Jan Berry and Dean Torrence attended University High School in West L.A. After football practise they would get together and sing do-wop. This eventually led to a lucrative recording career which included "Surf City", "Deadman's Curve", "Little Old Lady From Pasadena" and in 1966 "Yellow Balloon".

When Jan & Dean recorded "Surf City" in 1963, Gary Zekley was in the studio. When Jan Berry was seriously injured in a car accident Dean turned to Gary Zekley for material. This resulted in the album "Save For a Rainy Day" (Dean went solo even though the label read Jan & Dean) and the opening tune "Yellow Balloon". Gary liked the song but, not Dean's version so he decided to record the tune himself. In a rush to release his version he needed a band name and settled on "The Yellow Balloon" to expedite matters. Gary's version came our at the same time as Dean's recording and Gary had the hit in the top thirty.