The group, originally named the Val-Aires, formed in 1958 at Turtle Creek High School.[1] They signed with Pittsburgh manager Elmer Willet, who produced their first recording release "Which One Will It Be/Launie My Love". DJ Porky Chedwick became a supporter booking the group for his rock and roll shows and record hops. Chedwick put them on bills with the Drifters, the Platters, and the Dells. Clark Race of KDKA radio promoted the group on his KDKA-TV dance show. Having strong regional sales, the single was picked up for national distribution by Coral Records.
After high school, members of the group variously joined the Army or went to college. After their enlistments and college degrees were completed, they decided to record again. Each member paid $100 towards the fee to record a demo tape. They hired Nick Cenci, who had helped bring Lou Christie mainstream success, to produce the recording. In 1965, Cenci produced recording sessions for the Val-Aires at Gateway Studios in Pittsburgh, including vocals for a cover of the Petula Clark song "You're the One",[1] which was released on the band's own Blue Star label. Cenci then persuaded John Rook, program director of KQV, to play the single. With local airplay and sales Cenci signed them to the Co & Ce label as the "Vogues" and secured national distribution.[1] The song soon became a national hit reaching number four on the BillboardHot 100. Later in 1965, Cenci produced another Vogues recording session, which resulted in the No. 4 Billboard hit, "Five O'Clock World".[1]
In 1971, the Vogues signed a recording contract with Bell Records and recorded three singles ("Love Song", "Take Time to Tell Her", and "American Family"). In 1972, the group released one single on Mainstream Records ("Need You" b/w "Greatest Show on Earth"). By 1973, Geyer had left the group. Now recording for 20th Century Records, the group released three singles ("My Prayer", "Wonderful Summer", and "Prisoner of Love"), which were commercially unsuccessful and represented the last singles released by The Vogues.
Miller left the group in 1974 and was replaced by a succession of other vocalists. By the 1980s, the group had stopped touring and were concentrating on Western Pennsylvania venues. Burkette left the group in 1983, leaving Chuck Blasko as the only original member of The Vogues. Vocalist Gary Racan joined Chuck Blasko & The Vogues and performed with them for 16 years, departing to start his own band. In 2022 Racan filled in several shows with the Troy Elich led Vogues. During one show Racan was reunited with Bo Wagner, his former bandmate from Chuck Blasko's Vogues.
At some point during the late 1970s or early 1980s, the group's manager trademarked the name and assets of the Vogues. He later sold the trademark to Bengar Inc (Pete Garofalo), who starting booking other quartets as the Vogues. Pete Garofalo was a baritone who was with The Vogues from 1973 through the early 1990s. While owner of the trademark, he performed with them as well as having a group touring on the road. Pete Garofalo died in 1997, which led to the sale of the trademark. The trademark was sold several times, resulting in a variety of unrelated groups of singers claiming to be the Vogues. In 2000, the trademark was purchased by vocalist and Pittsburgh area native Stan Elich. During these years Blasko continued to perform as the Vogues, clashed with the "trademark" group, and eventually testified in front of Congress on the Truth in Music Act. A lawsuit filed by Blasko ended with the Pennsylvania court permitting Blasko's Vogues to perform in 14 Western Pennsylvania counties and the "trademark" group to perform everywhere else in the world as The Vogues.
From 2004 until 2006, Geyer joined Blasko's Vogues in the 14 Western Pennsylvania counties that Blasko's group was permitted to tour in. After creative differences with Blasko, Geyer left Blasko's group at the end of 2006. In March 2007, Geyer joined the nationally touring "trademark" group of The Vogues of trademark owner Elich. Geyer continued to perform with this group until his retirement in December 2012. Upon his retirement he was replaced by Royce Taylor, who had previously been a member of The Vogues from 1983 to 1997. In May 2008, original lead vocalist Bill Burkette also joined Geyer in touring the US with the "trademark" Vogues. The members of this group included Burkette, Geyer, Elich, Elich's son Troy, and Jim Campagna. Stan Elich died in December 2010. Troy Elich now owns the trademark "The Vogues".
In 2010, the Stan Elich-owned Vogues released a live album, The Vogues Sings the Hits Live, on the Desert Trax Music label. This marked the first time in 38 years that Burkette and Geyer recorded together.
After Bill Burkette's death in March, 2018, he was replaced by Bo Wagner, who had been filling in during Burkette's illness. Wagner had been a member of Blasko's Vogues from 1983 to 1997. Wagner left the Vogues in 2023 due to health issues. Bo (Robert H. Bogesdorfer) Wagner died on July 13, 2024 at the age of 78. Tennessee native Elliott McCoy replaced Wagner in 2023. McCoy previously had been the owner and vocalist of the gospel group Three Bridges.
