Interview With The Legendary LENNY WELCH

Have I got a treat for you!!! I am proud to announce an interview with the one and only Lenny Welch. Lenny took the time to call me on the phone, answer my questions, and talk with me about his music and experiences in the 60s.



Kyler: Lenny, when did you start singing and decide to dedicate your full time to be a performer and recording artist?

LENNY:I went to high school in Asbury Park, NJ, and I started singing there. Then I moved to New York City and was fortunate enough to get a recording contract.

Kyler:Some of your earliest recordings were for the Decca Record label in the late 50s. One of the songs you recorded was “My One Sincere”, a great doo wop styled ballad. Did you choose the song to record or did someone at the label? It sounds tailor made for your voice!

LENNY:“My One Sincere” was written by a friend who lived in my home town. I sang it with my group in high school. I was signed to Decca in 1958 and that was my first release. The B-Side was “Rocket To The Moon”.

Kyler:How did you get signed to Cadence Records?

LENNY:I had two managers. One was a lawyer and the other was a DJ. My manager who was a DJ took me to Cadence records to audition. I auditioned for Archie Bleyer, who was the owner. He signed, recorded, and wrote for many Cadence artists such as Andy Williams, The Everly Brothers, and The Chordettes. I auditioned for him and he signed me the same day.



Kyler:What was it like the first time you recorded for them? Your first single was a great one, “You Don’t Know Me”.

LENNY:The next week after I auditioned and got signed, Archie introduced the song to me. He played piano and I sang. The week after that, we recorded it in the studio.

Kyler:One of my favorite songs of yours is called “It’s Just Not That Easy”, from 1962. There isn’t a lot of information about it, but it is simply a masterpiece. Any info or comments on this track?

LENNY:I wrote it- I had just broken up with my girlfriend, and that inspired me to write “It’s just not that easy to forget about someone that you love”. In fact, I go to a gym where there are a lot of younger guys who don’t know about my music. One of them looked me up on Youtube when he got home and told me that his favorite of my songs is “It’s Just Not That Easy”.

Kyler:Your next single was a big hit called “Ebb Tide”. It is a great, classy ballad, and has been recorded by many artists. Your version tops them all, in my opinion! Any remembrances on that one?

LENNY:That was actually one of the first songs I recorded for Cadence. It was put on stand-by. After that, it was on my album “Since I Fell For You”. A DJ named Bertha Porter played it off the album and it started getting a lot of airplay. Archie Bleyer said it was a proven hit so we released it as a single.

Kyler:The B-Side of “Ebb Tide” is another great doo-wop ballad called “Congratulations Baby”. Most people only know the A-Side, but I think that “Congratulations Baby” is one of the finest records in the doo-wop genre to ever be recorded. Do you feel that “Ebb Tide” overshadowed it?

LENNY:That song was actually recorded by a group before I did it. I think what happened was, the producer of that group came to Archie Bleyer looking to place the record with Cadence. Archie probably said, “I think I’d rather have Lenny Welch record this” So what they did was, wiped off the lead singer’s voice from the tape and dub my voice in.

I’ve gotten lots of calls and letters about “Congratulations Baby”, and someone told me that the group might have been a “studio group” who backed other artists up.

The same thing that happened with “Congratulations Baby” (being overshadowed by the A Side), happened with “You Don’t Know Me”, which had a flipside called “I Need Someone”. They started playing it in Philadelphia, and it became a big hit there. Archie told them to stop playing “I Need Someone” because it would hurt the sales of “You Don’t Know Me”, Now every time I play in Philadelphia I have to sing “I Need Someone”!

Kyler:Your version of “A Taste Of Honey”, recorded in 1962, was the blueprint for The Beatles’ version in 1963. Do you remember what you thought when you first heard their version?

LENNY:Archie Bleyer brought me the song. I had never heard that version before. I was surprised that The Beatles were listening to my music!

