The Fleetwoods

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Fleetwoods were an American vocal trio from Olympia , Washington , USA , who are particularly remembered for their two number one hits from 1959: Come Softly to Me and Mr. Blue .

Band history

Two girls and one guy

Barbara Ellis and Gretchen Christopher were born a few days apart in the same Olympia hospital and have known each other as children. In senior high school , they met again and formed a singing duo. During a rehearsal they met Gary Troxel, who was the same age and who was supposed to play the trumpet for them and their band. Together they wrote the song Come Softly and now called themselves as a group "Two Girls and a Guy", so "Two girls and a guy". Having repeatedly stated at the school the song, they took him a cappella on tape and gave it to the Promoter Bob Reisdorff in Seattle . He thought the song was so good that he immediately founded his own record label -  Dolphin Records (later renamed Dolton Records ) - for it.

Come softly to me

It took about six months to finish the recording of the song. Reisdorff, who produced the single, found the title too suggestive and extended it to Come Softly to Me ; He didn't like the band name either, and so the three became the "Fleetwoods" - named after the telephone exchange that was responsible for the three residential districts in Olympia.

The single was released and immediately an airplay hit in Washington and the entire Northwest of the United States. Soon it was also in the charts nationwide. On April 11, 1959, the Fleetwoods were in New York to appear on Dick Clark's Show, where they met Frankie Avalon , who was currently number one on the charts with the song Venus . Gretchen later recalled, “He held out his hand to us and said, 'Congratulations; Come Softly to Me has just ousted Venus from number one. '"

In the UK, the original Come Softly to Me came in at number 6 on the charts; a cover version by Frankie Vaughan & The Kaye Sisters came in at number 9 at the same time. In 1972 the New Seekers also had a top 20 hit with a cover.

The second number one

The Fleetwoods worked with Bob Reisdorff to find a successor to the number one hit, and Reisdorff found a song by Dewayne Blackwell that he had actually written for the Platters - Mr. Blue . Reisdorff was convinced of the hit potential of the song, in contrast to Gary Troxel. Reisdorff was so sure that he bet Troxel that the new single (as well as Come Softly to Me ) would sell more than a million. If it came to that, Troxel should be driving his Corvette for two weeks . On November 16, Mr. Blue was number 1; Troxel drove the Corvette and was then able to buy one himself.

In Great Britain, Mr. Blue of the Fleetwoods could not place himself ; only cover versions of Mike Preston (# 12) and David MacBeth (# 18) made it into the charts.

Mr. Blue and Come Softly to Me were two of the few recordings of purely "white" groups that were listed in the US in the top ten of the pop charts as well as in the top ten of the rhythm & blues charts.

After the great successes

Gary Troxel had signed up for the "United States Naval Reserves" when he was still at school and had to start his service there, but during his days off he continued to take pictures with the two girls. If necessary, he was replaced by the later solo star Vic Dana . Only one song, however, made it into the top ten ( Tragedy , 1961). The Fleetwoods had their last hit in 1963 with Jesse Belvin's Goodnight My Love , on which for the first time not Gary Troxel, but Barbara Ellis sang the lead vocals.

In 1966 the Fleetwoods parted ways. 1971 to 1973 they appeared together again; In 1983 an album called Buried Treasure came out with unreleased material. Gary Troxel and Gretchen Christopher later went on touring (with Cheryl Huggins as the second singer); Barbara Ellis retired from show business to devote herself to her family.

On March 26, 2005 Gary Troxel was in the doo-wop - Fame Hall of added.

Members

Discography

Chart positions
Explanation of the data
Singles
Come softly to me
  US 1Template: Infobox chart placements / maintenance / NR1 link 07.03.1959 (16 weeks)
  UK 6th 04/30/1959 (8 weeks)
Graduation's Here
  US 39 05/16/1959 (8 weeks)
Mr. Blue
  US 1Template: Infobox chart placements / maintenance / NR1 link 05.09.1959 (20 weeks)
You mean everything to me
  US 84 October 24, 1959 (2 weeks)
Outside My Window
  US 28 02/13/1960 (9 weeks)
Runaround
  US 23 05/21/1960 (13 weeks)
The last one to know
  US 96 10/15/1960 (1 week)
Tragedy
  US 10 04/15/1961 (12 weeks)
(He's) The Great Imposter
  US 30th 09.09.1961 (8 weeks)
Lovers by Night, Strangers by Day
  US 36 10/13/1962 (10 weeks)
Goodnight My Love
  US 32 06/01/1963 (11 weeks)

