Bill Deal & the Rhondels were an American pop band, formed in 1959 [1] in Portsmouth, Virginia, crossing blue-eyed soul and beach music.
They had three hit singles in 1969, "May I" (U.S. #39), "I've Been Hurt" (U.S. #35), "What Kind of Fool (Do You Think I Am)" (U.S. #23). [2] Their single "Swingin' Tight" reached (U.S. #85) in December 1969. [3] [4] "Nothing Succeeds Like Success" reached (US #63) on the charts in the spring of 1970. [5] The band disbanded in 1975, but reformed and still carries on the tradition even after the passing of Bill Deal. [1]
On March 4, 1979, band member Ernest Frederick "Freddy" Owens, joined after 1970 and served as lead vocalist as well as playing sax and bass. He was robbed and shot dead by Jeremiah Carr at a Holiday Inn motel in Richmond, Virginia, where the band had a show earlier that evening. He had attempted to stop Carr from escaping after Carr raped his wife. Two shots wounded another band member in the room. [6] While Bill Deal kept going on with the Rhondels for another four years, he never really got over this incident and quit the music business in 1983. [1]
The material for this album was recorded in New York City between July 25, 1968 (May I) and March 10, 1969 (multiple), with the most tracks recorded at Bell Sound Studios on March 10, 1969. [11] The "Swingin' Tight" track ("Swinging Tight" is often cited, but is not the official title spelling of the song. "Swinging Tight" is the title to the album released in 1980), first recorded March 10, 1969, is distinct from the similarly-named track on the second album, below and is a slow version of the song. [11]
Bill Deal and the Rhondels | |
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Studio album by Bill Deal and the Rhondels | |
Released | March 1969 |
Recorded | July 1968 |
Genre | Bubblegum pop |
Label | Heritage |
Producer | Jerry Ross |
Singles from Bill Deal and the Rhondels | |
|
The material for this album, which substantially overlaps the Vintage Rock album, was recorded in New York City between July 25, 1968 ("May I") and October 30, 1969 ("Harlem Shuffle"), with the most tracks recorded at Bell Sound Studios on March 10, 1969. [11] The "Swingin' Tight" track, recorded on October 3, 1969, is distinct from the similarly named track on the first album, above and is a faster single edit version. [11]
The Best of Bill Deal and the Rhondels | |
---|---|
Studio album by Bill Deal and the Rhondels | |
Released | 1969 |
Recorded | 1968–1969 |
Genre | Bubblegum pop |
Label | Heritage |
Singles from The Best of Bill Deal and the Rhondels | |
|
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