Kirby Stone Four
Kirby Stone Four | |
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| Origin | New York City, U.S. |
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The Kirby Stone Four were an American vocal ensemble popular in the 1950s and early 1960s.[1]
Founded by Kirby Stone in the years after World War II, the group began performing in the New York-area clubs. They won slots on local television, including The Ed Sullivan Show,[1] and soon after signed to Columbia Records. Several LPs followed, including Baubles, Bangles and Beads; their version of the song "Baubles, Bangles and Beads" became a hit in the U.S. in 1958, reaching No. 25 on the Billboard Hot 100.[2] The song was also nominated for a Grammy Award.[3] On the strength of the single, the album reached No. 13 on the Billboard 200.[3]
Among the backing musicians featured on Kirby Stone Four albums were Jimmy Carroll's orchestra, the Kai Winding Quartet, Alvino Rey, Shelly Manne, and Al Klink.[1] Their style — which melded swing jazz, vocalese, and early rock and roll — was referred to as "The Go Sound".[3] They made many appearances on U.S. television shows such as The Judy Garland Show and The Dean Martin Show into the mid-1960s. By that time their sound was taken over by the Ray Conniff Orchestra and Singers. In 1966, they recorded a rock & roll album with The Tokens as the United States Double Quartet. During this time Stone directed several TV variety shows.
Some of their output has been re-released on CD by Collectables Records.
Members
[edit]- Kirby Stone (born April 27, 1918, New York, died July 13, 1981)
- Eddie Hall (born Edwin Holzman; April 23, 1921 – November 16, 2012)[4]
- Mike Gardner
- Larry Foster[1]
Discography
[edit]- Man, I Flipped When I Heard the Kirby Stone Four (Cadence Records, 1958)
- Baubles, Bangles and Beads (Columbia, 1958) (Released as "Whooping It Up!" in Europe)
- The Go Sound (Columbia, 1959)
- The Kirby Stone Touch (Columbia, 1959)
- Laugh Along with The Kirby Stone Four at the Playboy Club (Columbia, 1961)
- Get That Ball! (Columbia, 1962)
- Guys And Dolls (Columbia, 1962)
- Rippin' n' Soarin' (Coronet Records, 1963)
- Wow! (Warner Bros. Records, 1963)
- My Fair Lady Swings (Warner Bros. Records., 1964)
- Things Are Swinging (Warner Bros. Records, 1964)
- Show Time!
- Kirby Stone Four Singalong
- Kirby Stone Four & The Tokens: Life Is Groovy
- Betcha' by Golly, Wow!
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d Colin Larkin, ed. (2002). The Virgin Encyclopedia of Fifties Music (Third ed.). Virgin Books. p. 423. ISBN 1-85227-937-0.
- ^ "The Kirby Stone Four Baubles, Bangles And Beads Chart History". Billboard.com. Retrieved October 28, 2019.
- ^ a b c "Kirby Stone Four | Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved October 28, 2019.
- ^ "Obituary of Edwin Hall Holzman". kraftsussman.org. Retrieved May 13, 2021.
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