The Doo-Wopp Hall of Fame of America,TM on Friday,
April 13, 2001, held its inaugural induction ceremony and concert at Boston's Symphony Hall.1 We wonder what Serge Koussevitzky would have thought, but then perhaps it's best not to ask. Anyway, we are very interested in doo wop as a style of rock music for a number of reasons, not the least of which is because we like it. And two of New England's earliest rock groups of note, the 5 Satins ("In the Still of the Nite"2) and the Nutmegs ("Story Untold"), sang in a doo wop style.3 Yes, that classic, "In the Still of the Nite," was recorded for a Connecticut label by a Connecticut vocal group.
In the East, many of the early doo wop singers had origins in Baltimore and New York. Their influences stretched back to the Ink Spots and to the years just before World War II. Later harmony groups that exerted great influence included the Ravens and the Orioles. Rock being built on a dance beat and doo wop vocals often being unaccompanied, it became desirable and even necessary for the backing vocalists to carry more of the rhythm than the earlier ooh's and ah's allowed. Thus originated such meaningful phrases as "shooby doo wah" and "wop wop shoo bop."
The origins of rock may go back to the late 1930s; but it really started getting off the ground after the war, when many musicians and their associates learned to press and distribute records independently. And rock has often renewed itself through a return to this
Many of the best-known doo wop records are of little more than demo quality--not that it mattered a lot. Sound quality was not the point. Enthusiasm counted for a lot. And doo wop records were not necessarily big sellers. Even "In the Still of the Night"--arguably the most beloved doo wop song of all times--was not a big hit when it was first released. But it's been a huge hit ever since.
So now, paying tribute to this cherished style of music, comes Harvey Robbins' Doo-Wopp Hall of Fame of America. We think it's a great idea. The inaugural event--which honored Hank Ballard and the Midnighters, the Cadillacs, Dion and the Belmonts, the Flamingos, Bill Pinkney and the Original Drifters, and the Platters--was covered by Jeffrey Gantz5 for the Boston Phoenix. He gave the event a mixed review. Like other organizations, though, this one is entitled to a few growing pains. The enterprise sounds quite promising and we cheer their arrival.
-- Alan Lewis, April 26, 2001
1. OUR INTERNET SEARCHES have failed to turn up a Web address for the Doo-Wopp Hall of Fame of America or an e-mail address for the organization or for Harvey Robbins. If you can supply this information, please get in touch.
-- Alan Lewis
2. Actually, "In the Still of the Nite (I'll Remember)."
3. Bill Haley spent a formative period as a member of the country band, the Down Homers, which had important New England ties. The Down Homers broadcast briefly on WTIC radio out of Hartford, Connecticut. Right after that Haley lived and worked in Keene, New Hampshire.
4. Guys have a long history of joining rock bands to meet women. We guess the earliest rockers were similarly motivated.
5. We wonder if this is the same person as the Boston-connected Jeffrey Gantz who translated the Welsh Mabinogion into English.
The Doo Wopp Hall of Fame of AmericaTM has announced details of its 2005 show, which is set for Symphony Hall in Boston on March 6. At the time of this writing, these are all the details that have been updated on the Hall's official Web site. According to the Boston daily newspapers on Saturday, December 18, this year's honorees include Little Anthony & the Imperials, Eugene Pitt & the Jive Five, Pookie Hudson & the Spaniels, and Harvey & the Moonglows. The Hall is set to honor Little Joe Cook & the Thrillers and the late Alan Freed with lifetime achievement awards.
Boston Globe itemBoston Herald item
We know from both our site statistics and from e-mails we receive that this is a very popular event. This year's show is about certain to sell out. Put off procrastinating and buy your tickets now. That would be our suggestion.
On Sunday, March 7, 2004, at Symphony Hall in Boston, Massachusetts, these acts were inducted into the Doo-Wopp Hall of Fame of America:
- Jimmy Beaumont and the Skyliners
- Orioles
- Shep and the Limelites
- Arlene Smith and the Chantels
Source: Boston Globe, January 8, 2004.
Since I'm not finding a published source for this, I'll have to go entirely on memory; but as I recall, the induction ceremony also included a tribute to Boston's Tune Weavers, who hit with "Happy Happy Birthday Baby" (45, Checker Records, 1957).
On Sunday, March 30, 2003, at Symphony Hall in Boston, Massachusetts, these acts were inducted into the Doo-Wopp Hall of Fame of America:
- Cleftones
- Clovers
- Del Vikings
- Penguins
- Billy Ward and the Dominoes
Source: Doo-Wopp Hall of Fame of America Web Site.
On Friday, March 29, 2002, at Symphony Hall in Boston, Massachusetts, these acts were inducted into the Doo-Wopp Hall of Fame of America:
- Five Keys
- G-Clefs
- Harptones
- Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers
- Moonglows
- Shirley Alston Reeves of the Shirelles
Source: Boston Globe, April 5, 2002.
On Friday, April 13, 2001, at Symphony Hall in Boston, Massachusetts, these acts were inducted into the Doo-Wopp Hall of Fame of America:
- Hank Ballard and the Midnighters
- Cadillacs
- Dion and the Belmonts
- Flamingos
- Bill Pinkney and the Original Drifters
- The Platters
Source: Boston Phoenix, April 19, 2001.
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