The Shades of Blue

Last updated

The Shades of Blue were an American blue-eyed soul vocal group [1] from Livonia, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit.

The band started in high school as the Domingos. Original group members included Nick Marinelli, Ernie Dernai, Linda Allen and Bob Kerr. [2] By 1965, The Domingos signed a recording contract for the Detroit-based Golden World label. John Rhys, a sound engineer, suggested a name change and the Shades of Blue was the result. [3]

Their biggest hit was the song "Oh How Happy", recorded in the fall of 1965 and released in early 1966, written by Edwin Starr, [2] which reached number 12 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, number 16 on the US Billboard R&B chart [4] and the Top 10 in Canada. That same year, the song "Lonely Summer", again written by Starr, reached number 72, and then "Happiness" peaked at number 78 in the Hot 100. [1]

Taste in popular music changed in the late 1960s, and the group's later single efforts failed to chart and they disbanded in 1970.

In 2003, original member Nick Marinelli joined a Motown group that was reforming, the Valadiers. That lineup, consisting of Marinelli, original Valadier Stuart Avig and new members Andy Alonzo and Donald Revels, began also touring as the Shades of Blue. Revels left the group in 2006 and was replaced by Charlie Valverde; he returned to the group three years later when the last original member, Nick Marinelli, left. Andy Alonzo was replaced by Charles Davis in 2011. [3]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Supremes</span> American Motown female singing group

The Supremes were an American girl group and a premier act of Motown Records during the 1960s. Founded as the Primettes in Detroit, Michigan, in 1959, the Supremes were the most commercially successful of Motown's acts and the most successful American vocal band, with 12 number-one singles on the Billboard Hot 100. Most of these hits were written and produced by Motown's main songwriting and production team, Holland–Dozier–Holland. It is said that their breakthrough made it possible for future African American R&B and soul musicians to find mainstream success. Billboard ranked the Supremes as the 16th greatest Hot 100 artist of all time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Edwin Starr</span> American singer and songwriter

Charles Edwin Hatcher , known by his stage name Edwin Starr, was an American singer and songwriter. Starr was famous for his Norman Whitfield-produced Motown singles of the 1970s, most notably the number-one hit "War".

Was is an American pop rock group founded in 1979 in Detroit, Michigan, by David Weiss and Don Fagenson, who adopted the stage names David Was and Don Was. Their song catalog features an eclectic mix of pop and rock styles, often featuring guest musicians from across the musical spectrum. The band's most popular period was during the 1980s and early 1990s, with their highest-charting hit, the song "Walk the Dinosaur", released in 1987 as the lead single from their 1988 album What Up, Dog?, becoming a worldwide top-40 hit and peaking at No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart. The band went on indefinite hiatus in the mid-1990s, but has returned sporadically since the turn of the millennium. Their most recent release was the 2008 album Boo!.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Back in My Arms Again</span> 1965 single by The Supremes

"Back in My Arms Again" is a 1965 song recorded by The Supremes for the Motown label.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Only You (And You Alone)</span> Pop song composed by Buck Ram

"Only You " is a pop song composed by Buck Ram. It was originally recorded by The Platters with lead vocals by Tony Williams in 1955.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Manhattans</span> American R&B vocal group

The Manhattans are an American popular R&B vocal group. Their songs "Kiss and Say Goodbye", recorded in 1976, and 1980's "Shining Star", both sold millions of copies. The Manhattans have recorded 45 hits on the Billboard R&B Chart, including twelve top-10 R&B hits in the United States, starting in 1965. Sixteen of their songs have reached the Billboard Hot 100, including two top 10s and a number-one hit with their song "Kiss and Say Goodbye". They also charted eight U.S. R&B top 20 Albums, three of which were RIAA certified gold.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">My Girl (The Temptations song)</span> 1964 single by the Temptations

"My Girl" is a soul music song recorded by the Temptations for the Gordy (Motown) record label. Written and produced by the Miracles members Smokey Robinson and Ronald White, it became the Temptations' first U.S. number 1 single, and is currently their signature song. Robinson's inspiration for writing "My Girl" was his wife, Miracles member Claudette Rogers Robinson. The song was included on the Temptations 1965 album The Temptations Sing Smokey. In 2017, the song was selected for preservation in the National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or artistically significant".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blue Magic (band)</span> American R&B and soul musical group

Blue Magic is an American R&B and soul group, and one of the more popular Philadelphia soul groups of the 1970s. Founded in 1972, the group's original members included lead singer Ted Mills with Vernon Sawyer, Wendell Sawyer, Keith Beaton, and Richard Pratt. Their most notable songs included smooth soul ballads such as "Sideshow", "Spell", "What’s Come Over Me", "Three Ring Circus", and "Stop to Start".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Act Naturally</span> 1963 single by Buck Owens and the Buckaroos

"Act Naturally" is a song written by Johnny Russell, with a writing credit given to Voni Morrison and publishing rights transferred to Buck Owens. It was originally recorded by Buck Owens and the Buckaroos, whose version reached number one on the Billboard Country Singles chart in 1963, his first chart-topper. In 2002, Shelly Fabian of About.com ranked the song number 169 on her list of the Top 500 Country Music Songs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">You're Sixteen</span> 1960 single by Johnny Burnette

"You're Sixteen" is a song written by the Sherman Brothers. It was first performed by American rockabilly singer Johnny Burnette, whose version peaked at number eight on the US Billboard Hot 100 in December 1960 and number 3 in the UK in 1961. The song was covered by Ringo Starr in 1973 and this version reached number one in the US.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I Can't Tell You Why</span> 1980 single by Eagles

"I Can't Tell You Why" is a song by the American rock band Eagles that appeared on their 1979 album The Long Run. It was written by band members Timothy B. Schmit, Glenn Frey and Don Henley. Recorded in March 1978, it was the first song finished for the album and the first Eagles song to feature Schmit on lead vocals. Released as a single in February 1980, it became a Billboard top 10 hit in April, reaching number eight on the Billboard Hot 100 and number three on the Adult Contemporary chart. It was the group's last top ten hit on the Billboard Hot 100.

