1962 Hitmakers
George Maharis was an actor on the TV show “Route 66”. He also recorded 3 hit records this year- “Teach Me Tonight” (#25), “Love Me As I Love You” (#54) and “Baby Has Gone Bye Bye” (#62). Johnny Crawford would play the role of Mark McCain on the TV show “The Rifleman” and he would score 4 hit records this year- “Patti Ann” (#43), “Cindy’s Birthday” (#8), “Your Nose Is Gonna Grow” (#14) and “Rumors” (#12). Emilio Pericoli was born on January 7, 1928 in Cesenatico, Italy. The only hit of his career would come in 1962- “Al Di La” (#6).
Walter Brennan would score 3 hits this year- “Old Rivers” (#5), “Houdini” (#100) and “Mama Sang A Song’ (#38). Barbara Lynn would also score 3 hits this year- “You’ll Lose A Good Thing” (#8), “Second Fiddle Girl” (#63) and “You’re Gonna Need Me” (#65). In the year 1957 Les Cooper was the manager of a Doo Wop group called The Charts (they had a hit record called “Desirie”). In 1962 Les Cooper would have an instrumental hit and on this record you can hear a saxophone played by Joe Grier (Joe had been the lead singer for The Charts back in 1957). Les Cooper & The Soul Rockers and “Wiggle Wobble” (#22).
Marcie Blane was born May 21, 1944 in Brooklyn, New York. The only hit in her career would come in 1962-“Bobby’s Girl” (#3). Peter, Paul & Mary would score 3 hits this year-“Lemon Tree” (#35), “If I Had A Hammer” (#10) and “Big Boat” (#93). Esther Phillips would have a big R & B hit this year- “Release Me” (#8).
Dickey Lee would have 2 hits this year- “Patches” (#6) and “I Saw Linda Yesterday” (#14). Revoyda Frierson was born August 16, 1934 in Hope, Arkansas. We would know her as Ketty Lester and she would have 4 hits this year-“Love Letters”(#5), “But Not For Me” (#41), “You Can’t Lie To A Liar” (#90) and “This Land Is Your Land” (#97). Bernard Stanley Bilk was born January 28, 1929 in Pensford, Somerset, England. He was a well -known clarinet player known to us as Mr. Acker Bilk. He would have 2 hits this year- “Stranger On The Shore” (#1 for 1 week) and “Above The Stars” (#59).
Eddie Holland would have 1 hit this year- “Jamie” (#30). He would become part of the legendary Motown songwriting trio of Holland, Dozier & Holland. John D Loudermilk would score 3 hits in 1962- “Thou Shalt Not Steal” (#73), “Callin’ Dr. Casey” (#83) and “Road Hog” (#65). The Metallics were a Doo Wop group that had 1 hit- it just missed the Top 100-“Need Your Love” (#101).
The Corsairs would score 2 hits this year-“Smokey Paces” (#12) and “I’ll Take You Home” (#68). Claude King would cross over to the pop charts this year, scoring 2 hits- “Wolverton Mountain” (#6) and “The Burning Of Atlanta” (#53). The Duprees would enter the music scene this year, scoring 2 hits-“You Belong To Me” (this song peaked at #7 and it was a remake of a 1952 hit by Jo Stafford) and “My Own True Love” (#13).
The Cookies would score their first Top 40 hit this year-“Chains” (#17). Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass would launch their career this year with their recording of “The Lonely Bull” (#6). Dee Sharp would launch her solo career this year with 3 hits-“Mashed Potato Time (#2), “Gravy” (#9) and “Ride” (#5).
Claude Johnson had previously been a member of a doo wop group called The Genies. The Genies scored a minor hit in 1959 with “Whose That Knocking” (#71). Claude Johnson would now take a trip into the nation’s Top 10 (#7) as one half of the duo of Don & Juan-their big hit was “What’s Your Name”. Claude Johnson was “Juan” and Roland Trone was “Don”. They would score one other hit in 1962- “Magic Wand” (#91). Bobby Vinton would have 5 hits this year- “Roses Are Red” (#1 for 4 weeks), “I Love You The Way You Are” (#38), “Rain, Rain Go Away” (#12), “Let’s Kiss And Make Up” (#38) and “Trouble Is My Middle Name” (#33). The Four Seasons would launch their career this year with 3 hits- “Sherry” (#1 for 5 weeks), “Big Girls Don’t Cry” (#1 for 5 weeks) and “Santa Claus Is Coming To Town” (#23).
Eva Narcissus Boyd was born June 29, 1943 in Bellhaven, North Carolina. She would be known to us as Little Eva and she would have 2 hits this year- “The Locomotion” (#1 for 1 week) and “Keep Your Hands Off My Baby” (#12). Smokey Robinson & The Miracles would have 4 hits this year- “What’s So Good About Goodbye” (#35), “I’ll Try Something New” (#39), “Way Over There” (#94) and “You Relly Got A Hold On Me” (hitting the charts at the end of 1962 and peaking at #8 in the early part of 1963). The Orlons would score 2 hits this year- “The Wah Watusi” (#2) and “Don’t Hang Up” (#4).
Shelley Fabares would be one of the stars on the TV show “The Donna Reed Show. She would also have 3 hits this year- “Johnny Angel” (#1 for 2 weeks), “Johnny Loves Me” (#21) and “The Things We Did Last Summer” (this song peaked at #46 and it was a remake of a 1946 hit by Frank Sinatra). Bobby ‘Boris’ Pickett would have 2 hits this year- “The Monster Mash” (#1 for 2 weeks) and “Monster’s Holiday” (#30). Claudine Clark would only have 1 hit in her career and it would come this year- “Party Lights” (#5)
Gene Chandler would burst onto the musical scene in 1962, scoring 3 hits- “The Duke Of Earl” (#1 for 3 weeks), “Walk On With The Duke” (#91) and “You Threw A Lucky Punch” (this song peaked at #49 and it was an answer record to the Mary Wells hit “You Beat Me To The Punch”). Little Joey & The Flips would have 1 hit in their career and it would come this year- “The Bongo Stomp” (#33). Ricky Cordo would be the falsetto lead singer for a group called The Majors. They would have 3 hits this year- “Wonderful Dream” (#22), “A Little Bit Now” (#63) and “She’s A Troublemaker” (#83).
Trade Martin was born November 19,1943 in Union City, New Jersey and he would score his only hit this year – “That Stranger Used To Be My Girl” (#28). Mike Clifford was born in Los Angeles, California on November 6, 1943. He would have 2 hits this year- “Close To Cathy” (#12) and “What To Do With Laurie” (#68). The Dukays would score 1 hit this year-“Night Owl” (#73). The lead singer for the Dukays would soon become a big solo star. His name was Eugene Dixon, but we would know him as Gene Chandler (also known as “The Duke Of Earl”)
Nathaniel Mayer was born February 10, 1944 i9n Detroit, Michigan. Along with his back up group, The Fabulous Twilights, he would score 1 hit this year-“Village Of Love” (#22). A group called The Premiers were formed in New York in 1960 with John Kuse as their lead singer. When their brief moment of fame would come in 1962, they would be known to us as The Excellents and their only hit was ” Coney Island Baby” (#51). Dionne Warwick would come on the musical scene this year with the first hit of her long career, a career that would span 25 years-“Don’t Make Me Over” (#21).