Albums

All albums released in the USA between 1959 and 1966 - year of release - title - US catalog number - producer

  • 1960: Mr. Blue - Dolton BST 8001 - Prod .: Bonnie Guitar & Bob Reisdorff
Confidential / The Three Caballeros / Raindrops, Teardrops / You Mean Everything To Me / Oh Lord, Let It Be / Come Softly To Me // Serenade Of The Bells / Unchained Melody / We Belong Together / Come Go With Me / I Care So Much / Mr. Blue
  • 1960: The Fleetwoods - Dolton BST 8002 - Prod .: Bob Reisdorff
Runaround / Truly / My Window / Time Of Love / I Believe / One For My Baby // Happy, Happy Birthday Baby / Bye Bye Blackbird / Once In A While / Skylark / Turtle Dove / My Sister's Love
  • 1961: Softly - Dolton BST 8005 - Prod .: Bob Reisdorff
Little White Cloud That Cried / Tragedy / Dormilona / I'm So Alone / Nancy / Days Dwindle By // Their Hearts Are Full Of Spring / Little Miss Sad One / I Love You So / Love Drop / The Last One To Know / Love Alone
  • 1961: Deep in a Dream - Dolton BST 8007 - Prod .: Bob Reisdorff, sound engineer: Bones Howe
A Teenager In Love / Daddy's Home / Lavender Blue / Little Girl Blue / Lah-Deh-Dah / Lonely Cup Of Coffee // Poor Little Girl / Hey Little Tear / Paradise Lost / Blues Go Away / One Little Star / Great Imposter
  • 1961: Best Of Oldies - Dolton BST 8011 - Prod .: Bob Reisdorff
Over The Mountain Across The Sea / A Thousand Miles Away / Poor Little Fool / Tears On My Pillow / In The Still Of The Nite / To Know Him Is To Love Him // Eddie My Love / Earth Angel / Venus / Happy Birthday Baby / Donna / Bazoom (I Need Your Lovin ')
  • 1962: The Fleetwoods' Greatest Hits (compilation) - Dolton BST 8018 - Prod .: Bob Reisdorff
Mr. Blue / Come Softly To Me / Runaround / Tragedy / The Great Imposter / Confidential // Outside My Window / The Last One To Know / Graduation's Here / You Mean Everything To Me / Truly Do / Poor Little Girl
  • 1963: The Fleetwoods Sing for Lovers by Night - Dolton BST 8020 - Prod .: Bob Reisdorff
Loving You / My Special Lover / Bon Soir Madame / Goodnight My Love / Lover's Lullaby / If You Were The Only Girl In The World // Pledging My Love / The Twelfth Of Never / I Look At You / Lovers By Night, Strangers By Day / Soft Eyes / Let It Be Me
  • 1964: Goodnight My Love - Dolton BST 8025 - Prod .: Bob Reisdorff
Goodnight My Love / Jimmy Sang / The End Of The World / Sure It's Lonesome Downtown / Magic Star / I Just Can't Live Without You // Every Little Beat / Sad Little Girl / So Much In Love / It's Your Birthday / Figurines / Jimmy Beware / Hurt Him
  • 1965: Before and After - Dolton BST 8030 - Prod .: Dick Glasser
Softly As I Leave You / Mister Sandman / Go Away, Little Girl / Little Things Mean A Lot / Before And After (Losing You) / Almost There // Since I Don't Have You / This Is My Prayer / Footsteps / Lonely Is As Lonely Does / What Am I Gonna Do With You / I'll Be There
  • 1966: Folk Rock - Dolton BST 8039 - Prod .: Andy Di Martino, sound engineer: Bruce Botnick
A Lover's Concerto / All I Really Want To Do / You Can't Grow Peaches On A Cherry Tree / It Ain't Me Babe / Run, Don't Walk / For Lovin 'Me // You've Got Your Troubles / Not The Lovin 'Kind / You Were On My Mind / We'll Sing In The Sunshine / Baby Don't Go / This Is Where I See Her
  • 1983 Buried Treasure - Liberty LN 10199 - The album contains material recorded but unreleased by Dolton Records between 1959 and 1966
Who's Gonna Teach You About Love / My Love, My Love / Get Behind Me Devil / Ask Him If He's Got A Friend For Me / Will You Love Me Tomorrow // Man In A Raincoat / Let Her Go / Imagination / Surfer's Playmate / Climb Ev'ry Mountain
  • 1966: In a Mellow Mood (compilation) - Sunset S 5131

After 1966 some albums with a compilation of their hits were released, e.g. B.

