White R&B Hits

Subject: White R&B Hits
From: Jerry Rasmussen
Date: 03 Jun 07 - 03:21 PM

I've always loved R&B. The term itself goes back to 1942, when Billboard magazine first started charting the top 40 hits played primarily on black radio. In the early years, the performers whose records topped the R&B charts rarely "crossed over" onto the pop charts, with the exceptions of a few groups like the Ink Spots and the Mills Brothers, and individual artists like Nat King Cole. It wasn't until records like Gee by The Crows, and Crying In The Chapel by the Orioles that black artists started charting on the white Billboard charts.

I just picked up the R&B and Hip Hop top 40 Billboard charts book and it is a great reminder of the danger of generalities. As I flipped through the book, I had to laugh at some a them soul brothers who made the black top 40.Right in there with Otis Redding and Aretha Franklin are:

Lawrence Welk
The Osmonds
Peter, Paul and Mary (for Puff, The Magic Dragon, yet)
Bing Crosby
David Bowie
even (gasp!!!!!!!!!) Pat Boone!!!

Other Brothers who made the R&B top 40 were:
The Original 5 Blind Boys & the Mighty CLouds Of Joy (no surprise)
Rocky Nelson (12 times)
The Kingston Trio
Procul Harum (For A Whiter Shade Of Pale)

And on it goes.

The first Christmas I spent with my wife Ruth's family, my now-son Pasha was very considerate. He brought along a cassette of Glen Miller so he'd have some music that I might enjoy. We still laugh about that, because he readily admits that I know R&B better than he does.

Labels are convenient. It's hard to think without making generalities. But, it's healthy to be reminded occasionally that generalities are always partly untrue.

You could ask Bro' Larry "Homeboy" Welk if he was still alive.

I realize that the term R&B means something very different in England. I'm talking about the term over here, where it originated.

Jerry

Subject: RE: White R&B Hits
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 03 Jun 07 - 03:24 PM

That'll be Ricky (later Rick) Nelson?

Subject: RE: White R&B Hits
From: Jerry Rasmussen
Date: 03 Jun 07 - 03:27 PM

Woops!

My mistake, Rochard.. :-)

Thanks

Jerry

Subject: RE: White R&B Hits
From: Peter T.
Date: 03 Jun 07 - 04:27 PM

Not to mention the Beatles' covers of Arthur Alexander, Smokey Robinson, etc.

yours,

Peter T.

Subject: RE: White R&B Hits
From: Jerry Rasmussen
Date: 03 Jun 07 - 04:50 PM

That's true, Peter. There were plenty of white "covers" of black R&B artists. But, they rarely made the black R&B charts. Some white artists, like Johnnie Ray made the black R&B charts (Cry hit #1 on the black charts,) but that made some sense, because when the record came out, a lot of people thought Johnnie Ray was black.

It does surprise me that Pat Boone, the most reviled of white-bread cover artists actually made the black charts./ He did it four times.. once with Ain't That A Shame.

And then Bill Black, who made the black charts several times, was white. And Clarence White was black.

Jerry

Subject: RE: White R&B Hits
From: GUEST,Texas Guest
Date: 03 Jun 07 - 05:19 PM

Well, I recall - way back in the 60's - that there were two groups played on "black" stations who made the R&B charts regularly and they were the Righteous Brothers and the Young Rascals, or Rascals - if you prefer.

I'm sure there were others, like maybe The Reflections from Detroit with "(Just Like)Romeo And Juliet;" and the another white group (I believe from Detroit, too)whose name I can never rememer - they had a hit with, "Get Ready," sometime after the Temptations. Also, I think that Len Barry, following his departure from the Dovells, was also played on black R&B stations for his monster hit, "1 - 2 - 3."

A fun thread. I recall with fondness the many nights on the road back in my "band days" when we would pass the miles away playing music
trivia amongst ourselves while driving to the next gig - much fun. Cheers.

Subject: RE: White R&B Hits
From: Jerry Rasmussen
Date: 03 Jun 07 - 06:27 PM

You got it right with the Rascals and the Righteous Brothers. You can add Hall and Oates and George Michaels to the "Blue Eyed Soul" boys.

Flipping through the book, I see that Dick Haymes... the sweetest of white crooners hit the R&B charts three times.

Only goes to show..

Elvis hit the R&B charts 35 times, by the way. And during the mid and late fifties, several white "doo Wop" groups made the R&B charts.

Jerry