I found out about it in the 1970s when I went over to the UK. My piano player at the time was teaching Paul McCartney’s wife Linda how to play. He mentioned to Paul that he was working an American singer named Lenny Welch, and Paul said “I know who Lenny Welch is. We used to perform his record A Taste Of Honey!”.

Kyler:Your biggest hit was “Since I Fell For You” in 1963, which went all the way to #4 in 1963. How did it feel having one of the most successful records on the charts at that time?

LENNY:Fantastic! It started becoming a hit in California. It moved across the country. By the time it hit New York City, it was already Top Ten in the national charts. DJ’s were calling it a “pick hit of the week”, but it was already a hit!!!

I used to perform “Since I Fell For You” with my doo wop group in Asbury Park, NJ. We learned it from the version that Willie Winfield and The Harptones recorded. When I met Willie, I told him, “If it wasn’t for you, I wouldn’t have had my biggest hit record!”.

"Since I Fell For You” was actually written in the 40s by Buddy Johnson, and when I met him, he told me he was sure glad I recorded it!

Kyler:One of your last recordings on Cadence was a song entitled “Father Sebastian”. It’s the story of a guy who has lost his girl, and goes to a church to try to get his pain off his chest. The cool thing about the tune is, most of it is sung in the 3rd person. What is your opinion of this neat track?

LENNY:Once again, Archie Bleyer picked the song. We rehearsed it and recorded it! I’ve gotten a lot of comments about that track.

Kyler:After recording for Cadence, you moved to Kapp Records, where you recorded several singles and albums’ worth of top notch material. Do you have any recollections of this era or any favorite songs from this time period?

LENNY:Yes I do. I moved to Kapp around 1965. I now wonder if that was the right choice. I could have gone with Reprise Records. At that time, I had a meeting with Reprise and they promised me that if I signed with them, I would work with Burt Bacharach. I met him too. But at that time, Kapp wanted me and they offered me more money. So I went with Kapp. But I still wonder if I made the right choice.

My first song for Kapp was “Two Different Worlds”, which I had already rehearsed with Archie Bleyer at Cadence, so I just took it to Kapp and we released it.

“Darling Take Me Back” was another good song that I recorded for Kapp. It was written by Larry Weiss, a writer for Kapp at the time. At the session, they wanted me to record a song that I didn’t want to do. It almost got ugly. But then the producer said, “hey, let me play you this other song. And it was Darling Take Me Back. And I said, Yes!”. That record was big in New York City, I think it made the Top Five or Top Three. But in Philadelphia, they played a version by Ray Pollard, so my version wasn’t a hit there.

“Rags To Riches”, that song I got from my good friend Jackie Wilson. He used to do it, so I just took a similar arrangement to Kapp and recorded it. Another thing I did around this time was the theme song to “Coronet Blue”, a popular TV show at that time.



Kyler:I’ve seen you in concert, and you put on one of the best shows I’ve ever seen! Is it still a thrill to perform all around the world???

LENNY:Of course! Most of my work is on cruise ships, where I have a good time. I sing one night, and the rest of the time I get to enjoy the cruise! I also do oldies-but-goodies shows like the one you saw me at. I’m going on a cruise to Tahiti and have some dates for New Jersey and Nova Scotia coming up.




I'd like to thank Lenny for a great interview and for being such a kind and gracious guy. You can visit his website HERE.

Until next time, from the Rare Rockin' Records blog to your door....keep on rockin', rollin', and doo woppin'!

-Kyler

THE EARTH ANGELS - STREET CORNER STYLE (REVIEW)

The Crystalairs from Germany. The Roomates from England. And now The Earth Angels from Spain.



Sitting here in the USA, it seems that the best vocal groups come from far-off lands. Must be something in the air over there....

While The Roomates and The Crystalairs are seasoned pros, The Earth Angels are newcomers to the doo wop world. They have just released their debut album, Street Corner Style, which will soon be regarded as one of the harmony classics, right up there with Lost On Belmont Ave and The Whole Wide World.

