1960 Hitmakers

1960 Hitmakers

These were some of the hitmakers in the year 1960.

John Dee Abohosh was born on February 6, 1936 in Dallas, Texas. We would know him as Donnie Brooks. He would have 2 hits this year-his biggest was “Mission Bell (#7). Johnny Burnette would score 2 hits this year-his biggest was “You’re Sixteen” (#8). Barrett Strong was born February 5, 1941 in West Point, Mississippi-he would have only 1 hit this year and it was called “Money (That’s What I Want)” (#23). This was one of the early Motown records.

Kathy Young was born in Santa Ana, California on October 21, 1945. She would score 1 hit this year- “A Thousand Stars” (#3). Ron Holden was born August 7, 1939 in Seattle, Washington. He would also score 1 hit this year-“Love You So” (#7). Concetta Ingolia was born August 8, 1938 in Brooklyn, New York. We would know her as Connie Stevens and she would also have 1 hit this year-“Sixteen Reasons” (#3).

Jerry Butler would begin his solo career this year and he would score 15 Top 40 hits in the decade of the 1960’s. His first solo hit would come in 1960- “He Will Break Your Heart” (#7). Johnny Tillotson was born April 20, 1939 in Jacksonville, Florida. His only hit this year was “Poetry In Motion” (#2). Rod Lauren was born March 26, 1940 in Fresno, California and he would only have 1 hit this year-“If I Had A Girl” (#31).

Johnny Burnette wasn’t the only Burnette brother to score a hit this year. Dorsey Burnette would also have 1 hit this year-“(There Was A) Tall Oak Tree” (#23). Jimmy Charles would also score 1 hit this year- “A Million To One” (#5). Jimmy Jones was born in Birmingham, Alabama on June 2, 1937. He would have 2 big hits this year-“Handy Man” (#2) and “Good Timin’ ” (#3).

Jamesetta Hawkins was born on January 25, 1938 in Los Angeles, California. We would know her as Etta James. She would have 2 hits this year and her biggest was “All I Could Do Was Cry” (#33). Dante & The Evergreens would score 1 hit this year-their version of “Alley Oop” (#15). Rosie & The Originals would have only 1 Top 40 hit in their career and it would come this year-“Angel Baby” (#5).

The Ramrods were an instrumental group that would score 1 hit this year and it would be a remake of a 1949 hit by Vaughn Monroe-it was called “(Ghost) Riders In The Sky” (#30). The Safaris were a vocal group that would consist of Jim Stephens, Richard Clasky, Sheldon Briar and Marvin Rosenberg. Their only Top 40 hit would come this year-“Image Of A Girl” (#6). The Brothers Four were a folk singing group that would score 1 hit this year- “Greenfields” (#2 for 4 weeks).

Wayman Glasco was born on August 15, 1911 in Cordele, Georgia. He was a blues singer and a harmonica player and he would be known to us as Buster Brown. His only Top 40 it would come this year-“Fannie Mae” (#38). The Little Dippers were a vocal group formed in Nashville, Tennessee and they would have only 1 hit this year- “Forever” (#9). Ray Peterson would score 3 hits this year-his biggest was “Tell Laura I Love Her” (#7).

Larry Verne would score 1 hit this year-a novelty record that would go to the top of the charts. His big hit was called “Mr. Custer” (#1 for 1 week). The Ivy Three were a group formed in Long Island, New York and their only hit would come in 1960-“Yogi” (#8). Johnny Preston would have 2 hits this year-his biggest was “Cradle Of Love” (#7).

The Paradons were a Doo Wop group from Bakersfield, California. They would feature the lead voice of West Tyler and their big hit from this year was “Diamonds And Pearls” (#18). The Hollywood Argyles were a group that was the creation of Gary Paxton. Gary had been Flip in the duo of Skip & Flip. The Hollywood Argyles would have 1 Top 40 hit this year-“Alley Oop” (#1 for 1 week). Brian Hyland would score 1 hit this year-“Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini” (#1 for 1 week).

Bobby Vee would have 2 hits this year, both reached #6 on the Billboard Top 40-they were “Devil Or Angel” and “Rubber Ball”. Brenda Mae Tarpley would score 5 hits this year-we would know her as Brenda Lee. Two of her hits would reach #1-“I’m Sorry” (#1 for 3 weeks) and “I Want To Be Wanted” (#1 for 1 week). Billy Bland was born April 5, 1932 in Wilmington, North Carolina. His only Top 40 national hit would come in 1960-“Let The Little Girl Dance” (#7).

Our next performer would achieve a rare feat- he would record a song that would reach #1 in two different years (1960 and 1961). The performer’s real name was Ernest Evans but he would be known to us as Chubby Checker. His hit recording of “The Twist” would hit the top of the charts twice. The Videls were a group formed in Providence, Rhode Island. Their only Top 100 hit would come this year – “Mr. Lonely” (#73) Harold Dorman would only have 1 Top 40 hit in his career and it would come in this year-“Mountain Of Love” (#21).

Roy Orbison would score his first national hit in 1956-it was called “Ooby Dooby”. It was recorded on the Sun record label and it would reach #59 in the country. Roy’s greatest success was yet to come. Roy Orbison would return to the charts in 1960, scoring 3 hits-his biggest was “Only The Lonely” (#2), this was the first of 22 Top 40 hits that he would have in the decade of the 1960’s. Anita Bryant would score 3 hits this year-her biggest was “Paper Roses” (#5). In 1957 Maurice Williams was a member of a group called The Gladiolas when he wrote a song called “Little Darlin’ “. The Gladiolas version went to #47 while The Diamonds would have a version of the same song that would go to #2 in the country. In 1960 Maurice Williams would now be the leader of Maurice Williams & The Zodiacs. He would write their only Top 40 hit-a song called “Stay” (#1 for 1 week).