The Vogues' lineup as of March, 2024 are Troy Elich, Royce Taylor, and Elliott McCoy.[5]
In 2020 it was announced that The Vogues would for the first time be a part of The Turtles "Happy Together Tour". But due to the COVID-19 pandemic most of the tour was cancelled. The Vogues were again scheduled to be in the tour in 2021, but like 2020, many dates were cancelled due to COVID-19. When 2022 rolled around The Vogues were ready to go head on in the Happy Together Tour. Bo Wagner made the decision to sit out the rigorous tour. He was replaced on tour by Shawn Stevens, who at one time had performed as a member of The Diamonds. The Vogues were once again a part of the Happy Together Tour in 2023, with Shawn Stevens filling in again for Bo Wagner. In the fall of 2023 it was announced that Shawn Stevens had joined The Duprees as a fulltime member.
The Vogues will again be a part of the Happy Together tour in 2024, with the line up of Elich, Taylor and Sean Moran (another former member of Blasko's Pittsburgh group) filling for McCoy.
Also in 2022, The Vogues released the album "Still Tickin'", featuring all new recordings of the top ten favorite hits.
George Washington Benson is an American jazz fusion guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He began his professional career at the age of 19 as a jazz guitarist.
The Platters are an American vocal group formed in 1952. They are one of the most successful vocal groups of the early rock and roll era. Their distinctive sound bridges the pre-rock Tin Pan Alley tradition and the new burgeoning genre. The act has gone through multiple line-ups over the years, earning it the branding tag "Many Voices One Name", with the most successful incarnation comprising lead tenor Tony Williams, David Lynch, Paul Robi, founder and naming member Herb Reed, and Zola Taylor. The group had 40 charting singles on the Billboard Hot 100 between 1955 and 1967, including four number-one hits. In 1990, the Platters were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The Platters continue to perform around the world with Herb Reed Enterprises owning the rights and trademark to the name.
The Flamingos are an American doo-wop group formed in Chicago in 1953. The band became popular in mid-to-late 1950s and are best known for their 1959 cover version of "I Only Have Eyes for You". They have since been hailed as being one of the finest and most influential vocal groups in pop and doo wop music history. In 2001, the band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
The Stylistics are an American Philadelphia soul group that achieved their greatest chart success in the 1970s. They formed in 1968, with a lineup of singers Russell Thompkins Jr., Herb Murrell, Airrion Love, James Smith and James Dunn. All of their US hits were ballads characterized by the falsetto of Russell Thompkins Jr. and the production of Thom Bell. During the early 1970s, the group had twelve consecutive R&B top ten hits, including "Stop, Look, Listen", "You Are Everything", "Betcha by Golly, Wow", "I'm Stone in Love with You", "Break Up to Make Up" and "You Make Me Feel Brand New", which earned them 5 gold singles and 3 gold albums.
Renée Rebecca Geyer was an Australian singer who was an acclaimed jazz, soul and R&B musician. She released 15 studio albums with Moving Along (1977) and Tenderland (2003) both reaching number 11 on the Australian charts. Geyer's singles success as a solo artist in Australia were with "It's a Man's Man's World", "Heading in the Right Direction" and "Stares and Whispers" in the 1970s and "Say I Love You" in the 1980s. The latter also reached number one in New Zealand. The singer was an internationally respected and sought-after backing vocalist, whose session credits include work with Sting, Chaka Khan, Toni Childs, Joe Cocker, Neil Diamond, Men at Work and Trouble Funk.
Tower of Power is an American R&B and funk based band and horn section, originating in Oakland, California, that has been performing since 1968. There have been a number of lead vocalists, the best-known being Lenny Williams, who fronted the band between early 1973 and late 1974, the period of their greatest commercial success. They have had eight songs on the Billboard Hot 100; their highest-charting songs include "You're Still a Young Man", "So Very Hard to Go", "What Is Hip?", and "Don't Change Horses ".
C+C Music Factory was an American musical group formed in 1989 by David Cole and Robert Clivillés. The group is best known for their five hit singles: "Gonna Make You Sweat ", "Here We Go ", "Things That Make You Go Hmmm...", "Just a Touch of Love", and "Keep It Comin'". The band stopped recording in 1996, following Cole's death. In 2010, C+C Music Factory reformed with Eric Kupper replacing Cole. Original member Freedom Williams acquired trademark rights to the name in 2003 and still tours under that moniker.
Danny & the Juniors was an American doo-wop and rock and roll vocal group formed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Originally consisting of Danny Rapp, Dave White, Frank Maffei and Joe Terranova, the group was formed in 1955. They are best known for their 1957 no. 1 hit "At the Hop" and their 1958 follow-up hit "Rock and Roll Is Here to Stay".
The Del-Vikings were an American doo-wop musical group that recorded several hit singles in the 1950s and continued to record and tour with various lineups in later decades. The group is notable for the hit songs "Come Go with Me" and "Whispering Bells", and for having been a successful racially mixed musical group during a period of time when such groups were rare.
