Buoyed by the unprecedented success of Rhino's first television special,
Apart from host Jerry "Iceman" Butler, who reunited with the lovely Betty Everett to sing their spine-chilling 1964 duet hit "Let It Be Me," the dazzling talent roster on Doo Wop 51 is entirely different from last year's edition -- and perhaps even more impressive.
More than a half century after blossoming under the soft glow of street corner lamps (and within the echo-drenched confines of countless subway stations and high school washrooms), doo wop maintains an intensely loyal following. And it remains an equal opportunity art form: African-Americans provided its genesis, but during the movement's late '50s/early '60s zenith, Italian-Americans, Irish-Americans, and virtually every other nationality imaginable were uniting their youthful voicesin song.
"Every group had a particular street corner -- a stoop or some place where they would go and sing," Butler told interviewer Jay B. Ross backstage prior to the concert. "It was a wonderful way of refining that which you do. I can't imagine any city that didn't have some street corner harmony going on."
For positive proof of the idiom's endurance, consider that Rhino just released its third four-CD vocal group anthology (entitled The Doo Wop Box III, natch), digging even deeper into the seemingly infinite group harmony archives and encompassing contemporary artists on its final disc. The first volume, issued in 1994, ranks with Rhino's best-selling boxed sets ever.
"The set sold over 50,000 the first year, and has gone far beyond gold status at this point," marvels Senior Vice-President of Marketing Garson Foos, the man in charge of Doo Wop 51 at Rhino. "It was gratifying to give all the groups on the boxes that performed at the shows in Pittsburgh gold plaques for the doo wop set, both years. The artists were extremely grateful."
Credit for recruiting the legendary lineup starring on Doo Wop 51 once again goes to WQED-TV producer T.J. Lubinsky, who happens to be the grandson of the late Herman Lubinsky, founder of Newark, N.J.-based Savoy Records (home to a raft of long-defunct but fondly remembered '50s R&B groups). Often it was no easy task to reunite quintets that splintered decades ago.
"I know many of the group members hadn't performed in 20-30 years," says Foos. "Lineups of many of them may be out doing shows here and there, but in many cases without any original members, or missing key personnel. T.J. made every effort to get the best possible lineups, and if the group didn't sound good or didn't have original members, he avoided them."
The Doo Wop 51 lineup is enough to make any aficionado's mouth water. Two generations of the legendary Drifters are represented: Bill Pinkney, one of the founders of the original 1950s supergroup with the late Clyde McPhatter, reteamed with high-flying tenor Bobby Hendricks to revisit their classics "White Christmas" and "Drip Drop," while gritty-voiced Charlie Thomas -- a veteran of the Ben E. King-era Drifters, when they specialized in violin-swept uptown soul -- caresses the majestic "This Magic moment" and "I Count The Tears."
The Shirelles were another mainstay of the early '60s New York recording scene; original lead Shirley Alston delivers their "Tonight's The Night" and "Will You Love Me Tomorrow" like it's 1960 all over again. The charming Chiffons reunited to belt "He's So Fine" and "One Fine Day;" four decades ago, they battled the Shirelles for girl group supremacy. The Crystals benefitted from producer Phil Spector's grandiose innovations on their '63 hits "Da Doo Ron Ron" and "Then He Kissed Me," but they sound terrific here on their own.
The five boroughs of New York City were once doo wop ground zero. Few vocal group platters have survived the decades as vibrantly as the Brooklyn-based Tokens' falsetto-drenched 1961 million-seller "The Lion Sleeps Tonight." The Dubs' breathtaking harmonic blend tabbed "Could This Be Magic" an instant standard in 1957 (they're led today by original member Cleveland Still).
Randy & the Rainbows hailed from Queens and pay irresistible tribute to their perennial main squeeze "Denise," while Brooklyn's Emil Stucchio & The Classics powerfully reprise their '63 hit "Till Then." John Kuse & The Excellents revive their infectious "Coney Island Baby," and Larry Chance and The Earls -- the pride of the Bronx -- bounce through an irresistible "Remember Then" as a multitude of smiling faces before them happily do just that.