The Earth Angels are Jordi, Christian, and Joan. They dress like doo woppers. They look like doo woppers. And most important of all, they sing like doo woppers!

Before I get to the actual music, I just to note that this CD comes with a full 32 page booklet crammed with biographical information, pictures, and all the lyrics to the songs contained within.

The mix is just right, the simple combo of bass, drums, guitar, and sax are not to overpowering. The lead vocals of Jordi are crystal clear, and you can't miss Joan and Christian singing the tra la las and doo be doos.

OK, now on to the actual music. There are 17 songs on Street Corner Style. I'm proud to say that there isn't a stinker among them. While I could write a brief description for each song, I would rather write in detail about three of my favorites.

TOMORROW

This is the song that opens the disc. I have known the original by The Decoys for years. On that version, the sound is crude and raw, yet there is something compelling about the melody and theme.

What The Earth Angels have done here, is take away the crudeness and rawness, and polish it up to it's full potential. Jordi's opening lines, "Tomorrow, will you love me? As you loved me, loved me tonight?" bring thoughts of The Shirelles, and it wouldn't be hard to imagine The Shirelles singing this song. I'm not sure they could have done as well with it as The Earth Angels have though! It's simply a great way to open their debut album.

WEAKNESS

This is the only original composition on the disc. I am sure glad they included it!!! It's written with love and care, and is true to the doo wop sound. It's instantly catchy and I consider it the "single" off of the CD. If you like The Belmonts, The Earls, or any of the New York Doo Wop groups, you are bound to love this.

And the best part is, there are TWO versions on the CD! Track 4 contains the version with instruments, and Track 17 features The Earth Angels singing their original song accapella, street corner style.

JUST ONE MORE CHANCE

One way that I like to judge new, modern vocal groups is to see if their remake of a song lives up to the original.

Just One More Chance by The Demensions is very close to my heart. I remember when I first heard it. It was on the local station that plays doo wop every weekend. I can still imagine when I heard the falsetto and the trademark white doo wop sound. I just had to have it! But, the station DJ never announced who the artist was. I figured I would never find out who it was. But then, a month or two later, I purchased a various artists Doo Wop CD. When I played it, I found out that "my" song was there! And it has remained one of my favorites ever since.

I was never aware of any other versions until I heard The Earth Angels sing it. It just blew me away. The falsetto, background vocals, and production are true to the original, yet still in a unique style, now to be known as the Earth Angels Sound. Now I have trouble deciding which version I like more!!




You can buy The Earth Angels - Street Corner Style CD direct from Rare Rockin' Records HERE. Enjoy it - it's a great one!

-Kyler

JOHNNY MAESTRO

Guys and gals, it's been a very sad day. Johnny Maestro, legendary lead of The Crests and Brooklyn Bridge, has passed away at age 71. I had the chance to see him in concert twice, and saw one of his last performances in December. He sang as heavenly as ever.

We all will miss the Maestro of Doo Wop, so let's play his music loud so he can hear it in Heaven!!

Calling all angels.....

Besides all of his magnificent hits with his groups, listen to some of Johnny's under-rated solo work. HERE, HERE, and HERE

-Kyler

TALKING WITH GINNY ARNELL...

I, on behalf of Rare Rockin' Records, am delighted to bring you another great interview with a 60s pop icon. We are talking about the stuff of legend here!! You all know her hit records like "Dumb Head" and "I Wish I Knew What Dress To Wear". Yes indeed, it's Miss Ginny Arnell!! I was thrilled when Ginny allowed me to ask her questions about her recording career and songs from the glorious 1960s.

Just a little background information before we begin: Ginny was born Virginia Mazarro in New Haven, Connecticut on November 2, 1942. When she started her recording career, she was still a student at East Haven High School.

Let's begin!

Kyler:Ginny, you first started your recording career recording as a duo with Gene Pitney under the name of “Jamie & Jane”. What is your favorite “Jamie & Jane” record, and what was it like working with Gene?