"Who's Lovin' You" is a Motown soul song, written in 1960 by William "Smokey" Robinson. The song has been recorded by many different artists including The Miracles, who recorded the 1960 original version, The Temptations, The Supremes, Terence Trent D'arby, Brenda and The Tabulations, John Farnham, Human Nature, En Vogue, Michael Bublé and Giorgia Todrani and Jessica Mauboy. The most famous version is attributed to The Jackson 5. Shaheen Jafargholi, then twelve years old, performed the song at Michael Jackson's public memorial service in July 2009.
Samson were a British heavy metal band formed in 1977 by guitarist and vocalist Paul Samson. They are best known for their first three albums with future Iron Maiden singer Bruce Dickinson, then known as "Bruce Bruce", and drummer Thunderstick, who wore a leather mask and performed on stage in a metal cage. Drummer Clive Burr was also a member of the band, both before and after his tenure with Iron Maiden. Dickinson's replacement on vocals, Nicky Moore, performed with Samson throughout the mid-1980s and again from the late 1990s onwards. Samson were a part of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal.
Luigi Alfredo Giovanni Sacco, known professionally by his stage name Lou Christie, is an American pop and soft rock singer-songwriter known for several hits in the 1960s, including his 1966 US chart-topper "Lightnin' Strikes" and 1969 UK number-two "I'm Gonna Make You Mine".
Reunion is a 1982 album by The Temptations for Gordy Records. The album was released during the 1982 Temptations Reunion tour, which reunited David Ruffin and Eddie Kendricks with the Temptations after a decade-long absence. The album also features then-current Temptations Dennis Edwards, Glenn Leonard, Richard Street, and founding members Otis Williams and Melvin Franklin. Reunion featured the single "Standing on the Top", produced by and featuring Motown funk star Rick James, who had previously used the Temptations as the background vocalists for his 1981 hit "Super Freak". It was their first album to reach the top 40 since Wings of Love (1976).
The Diamonds are a Canadian vocal quartet that rose to prominence in the 1950s and early 1960s with 16 Billboard hit records. The original members were Dave Somerville (lead), Ted Kowalski (tenor), Phil Levitt (baritone), and Bill Reed (bass). They were most noted for interpreting and introducing rhythm and blues vocal group music to the wider pop music audience. Contrary to a popular myth, the father of Tom Hanks was never a member of the group.
Electric Café is the seventh studio album by American female vocal group En Vogue. It was released worldwide on April 6, 2018. Their first studio album in fourteen years, it marked their first full-length release through eOne Music and their own label, En Vogue Records. Material for Electric Café was originally conceived between 2014 and 2018. The trio reteamed with their founders Foster & McElroy to work on the majority of the album, with additional contribution coming from musicians Raphael Saadiq, Dem Jointz, Taura Stinson, Kid Monroe, Ne-Yo, and Curtis "Sauce" Wilson. Rapper Snoop Dogg appears as a guest vocalist. Musically, Electric Café contains a range of genres, blending a mix of neo soul, pop, and contemporary R&B with electronic dance music.
"Baby I'm Yours" is a song written by Van McCoy which was a hit in 1965 for Barbara Lewis, the original recording artist. The song was featured in the 1995 film The Bridges of Madison County and was included on the soundtrack album. It was also featured in the TV movies The Midnight Hour (1985) and An American Crime (2007), as well as being briefly featured in Baby Driver.
"It's Gonna Work Out Fine" is a song made famous by Ike & Tina Turner in 1961 as a single issued on the Sue label. It was also included on their 1962 album Dynamite!. The record is noted for being their first Grammy nominated song and their second million-selling single after "A Fool in Love".
"Five O'Clock World" is a song written by Allen Reynolds and recorded by American vocal group The Vogues. It reached number 1 on WLS on 17 December 1965 and 7 January 1966, number 1 in Canada on the RPM singles chart on 10 January 1966, and number 4 in the U.S. on the Hot 100 on 15–22 January 1966 and is one of the Vogues' best-known hits, along with "You're the One".
"You're the One" is a song by Petula Clark with lyrics by Tony Hatch, recorded in 1965. It was later also included on the 1965 album I Know a Place. "You're the One" was a Top 30 hit on the UK Singles Chart for Clark, but was more successful as a top ten US single release by The Vogues.
Sarah Elizabeth Blaskow, known professionally as Sarah Blasko, is an Australian singer, songwriter, musician and record producer. From April 2002, Blasko developed her solo career after fronting Sydney-based band, Acquiesce, between the mid-1990s and 2001. She had performed under her then married name, Sarah Semmens, and, after leaving Acquiesce, as Sorija in a briefly existing duo of that name. As a solo artist Blasko has released six studio albums, The Overture & the Underscore, What the Sea Wants, the Sea Will Have – which peaked at No. 7 on the ARIA Albums Chart, As Day Follows Night – which reached No. 5, I Awake – which made No. 9, Eternal Return, and Depth of Field.
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