"The audiences at the shows were singing along and knew every word. The groups are doing one, two or three songs, so you're hearing only big hits -- which is unique in a concert situation," says Foos. Everyone in the hall undoubtedly knew all the lyrics to Frankie Lymon and The Teenagers' immortal '56 smash "Why Do Fools Fall In Love;" led by his little brother Lewis Lymon (once the focal point of his own Teenchords), Frankie Lymon's Legendary Teenagers do a bang-up job on it.
Hallowed East Coast R&B pioneers permeate Doo Wop 51, with appearances by The Clovers ("Love Potion No. 9"), The Five Keys (who scored their first R&B chart-topper in 1951 and offer their exotic '55 hit "Ling Ting Tong" here), and The Orioles -- primarily responsible for igniting the group phenomenon in 1948 with their immortal ballad "It's Too Soon To Know" -- take a rare reunion bow.
The Windy City receives its props, thanks to The El Dorados (with original lead Pirkle Lee Moses, rocking the house with their '55 classic "At My Front Door"), Johnny Keyes and The Magnificents (offering their '56 jump "Up On The Mountain"), and the mighty Dells (who have undergone just one personnel change since their debut) elegantly bridging the stylistic gap between doo wop ("Oh What A Nite") and luscious '60s soul ("Stay In My Corner," "There Is"). Mel Carter's stately ballad "Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me," a Top Ten seller in 1965, isn't doo wop in the strict sense, but its romantic ambiance and Mel's soaring pipes certainly fill the bill.
Hank Ballard is renowned worldwide for composing and first recording "The Twist" with his Midnighters, following it up with the equally danceable "Let's Go, Let's Go, Let's Go." The diminutive Ballard was also responsible for a series of mid-'50s hits detailing the bawdy exploits of a young lady named Annie ("Work With Me Annie," "Annie Had A Baby"), and he retains his status as a dynamic live performer before the Pittsburgh faithful at this concert. The Coasters brought a unique dollop of teen-oriented humor to their myriad late '50s hits; original Coasters lead singer Carl Gardner makes comical playlets such as "Yakety Yak" and "Young Blood" live and breathe anew.
The Velvets, led by Virgil Johnson, came all the way from the Lone Star state to perform their 1961 hit "Tonight (Could Be The Night)," while the Ohio-based Edsels chime in with their nonsensical smash "Rama Lama Ding Dong." Maurice Williams & The Zodiacs continue to reign as one of the Carolinas' premier beach music outfits; not only does Maurice launch into his 1960 hit "Stay" on Doo Wop 51, he harks back further to his days as leader of the Gladiolas, with whom he wrote and first performed "Little Darlin'." That classic ended up being a monster hit in 1957 for the Diamonds, a Canadian quartet led by David Somerville that specialized in pop covers. They're here too, swaying through "The Stroll" and teaming with Williams for a once-in-a-lifetime tandem version of "Little Darlin'."
For Claude Johnson, half the duo of Don & Juan (their enchanting "What's Your Name" crashed the Top Ten in 1962), returning to the Steel City for Doo Wop 51 brought back precious memories. "I love the people of Pittsburgh for all my entire life, because they gave Don & Juan their very first start," says Johnson. "They kept Don & Juan working. They even took us to their homes and gave us food. And we slept in their beds. We didn't have a car. They took us all the way back to Long Island, from Pittsburgh to Long Island."
Like its celebrated predecessor, Doo Wop 51 makes it clear that this beloved music -- to paraphrase Danny & the Juniors -- is here to stay. "There are so many stories and so many memories attached to the songs and the groups that we are presenting here," says Butler. "This is truly a walk down memory lane, as well as part of the culture of America."
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