  • 1975: The Very Best of The Fleetwoods (compilation) - United Artists UA-LA 334, German catalog number: United Artists 29755

Singles

All singles released by Dolton Records . Year of publication, title (A- / B-side), US catalog number, chart positions in the USA (US), in Great Britain (UK)

  • 1959 - Come Softly To Me / I Care So Much - Dolphin 1, later Dolton 1, US # 1, UK # 6
  • 1959 - Graduation's Here / Oh Lord, Let It Be - Dolton 3, US # 39
  • 1959 - Mr. Blue / You Mean Everything To Me - Dolton 5, US # 1
  • 1960 - Outside My Window / Magic Star - Dolton 15, US # 28
  • 1960 - Runaround / Truly Do - Dolton 22, US # 23
  • 1960 - The Last One To Know / Dorminlona - Dolton 27, US # 96
  • 1960 - Confidential / I Love You So - Dolton 30
  • 1961 - Tragedy / Little Miss Sad One - Dolton 40, US # 10
  • 1961 - (He's) The Great Imposter / Poor Little Girl - Dolton 45, US # 30
  • 1961 Billy Old Buddy / Trouble - Dolton 49
  • 1962 - Lovers By Night, Strangers By Day / They Tell Me It's Summer - Dolton 62, US # 36
  • 1963 - You Should've Been There / Sure Is Lonesome Downtown - Dolton 74
  • 1963 - Goodnight My Love / Jimmy Beware - Dolton 75, US # 32
  • 1963 What'll I Do / Baby Bye-O - Dolton 86
  • 1964 - Lonesome Town / Ruby Red, Baby Blue - Dolton 93
  • 1964 - Ten Times Blues / Ska Light, Ska Bright - Dolton 97
  • 1964 - Mr. Sandman / This Is My Prayer - Dolton 98
  • 1964 - Before And After (Losing You) / Lonely Is As Lonely Does - Dolton 302
  • 1965 - I'm Not Jimmy / Come Softly To Me - Dolton 307
  • 1965 - Rainbow / Just As I Need You - Dolton 310
  • 1965 - For Lovin 'Me / This Is Where I See Her - Dolton 315

literature

  • Fred Bronson: The Billboard Book of Number One Hits . 3rd expanded and revised edition. Billboard Publications, New York 1992, ISBN 0-8230-8298-9 , “Come Softly To Me” p. 51, “Mr. Blue "p. 60.
  • David Roberts (Ed.): Guinness World Records - British Hit Singles . 14th edition. London 2001, ISBN 0-85112-156-X .
  • Frank Laufenberg , Ingrid Laufenberg: Frank Laufenberg's rock and pop lexicon . Volume 1, 5th edition, Düsseldorf / Munich 2000, ISBN 3-612-26206-8 .

swell

  1. ↑ "He stuck out his hand and said, 'Congratulations. Come Softly to Me has just knocked Venus out of the number one spot. '"Quoted from Fred Bronson (see below)
  2. ↑ Bronson, ibid.
  3. ↑ Laufenberg (see below), p. 523
  4. ↑ according to PNWBands.com (see below)
  5. ↑ Charts UK Charts US
  6. ^ KD Tilch : Rock LPs 1955-1970. 3rd ext. Ed. Taurus Press, Hamburg 1990, Vol. 2: F-L, pp. 556f.
  7. ↑ The album was the only one of the group in the Billboard album charts, it reached number 71 and was listed in the Top 100 for six weeks. Whitburn, Joel: Top Pop Albums 1955-1996 . Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin: Record Research Ltd., 1996, p. 272
  8. ↑ Sunset is a sub-label of Liberty Records .
  9. ↑ Anthony J. Gribin, Matthew M. Schiff: doo-wop. The Forgotten Third Of Rock 'n' Roll . Krause Publications, Iola WI 1992, p. 326
  10. ^ Joel Whitburn: Top Pop Singles 1955-1993 . Record Research, Menomonee Falls WI 1994, pp. 215f.
  11. ↑ Stephen Nugent, Anne Fowler, Pete Fowler: Chart Log of American / British Top 20 Hits, 1955–1974 . In: Charlie Gillett, Simon Frith (Eds.): Rock File 4 . Panther Books, Frogmore / St. Albans 1976, p. 166

Web links