Robert Stanley Crewe was an American songwriter, dancer, singer, manager, and record producer. He was known for producing, and co-writing with Bob Gaudio, a string of Top 10 singles for the Four Seasons.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Everybody Wants You</span> 1982 single by Billy Squier

"Everybody Wants You" is a hit song written and performed by American rock singer and guitarist Billy Squier. It appeared as the opening track of his multi-Platinum 1982 album Emotions in Motion, and was released as the second single from that album, reaching #31 on the Cash Box Top 100 and #32 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. It became, however, a much bigger hit on AOR radio, gridlocking the top spot of Mainstream Rock charts for six weeks straight. The song's music video also remained in heavy rotation for months on MTV.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sam the Sham</span> American rock and roll singer

Domingo "Sam" Samudio, better known by his stage name Sam the Sham, is a retired American rock and roll singer. Sam the Sham was known for his camp robe and turban and hauling his equipment in a 1952 Packard hearse with maroon velvet curtains. As the front man for the Pharaohs, he sang on several Top 40 hits in the mid-1960s, including the Billboard Hot 100 runners-up "Wooly Bully" and "Li'l Red Riding Hood".

The Midnighters were an American vocal group from Detroit, Michigan. They were an influential group in the 1950s and early 1960s, with many R&B hit records. They were also notable for launching the career of lead singer Hank Ballard and the worldwide dance craze the Twist. Between 1953 and 1962 the Midnighters had several hits on the U.S. pop and R&B charts. Their hits included the million-selling Billboard Top 10 pop hits "Finger Poppin' Time", and "Let's Go, Let's Go, Let's Go". The Midnighters also had 13 top 10 R&B hits, including three that reached number 1. Their top 10 R&B hits included "Work with Me, Annie", "It's Love Baby ", "Annie Had a Baby", "The Hoochi Coochi Coo", "Teardrops on Your Letter", "Get It", "The Float" and "Nothing but Good". They received the Rhythm and Blues Foundation's prestigious Pioneer Award in 1992 and were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 1999. The Midnighters are also noted for achieving a music industry milestone in 1960, by becoming the first group in history to place 3 singles in the Billboard Hot 100 at the same time. The group's lead singer, Hank Ballard, was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990. The Midnighters as a group were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on April 14, 2012.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">King of the Road (song)</span> 1965 single by Roger Miller

"King of the Road" is a song written by country singer Roger Miller, who first recorded it in November 1964. The lyrics tell of the day-to-day life of a hobo who, despite having little money, revels in his freedom, describing himself humorously and cynically as the "king of the road". It was Miller's fifth single for Smash Records.

The Reflections were an American blue-eyed soul/doo-wop group from Detroit, Michigan, United States. They had one hit single in 1964 called "(Just Like) Romeo and Juliet", written by Bob Hamilton and Freddie Gorman. The song was produced by Rob Reeco on Golden World Records. The disc reached number 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, and number 9 on the Cash Box chart. The record was even more popular in rhythm and blues locations, reaching number 3 on that Cashbox chart, and was featured on American Bandstand as a "spotlight dance". A cover version by new wave band Mental As Anything hit number 27 on the Australian charts in 1980.

The Valadiers are an American vocal group from Detroit, Michigan, who became notable as the first white vocal group signed to Motown in the early 1960s.

Oh How Happy is a song written by Edwin Starr. It was a hit for the group The Shades of Blue. In the early 1980s, it was a minor hit for New Zealand based New York City soul singer Herb McQuay. Many artists have covered the song. It has been covered by numerous artists.

"Greetings " is a 1961 song recorded by three American R&B music groups, The Valadiers, The Monitors, and The Isley Brothers for the Motown label. It was written by Robert Bateman, Brian Holland, Stuart Avig, Martin Coleman, Art Glasser, Jerry Light, P Bennet, Lawrence Horn and Ronald Dunbar. The Isley Brothers version was shelved while the Valadiers' and Monitors' versions give both groups their first and only charter on the Billboard Hot 100 charts and became the biggest "hit" for each; both groups could only archive very minor hits due to non-promotion.

References

  1. 1 2 Hamilton, Andrew. "Shades of Blue - Music Biography, Credits and Discography". AllMusic . Retrieved 2013-07-05.
  2. 1 2 Colin Larkin, ed. (1997). The Virgin Encyclopedia of Sixties Music (First ed.). Virgin Books. p. 398. ISBN   0-7535-0149-X.
  3. 1 2 "The Shades of Blue | History". Theshadesofblueonline.com. Retrieved 2021-06-14.
  4. "Shades of Blue - Awards". AllMusic . Retrieved 2013-07-05.