GINNY:My favorite Jamie & Jane record is “Strolling Though the Park”. It was fun working with Gene. He never went anywhere without his guitar. He was always thinking about new songs to write. He was a very slim, aggressive, handsome and talented young man who was going to achieve success at any cost.


Kyler:A very good song of yours that got lost by the wayside is called “Tell Me What He Said”, from 1960 on Decca Records. It was written by the legendary Jeff Barry. Do you have any remembrances or opinions on that one?

GINNY:Yes, “Tell Me What She Said” was a very exciting song to sing. I remember singing it with a lot of passion with great back up singers and a super arrangement.



Kyler:Skipping ahead to your MGM years, the first single you recorded for that label is one of my favorites, entitled “I’m Crying Too”. Any info behind the recording or song?

GINNY:“I’m Crying Too” had a unique sound. We recorded in a New York studio later in the evening. We had quite an orchestra come in but the most exciting part was seeing them bring in the beautiful Harp. It added a beautiful sound to this great song. Two other great songs I recorded in NYC were “Carnival”, the classic, and Neil Sedaka’s “Mr Saxophone”, vintage Sedaka.

Kyler:Your biggest hit came next, “Dumb Head”. It went to #50 in Billboard and went higher in a lot of local charts. What was it like for you during those times knowing your record was being played and bought around the country?

GINNY:It was like a dream come true! I remember driving with my Dad when it came on the radio. We pulled over and screamed with delight – like we never heard it before. I was a teenager and all I wanted to do was sing. Just to know that kids all over the country were listening to my records was a beautiful feeling. My Mom, Dad, and Sister were so very excited for me. Could this really be happening??? But they never let me forget that School came first, and it did!



Kyler:The B side of “Dumb Head”, called “How Many Times Can One Heart Break”, is an excellent pop song as well. We would love to know any info or opinions about this great track!

GINNY:“How Many Times Can One Heart Break” was a very good song, too good to be a “B” side. I didn’t have any songs in the “can” so everything I did was released.

Kyler:You appeared on American Bandstand when “Dumb Head” was in the charts. What was it like?? Maybe you could tell our readers about the funny incident that happened during the taping.

GINNY:American Bandstand was a highlight in my career. I was a big fan of the show. A funny thing happened when I was getting ready to lip sync the record. They put on a Bobby Rydell record, Wild One, instead of Dumb Head. So I stood there, smiled and waited for the producer to put on the right record. We all laughed about it and moved right along. I’ll never forget it. I also recorded “Dumb Head” in Japanese where it was released and was a big hit. You can hear this cut on the CD released on Poker Records.




Kyler:“I Wish I Knew What Dress To Wear”, the follow up to “Dumb Head”, is one of the best girl-pop records ever made, in my opinion. Although it was not as big of a hit, it is still remembered today as one of your best recordings. Please tell us anything you remember about this iconic record.

GINNY:Yes, “I Wish I Knew What Dress To Wear” was one of my best recordings. The record company believed it was going to be a big hit too. They put a beautiful colored sleeve on the 45 with my picture on it. That was another highlight of my career. I was fortunate to get really good material but it did pose a problem, my A&R men said I never made a bad song so therefore it was hard to pick a “B” side.

Kyler:Once again, the B Side was just as good as the A Side! “He’s My Little Devil” was the song you heard if you flipped “I Wish I Knew What Dress To Wear”. It sounds almost like the type of song Gene Pitney would write. Do you think that “He’s My Little Devil” should have been saved for a future A-Side instead of being relegated to the flip side of “I Wish I Knew….”??

GINNY:Yes, “He’s My Little Devil” should have been saved for a future A-side. The DJ’s didn’t know which side to play and in the long run, it hurt “My Little Devil”.

