60s pop | Musicosity

60s pop

Brian Hyland

Brian was born November 12, 1943, in Brooklyn/Queens, New York City, where his first musical experience ranged from church choir at nine, to clarinet and guitar, to his first local harmony group, the Delfis. In 1959, they cut a demo record and made the rounds of New York City record labels. Finally, with much persistence, after many closed doors, Brian was signed as a solo artist to a management contract, where he cut demos for band leader Sammy Kaye's publishing company. Kapp Records heard a demo and signed Brian at age 16.

Artist Type: 

The Velvelettes

The Velvelettes were a 60's femal vocal group founded in 1961 by sisters Carolyn and Millie Gill with cousins Bertha Barbee-McNeal and Norma Barbee (both from Flint, Michigan) on the Western Michigan University campus, where they were students. The group signed to Motown Records, but weren't given top priority, as other female vocal groups were attracting audiences and recording hits. While the group awaited their chance at stardom, they recorded backing vocals for more established Motown girl groups, including The Marvelettes, Martha & The Vandellas, and The Supremes.

Artist Type: 

Herman's Hermits

Herman's Hermits was an internationally successful 60s British band, from Manchester, England, formed in 1963. Part of the British Invasion, their trademark simple, non-threatening, clean-cut "boys next door" image made them easier to listen to and more accessible than other British Invasion bands. Their first hit, "I'm Into Something Good", was produced by Mickie Most, reaching #1 in the UK (1963) and #13 in the US (1964). Other hits followed such as "Mrs. Brown, You've Got a Lovely Daughter" (1965) and "I'm Henry VIII, I Am".

Artist Type: 

Percy Sledge

Percy Sledge (born 25 November 1941 in Leighton, Alabama) is a US-American R&B and performer. Percy Sledge worked in the fields in Leighton before he worked as an orderly at Colbert County Hospital in Sheffield. By the mid-1960s, Sledge was touring the Southeast with the Esquires Combo on weekends and working at the hospital. A former patient who was a friend of producer Quin Ivy introduced the two, an audition followed, and Sledge was signed to a recording contract.

Read more about Percy Sledge on Last.fm.

Artist Type: 

Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons

The Four Seasons (since 1967, known off and on as Frankie Valli & The 4 Seasons - although not shown that way on any of their hit records), is an American and group from Newark, NJ. They also had a sound somewhat reminiscent of , although they were not thought of as a quartet. By the mid 1960s, The Four Seasons had become an internationally famous group. In 1960, the group known as The Four Lovers evolved into The Four Seasons...

Artist Type: 

John Leyton

John Leyton is an English actor and singer. As a singer he is best known for his hit song "Johnny Remember Me", (written by Geoff Goddard and produced by the legendary Joe Meek) which reached Number 1 in the UK chart in August 1961. John Dudley Leyton was born on 17 February 1939 in Frinton-on-Sea, Essex. After completing his National Service, he studied drama, paying his way through drama school with bit-part roles in films and on television.

Read more about John Leyton on Last.fm.

Artist Type: 

Mama Cass

"Mama" Cass Elliot, Baroness von Wiedenman (19 September 1941 – 29 July 1974), born Ellen Naomi Cohen, was a noted American singer who performed with The Mamas & the Papas. She then went onto a successful solo career, releasing nine albums. Born in Baltimore, Maryland, she spent most of her childhood both in Baltimore and Alexandria, Virginia, a suburb of Washington, D.C. Elliot was widely considered the most charismatic member of the Mamas & the Papas due to her sense of humor and optimism, in part because of her large size and weight.

Artist Type: