Ronald & Ruby

Last updated

Ronald & Ruby were an American pop vocal duo, best known for their 1958 hit single, "Lollipop". [1]

The duo's members were the black Ronald Gumm [2] (or Gumps) and the white Beverly "Ruby" Ross; interracial pop groups were unusual at the time, and the group did not appear in public or in major press and television outlets. [3] They had previously worked together as songwriters; among their credits are "Young and Hungry for Love", "Frankenstein Rock", "Fat Pat", "Soul Mates", "Don't Come to My Party", and "The Ghost of Love". [1] In 1958, they released a single together entitled "Lollipop". It became a hit in the U.S., reaching No. 20 on the Billboard Hot 100. [4] The song was covered to greater chart success by both The Chordettes and The Mudlarks. [1]

They released several further singles, including "Love Birds", none of them hits. Ross continued as a songwriter, recording nearly 200 songs with BMI, including "Candy Man" (for Roy Orbison) and "Judy's Turn to Cry" (for Lesley Gore). [1]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The 5th Dimension</span> American popular music vocal group

The 5th Dimension is an American popular music vocal group. Their music encompasses sunshine pop, pop soul and psychedelic soul.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Isley Brothers</span> American family musical group

The Isley Brothers are an American family musical group originally from Cincinnati, Ohio, that began as a vocal trio consisting of brothers O'Kelly "Kelly" Isley Jr., Rudolph Isley and Ronald Isley in the late 1950s. With a career spanning over six decades, the group has enjoyed one of the "longest, most influential, and most diverse careers in the pantheon of popular music".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peter and Gordon</span> British pop duo

Peter and Gordon were a British pop duo, composed of Peter Asher and Gordon Waller (1945–2009), who achieved international fame in 1964 with their first single, the million-selling single "A World Without Love". The duo had several subsequent hits in America in the British Invasion era including "I Go to Pieces", "Lady Godiva", "Woman", "True Love Ways" and "Nobody I Know".

Sister Sledge is an American musical vocal group from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Formed in 1971, the group consisted of sisters Debbie, Joni, Kim, and Kathy Sledge. The siblings achieved international success at the height of the disco era. In 1979, they released their breakthrough album We Are Family, which peaked at number three on the Billboard 200 and included the 1979 US top-10 singles "He's the Greatest Dancer" and "We Are Family". "We Are Family" earned a Grammy Award nomination for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eurythmics</span> British music duo

Eurythmics were a British pop duo formed in 1980, consisting of Scottish vocalist Annie Lennox and English musician and producer Dave Stewart. They were both previously in the Tourists, a band that broke up in 1980. They released their first studio album, In the Garden, in 1981 to little success, but achieved global acclaim with their second album, Sweet Dreams (1983). The title track became a worldwide hit, reaching number two in the UK Singles Chart, and number one in Canada and the US Billboard Hot 100. Eurythmics went on to release a string of hit singles and albums, including "Love Is a Stranger", "There Must Be an Angel " and "Here Comes the Rain Again", before splitting in 1990.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller</span> American songwriting and record producing duo

Leiber and Stoller were an American Grammy award-winning songwriting and record production duo, consisting of lyricist Jerome Leiber and composer Michael Stoller. They wrote numerous standards for Broadway.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dubstar</span> English indie-dance duo

Dubstar are an English indie-dance duo, performing songs with hints of Britpop, dream pop and synth, as well as the occasional pop ballad and guitar-laden rock with industrial twists. The group was formed in 1992 by Steve Hillier and Chris Wilkie in Newcastle-upon-Tyne. Sarah Blackwood joined in 1993 as vocalist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gamble and Huff</span> American songwriting and record production team

Kenneth Gamble and Leon A. Huff are an American songwriting and production team credited for developing the Philadelphia soul music genre of the 1970s. In addition to forming their own label, Philadelphia International Records, Gamble and Huff have written and produced 175 gold and platinum records, earning them an induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in the non-performer category in March 2008.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Impressions</span> American soul vocal group

The Impressions were an American music group originally formed in 1958. Their repertoire includes gospel, R&B, doo-wop, and soul.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Intruders (band)</span> American soul music group

The Intruders were an American soul music group most popular in the 1960s and 1970s. As one of the first groups to have hit songs under the direction of Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff, they were a major influence on the development of Philadelphia soul.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Millie Small</span> Jamaican singer (1947–2020)

Millicent Dolly May Small CD was a Jamaican singer who is best known for her 1964 hit "My Boy Lollipop". The song reached number two in both the UK and US charts and sold over seven million copies worldwide. It was also the first major hit for Island Records and helped to achieve the label its mainstream success. She was the Caribbean's first international recording star and its most successful female performer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Johnnie Wright</span> American country music singer-songwriter (1914–2011)

Johnnie Robert Wright Jr. was an American country music singer-songwriter, who spent much of his career working with Jack Anglin as the popular duo Johnnie & Jack, and was also the husband of country music star Kitty Wells.

John William Bristol was an American musician, most famous as a songwriter and record producer for the Motown label in the late 1960s and early 1970s. He was a native of Morganton, North Carolina, about which he wrote an eponymous song. His composition "Love Me for a Reason" saw global success when covered by The Osmonds including a number 1 in the UK charts in 1974. His most famous solo recording was "Hang On in There Baby" recorded in 1974, which reached the Top Ten in the United States and number 3 in the United Kingdom. Both singles were in the UK top 5 simultaneously.

"Lollipop" is a pop song written by Julius Dixson and Beverly Ross in 1958. It was first recorded by the duo Ronald & Ruby, with Ross performing as "Ruby." It was covered more successfully by The Chordettes whose version reached No. 2 in the US, and The Mudlarks in the UK.

Julius Edward Dixson was an American songwriter and record company executive.

The Mudlarks were an English pop vocal group of the late 1950s and early 1960s. They had two Top 10 UK hit singles in 1958.

Tracey Dey is an American former pop singer in the girl group genre of the early and mid-1960s.

The Raindrops were an American pop group from New York, United States, associated with the Brill Building style of 1960s pop. The group existed from 1963 to 1965 and consisted of Ellie Greenwich and Jeff Barry, both of whom worked as writer/producers for numerous other acts before, during and after their tenure as The Raindrops.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lollipop (BigBang and 2NE1 song)</span> 2009 promotional single by Big Bang and 2NE1

"Lollipop" is a song by Big Bang and 2NE1, created to promote a cellphone by LG Cyon. It interpolates the 1958 hit "Lollipop" written by Julius Dixson and Beverly Ross. The song achieved the top spot on various online charts, including a four week run at number one on music portal Mnet. "Lollipop" was used to debut 2NE1 unofficially, as it does not serve as their debut single. 2NE1 followed up with their official debut single "Fire".

Beverly Ross was an American singer-songwriter and musician who co-wrote several successful pop songs in the 1950s and 1960s, including "Dim, Dim The Lights", "Lollipop", "The Girl of My Best Friend", "Remember Then", and "Judy's Turn to Cry".

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Colin Larkin, ed. (2002). The Virgin Encyclopedia of Fifties Music (Third ed.). Virgin Books. pp. 370/1. ISBN   1-85227-937-0.
  2. Beverly Ross (13 January 2012). ""Lollipop" story behind the song". Archived from the original on 28 February 2013. Retrieved 23 April 2012.
  3. Ronald & Ruby at AllMusic
  4. "Listen to 'Lollipop by Ronald & Ruby'". Godsjukebox.com. Retrieved October 27, 2019.