Articles by John Twang

Arranger/producer/composer and singer Teddy Randazzo recorded "Kiddio" (Benton - Otis) in 1957. The original version is featured in the movie "Mister Rock and Roll". When Teddy died in his sleep at age 68 he was writing a tune called "I Never Had a Chance To Say Goodbye". Along with his manager and writing partner Clyde Otis the co-composer of "Kiddio", Brook Benton (Benjamin Peay) took this smooth cover to the top ten on both the R&B and pop charts in 1960.

In 1964 the underrated Ned Miller released "Invisible Tears" (Ned and Sue Miller) and had it hit the top fifteen on the country charts. You can find it on his "Best Of" album. They were "the house band" for Columbia records in the late fifties and early sixties, The Ray Conniff Singers, led by the trombonist himself, had the cover from the "Invisible Tears" album which charted into the top twenty-five and the single got into the top ten easy listening and top sixty on the top 100.

In 1965 Ian (Tyson) and Sylvia (Tyson/Fricker) were first to record "Early Morning Rain" from the album of the same name. Composer Gordon Lightfoot's 1966 album "Lightfoot" contains his version of "Early Morning Rain". Although not one of the versions hit the top forty the tune in Canada is considered to be a classic. Peter, Paul and Mary's cover is the most well known recording, issued in 1965 from the album "See What Tomorrow Brings".

Paper Lace (Phil Wright, Dave Manders, Mick Vaughan, Cliff Fish, Roy White and Mike Harper along with several others over time) topped the charts for three weeks in the U.K. with the anti-war tune "Billy, Don't Be a Hero" (Murray - Callander) in 1974. It's the opening track from the album "Other Bits of material". Ohio's Bo Donaldson and the Heywoods cover hit number one in the U.S. months later.

Bronx doo-wop group The Regents (Guy Villari, Chuck Fassert, Sal Cuomo and Tony Gravangna) were supposedly named after Regents Cigarettes and/or Regent Sound Studio in NYC. Recorded in about a ten minute period, "Barbara Ann" (Fassert) reached the top twenty in 1961. It was written by group member Chuck's brother, Fred for their baby sister Barbara Ann. Released in 1965 The Beach Boys cover from the album "Beach Boys' Party" peaked just short of number one on Billboard. Brian Wilson and the n…

The prolific Barry Mann co-wrote "I Love How You Love Me" (Mann - Kolber) in 1961. The tune has been performed more than four million occasions. It's been said that Larry Kolber (Kolberg) wrote the lyrics in seven minutes! Phil Spector produced the Paris Sisters (Priscilla, Albeth and Sherrell Paris) top ten five in 1968. Sherrell Paris was a production assistant on the Price Is Right television show with Bob Barker.

Ace producer/composer Bob Crewe heard this Pepsi jingle and decided to form "The Bob Crewe Generation" specifically to record "Music To Watch Girls By" (Ramin) and got to the top twenty. The album featured the title track and many hit tunes that Bob Crewe had written and/or produced. The vocal cover with lyrics by Tony Velona released by Andy Williams hit the top ten in the UK and top forty in the United States.

Roy Hawkins' "The Thrill Is Gone" is credited to Hawkins - Taub on the original Modern label, then Hawkins - Darnell on the album, it got into the R&B top ten in 1951. William Staples is featured on sax, Floyd Montgomery on bass and Ulysses James on guitar. B. B. King hit with his now signature cover in 1970. It came from his 1969 album "Completely Well". "The Thrill Is Gone" supposedly written by the team of Benson - Pettit with credit subsequently changed to Hawkins - Darnell. The song hit…

Nashville's Jimmy Isle was signed to the Everest label by the formidable Leroy Holmes in 1959. It was on this label that he released "Patches" (Mann - Kolber) in 1960. Like Jimmy Isle, Dickey Lee (Lipscomb) once recorded for Sun Records. He's the composer of the great country ballad "She Thinks I Still Care" that hit for George Jones in 1962. It's the same year that Dickey hit the top ten with "Patches" which can be found on his album "The Tale of Patches". Dickey was anything but a formula…

Soul Brothers Six contained more than a handful of members during their decade of recording which included the release of the one tune that charted for them barely getting into the top one hundred, "Some Kind Of Wonderful" (Ellison) in 1967. "All the Girls in the World Beware!" was the album Grand Funk Railroad (Mark Farner, Don Brewer, Mel Schacher and Craig Frost) issued that contained the cover and the single into the top five in 1974.

Sue Thompson (McKee) and the Dude Martin Band first recorded "You Belong To Me" (Stewart - King - Price) in 1952. This is the same Sue Thompson who gave us "Sad Movies", "Norman" Willie Can", James (hold the ladder steady)" and "Paper Tiger" in the sixties. If a voice may be described as "cute" it's hers. The cover version became Jo Stafford's biggest hit reaching the top of the charts in 1953. Different chart versions of "You Belong To Me" included those by Patti Page, Dean Martin and the D…

Grammy winner and renown writer Mark James (Francis Zambon) composed "Moody Blue" and recorded his original single in 1975. Why wasn't this guy a star? This was Elvis Presley's last number one country hit during his lifetime. It hit the top forty on the pop charts in 1977. This was the title track to the last Elvis album recorded in studio, live and at Graceland.

Rita Robbins (Winters) released the single "(They Call It a) Teenage Crush" (A. Allison - J. Allison) in 1956. That's Chet Atkins on guitar, Bob Moore on bass and the background vocals by the Jordanaires. Singer/actor and the former Mr. Nancy Sinatra, Tommy Sands got to the top of the chart with "Teenage Crush" in 1957. Tommy was fifteen when he was signed by Colonel Tom Parker. The hit is on the album "Steady Date".

Jazz singer Marion Montgomery (Maud Runnells) was first to record "That's Life" (Kay - Gordon) as a single for Capitol in 1964. In 1969 composer Kelly Gordon released the song as a single. Chairman of the Board, Frank Sinatra's excellent top five cover came in 1966 and is featured on the album of the same name.

Former rodeo cowboy and folk singer Peter LaFarge wrote the powerful and heartfelt "Ballad of Ira Hayes". The 1964 Johnny Cash album "Bitter Tears: Ballads of the American Indian" contains the track that reached the top five on the Billboard Country chart. Many radio stations wouldn't play the record because it was too politically controversial.

Tony Award winner Glynis Johns originated "Send In the Clowns" when she played Desiree in the Stephen Sondheim 1973 musical "A Little Night Music". It's said that he wrote the song specifically for the beguiling singer, stage and screen actress. Judy Collins recorded the hit cover in 1975, it's on her album "Judith" reaching into the top forty. Again it was issued in 1977 this time getting into the top twenty. At the 1976 Grammys it won Song of the Year.

Grammy winner and consummate composer, singer and pianist Carole King (Klein) sings her demo of "Every Breath I Take" (Goffin - King). Phil Spector producer the Gene Pitney 1961 cover that went into the top fifty. "Every Breath I Take" is track eleven on the 1962 album "The Many Sides of Gene Pitney".

Geri Hall and Huey Smith recorded the original "Sea Cruise" (Smith). Now comes the story: without anyone's permission the Ace Records owner erased the vocals leaving the great instrumental track and overdubbed the sound effects with Frankie Ford's vocal. Frankie Ford (Guzzo) became a one hit wonder in 1959 when he hit number one with his cover.