Kyler:My favorite record of yours is called “Let Me Make You Smile Again”. It has all the elements of a great 60s pop recording!! I feel that it should have been a major hit. What do you think?
GINNY:“Let Me Make You Smile Again” was a powerful arrangement and I sang it with meaningful passion. It had a great set of lyrics too. Any of my records could be released and enjoyed today as well as they were 46 years ago. I believe my records are timeless and unforgettable once you hear them a few times. Hope I’m not being toooo partial!!



Kyler:Your album, “Meet Ginny Arnell”, was released in 1964. It contained your hit singles and some new recordings. It is quite sought after today. Do you have a favorite song from the album, or any memories recording it?

GINNY:Yes, I recorded this album in Nashville in a morning recording session. The musicians and backup singers were the same people that worked on Elvis’ sessions. The Jordinaires, Chet Atkins and Floyd Cramer to mention a few. They all couldn’t believe that I could sing like I did so early in the morning. They forgot that I wasn’t out drinking and smoking all the night before like they were!!!!!!! I think “Yesterday’s Memories” was a favorite cut of mine.

Kyler:Your next single, “Just Like A Boy”, makes me think of the Motown sound, Mary Wells in particular. Is that what you were going for when you were recording it?

GINNY:The Motown sound was hot and we certainly wanted to get on that bandwagon. I thought we had a great sound that could compete with anything that was out then.



This concludes our interview. Thanks once again to Ginny for answering all the questions and for being a geniunely great person. Until next time folks.....keep on rockin', rollin' and doo woppin'!!!!

-Kyler

Rare Rockin' Records Blog Site: AN INTERVIEW WITH TRADE MARTIN!

Rare Rockin' Records Blog Site: AN INTERVIEW WITH TRADE MARTIN!

AN INTERVIEW WITH TRADE MARTIN!

Ladies and gentlemen, you are in for a treat! RRR presents an interview with the great, legendary, TRADE MARTIN!!! Trade is a great guy, and I think all you 60s music lovers will enjoy the questions and answers.

Here we go:

Kyler: How did you get into the music business?

TRADE: I was introduced to my first manager, lyricist, Ed Miller who wrote, "Wear My Ring Around Your Neck"...., he heard some early demos of mine.and I started by singing Elvis demos for him.

Kyler:You recorded The Earls and many other doo-wop groups in the early 60s for Rome Records. How was it working with all those groups?

TRADE: Not many, just a few. My partner Johnny Power and I first discovered the Earls and they were initially released on our own record label "ROME".

Kyler:Moving onto your Coed Records period, how did you get noticed and signed by Coed?

TRADE:Through my manager, Ed Miller. Before that, he got me a deal as a solo guitarist on Roulette.



Kyler:Your first record for Coed, “That Stranger Used To Be My Girl”, is one of the best teen/pop records of the 60s. Do you have any remembrances about the recording or anything in general about the song?

TRADE:Yes......, I didn't write or arrange it, but it was my specific idea to have a tuba solo in it.

Kyler:You appeared on American Bandstand when “That Stranger” went Top 30. How did it feel to be on that classic show?

TRADE:Of course it was exciting performing there and going over to the famous autograph table.. Dick Clark is a nice fellow. A few months later, I appeared on his syndicated radio show in a guest panel with Nancy Sinatra and Jimmy Dean.

Kyler:On many of your Coed sides, I can hear touches of Dion. How much did he influence you during this time period?

TRADE:Dion's great and a good guy too. I recall playing guitar on one of his albums (none of his hits) when I was a prominent New York studio guitarist. Vocally, I didn't sound like Dion at all...., it's just that my recordings did have the same 'hand-clapping' feel that was very hot in those days.

Kyler:One of my all time favorite songs of yours is one you did in 1962 called “Strategy”. Any info behind that?

TRADE:I liked that one too. We put a tuba solo in it. I didn't write it either...., a fine Coed staff arranger & friend, Fred Weismantle arranged it like he did my 'Stranger' hit.



Kyler:In 1964, you released “Spend Your Life With Me”. It has a classic Wall of Sound style backing. We love it! Were you going for a Phil Spector sound on this track?

