to mind. Bands who changed their lead and became more successful would include Genesis who replaced Peter Gabriel with Phil Collins. Fleetwood Mac had Peter Green and some others to begin with but then the band changed to Lindsey Buckingham, Stevie Nicks and Christine McVie. Pink Floyd went from Syd Barrett to Roger Waters and David Gilmour. And how about what if….what if Mick Jagger had decided to continue a solo career and left the Stones for good. Can you image the Stones with maybe Rod Stewart as the lead? How about the Doors. Jim Morrison dies and the instead of the band calling it quits they get Warren Zevon or Arthur Lee of Love to sing lead. History could have gone many different ways and did for many musical acts.
Click on the title to hear these 2 songs:
‘You’re More Than A Number In My Little Red Book’
BRC RADIO
And don’t forget that BRC radio is still on the BRC website. We have three different “DJ’s” if you will. Joe Reddick, Tom Faison and myself play all kinds of music including, hit songs from the 1950’s – present, LP cuts, songs that got little or no air-play, and all genres. Check out some of the shows. Just go the birminghamrecord.com and click on the ‘RADIO’ icon.
See ya,
Charlie