TRADE: Yes, I was...., but I didn't want it to be over bearing...., so I kind of went, "wall of sound" 'lite. You know.I was a studio guitarist on many of Phil's sessions in New York and I was part of, and actually witnessed the secrets and the 'construction' of his "wall of sound."

Kyler:Your last release for Coed was “Joanne”, your most doo-wop sounding record. It was released smack dab in the middle of the British Invasion. Was it hard competing against all the British groups?

TRADE:It sure was...., radio stations were swarmed with those very commercial records at the time, and it made it very difficult for some American artists like yours truly. But we had to accept that the 'British Sound' was the new trend. The really weird part of it was that all of our early rockabilly & bluesy rock n ' roll records had greatly influenced their British sound invasion.

Kyler:You played guitar on many classic 60s productions. Do you have any favorites?

TRADE:Yes, the original Twist & Shout by the Isleys & "Cherry, Cherry" by Neil Diamond.

Kyler: Finally Trade, what are you up to these days?

TRADE: Kyler, I write and record my own stuff 24/7. I have a number of new CDs on Amazon and lots of downloads on I-Tunes. Once in a while I produce a major artist like the legendary B.B. King. I'm currently working on a few great original duets that I sing back & forth with him. They will be released soon. Please check out TRADEMARTINMUSIC.COM & my YOUTUBE videos


We hope you enjoyed the interview! I would like to give a big, heartfelt thank you to Mr. Trade Martin for kindly answering all the questions. And please check out his website and music, he is simply one of the greatest!

-Kyler

PATTY DUKE - THE TEEN RECORDINGS

Patty Duke was born in 1946. She had a pretty rough childhood, which you can read about in various places on the world wide web.

Primarily an actress, Patty Duke stepped into the world of 45s and 33s during the second season of "The Patty Duke Show". The show involved Patty playing dual roles as herself (Patty Lane) and also as her cousin, Cathy Lane. Guys and girls, if you've never watched this show, I urge you to go track down the DVD's, it's like stepping back into the 60s!

The show became a major success, and United Artists signed her up to make some records. They knew because she had a popular show on TV, that she could definately make UA some money by releasing at least a single or two.


Her producers wanted to give her a Lesley Gore styled sound, and her first release was exactly that. "Don't Just Stand There" was pretty much a carbon copy of "You Don't Own Me", but nevertheless, the song went all the way to #8 in 1965.

Luckilly, many videos of Patty performing her songs were saved, so HERE is Patty doing her thing.

The B Side was also a light teen pop recording, called "Everything But Love"

Along the way, Patty recorded a version of Christine Quaite's "Tell Me Mama". This was one of the songs that went unreleased on record by Patty. Actually, it still is, and you can't buy it on 45, LP, or CD. However, it was recorded just for Patty's show, and the clip still exists. Although the vocal on this (and all of Patty Duke's other recordings) may be considered weak, there is a certain charm in the teenage, cutesy vocals. Anyway, here's Tell Me Mama


The next single was another great one, called "Funny Little Butterflies". This might be my favorite teen recording by Patty, although it did worse than the first single, only making #22. Check out the performance clips from Shindig! and also Patty's own show.

The B Side, Say Something Funny, was a take off on Patty's first single, Don't Just Stand There. A performance clip can be viewed at the click of a mouse. Patty

Patty's hits slowed down, and while she still released some terrific 45s (like the one below), they went un-noticed by the public.





Patty had two albums, both containg a mix of mainly cover versions and also some original songs. Like I said before, she also continued to release many other 45s and then decided to focus on her acting. Many of her recordings from the mid 60s, including the ones mentioned here (and many other fabulous ones that were not!), can be found on a CD entitled "Just Patty", but it's Out Of Print and can be costly. It's noted for it's audophile stereo sound straight from the master tapes.

And for a bit of fun.....PATTY SINGS HERMAN's HERMITS

Hope you enjoy it!

-Kyler