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In 1964 the underrated Ned Miller released "Invisible Tears" (Ned and Sue Miller) and had it hit the top fifteen on the country charts. You can find it on his "Best Of" album. They were "the house band" for Columbia records in the late fifties and

Arranger/producer/composer and singer Teddy Randazzo recorded "Kiddio" (Benton - Otis) in 1957. The original version is featured in the movie "Mister Rock and Roll". When Teddy died in his sleep at age 68 he was writing a tune called "I Never Had a

Vocalist/band leader/trumpeter/trombonist/ actor and the subject of two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, Vaughn Monroe recorded "Mister Sandman" (Ballard) in May 1954 as the B side of "They Were Doing the Mambo". This is the same man who had a ton

Mike Lazo, Gene Schacter and someone named Bobby Vinton were members of the Hilites trio in 1954 when the draft broke up the group. In 1957 two of the three formed The Tempos (Mike Lazo, Jim Drake, Tom Minito and Gene Schachter). "See You In September"

Texan pianist/singer Little Willie Littlefield released "Kansas City" (Leiber - Stoller) in 1952. A record executive changed the title to "K.C. Loving". The tune was written specifically for Littlefield. Wilbert Harrison hit the top of the charts with

"Let Your Love Flow" was turned down by both Neil Diamond and Johnny Rivers. It was Larry Williams, a roadie for Neil Diamond, who wrote Gene Cotton's 1975 outing "Let You Love Flow" from Gene's album "For All The Young Writers". It wasn't issued as a

Jim Henson gave us The Muppets and eventually he gave us the influential franchise called Sesame Street where the Sesame Street Kids sang "Sing" (Raposo) in 1970. The Carpenters and the Jimmy Joyce Children's Choir took their cover into the top five.

When they were known as The Sharps they did the backing yells for Duane Eddy. As The Rivingtons they hit the top fifty in 1962 with "Papa Ooo Mow Mow" (White - Frazier - Wilson - Harris). The novelty tune was issued as a single.They too recorded "The

Eddy Riff performed "Ain't That Lovin' You Baby" (Hunter - Otis) in 1956. Elvis Presley released the song in 1964 and took it into the top twenty as the flip side of "Ask Me" (elsewhere on this site). The Elvis version was actually recorded in 1958 in

The late Don Ho was a guest on "The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour" in 1969 where he introduced "Galveston" (Webb) to the host. Don had already released the tune as a B side in 1968. There is a slight difference in the lyrics between versions. The

Former member of the Ike and Tina Turner Revue, soul artist P.P. Arnold (Patricia Cole) released "The First Cut Is the Deepest" (Stevens) in the spring of 1967. She reached the U.K. top twenty. The composer, Cat Stevens (Steven Georgiou and now Yusuf

The powerful and distinctive voice of Roy Orbison recorded "Distant Drums" (Cindy Walker) in 1963. Yes, he probably was my favourite singer ever. Jim Reeves had his only number one U.K. hit with "Distant Drums" two years after his death in 1964 at the

During the summer of 1968 doo-wop kings, The Coasters (Carl Gardiner, Bobby Guy, Earl Carroll and Thomas Palmer) released "D. W. Washburn" (Leiber - Stoller). It was also used in the production of Smokey Joe's Cafe. Featuring television's Circus Boy,

Waylon Jennings appeared with Buddy Holly on the Winter Dance Party Tour, he was one of "The Outlaws", one of "The Highwaymen" with Kris Kristofferson, Willie Nelson and Johnny Cash, he was the balladeer on The Dukes of Hazard, played lead guitar for

The Band (Levon Helm, Rick Danko, Robbie Robertson, Garth Hudson and Richard Manuel) featured "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down" (Robertson) on their second album, "The Band". It's interesting that this sample of Americana was composed by Canadian

Thanks to Dan Hughes for this tip! Formed in 1963 The Evergreen Blues Band (Rick Barrio, Tom Bray, Manny Esparza, Steve Lawrence, Sam Lombardo, Steve McSweyn and Ken Walther) recorded "Midnight Confessions" (Josie) in 1968. It was written by their

The former Mrs. Maurice Gibb, Lulu (Marie Lawrie), recorded the original single release of "Here Comes the Night" (Bert Berns) in 1964 and watched it barely get into the top fifty in the U.K. Featuring the vocals of Van Morrison and the guitar of Jimmy

Parisian singer/actor Andre Claveau and the Andre Grassi Orchestra recorded "Cerisier Rose et Pommier Blanc" (Louiguy - Larue) in 1950. Cuban bandleader and King of the Mambo Perez Prado's (Damaso Perez) "Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom White" as a

Michigan's Barbara Lewis composed "Hello Stranger" and took it to the top three in 1963, number one on the R&B chart. During the seventies Yvonne Elliman played Mary Magdalene in "Jesus Christ, Superstar", sang on the concept album, the soundtrack

When Bo Diddley recorded "Love Is Strange" (Smith) in 1956 it was the first time the song was put on a record. The composer was actually Bo Diddley using his second wife's name for legal reasons. It was unreleased until 2007! Months after the Bo

The Ink Spots (Bill Kenny, Deek Watson, Hoppy Jones and Charlie Fuqua) issued "When the Swallows Come Back to Capistrano" (Leon Rene) in 1940 and got into the American top five. There are probably as many groups calling themselves The Ink Spots as there

Benny Goodman "How High the Moon" (Hamilton - Lewis) was the first hit version of the tune originally from the 1940 Broadway production "Two For the Show". In 1945 The Les Paul Trio, without Mary Ford, recorded "How High the Moon", then the Les Paul

Leon Ashley (Walton) and his wife Margie Stapleton (Ebey) composed "Laura (What's he Got That I Ain't Got)". It was recorded on his own Ashley label and released and distributed in 1967 by his own company. Leon reached the top of the country chart.

Grayson and Whitter recorded the folk song "Tom Dooley" in 1929. It was based on the true 1866 incident of Tom Dula (pronounced as Dooley) who murdered Laura Foster and was hanged for the crime. Many agree that this is the group that started the folk

J. P. Richardson aka The Big Bopper wrote "White Lightning" and was part of "the day the music died" plane crash with Buddy Holly and Ritchie Valens. One week after the tragedy in 1959 "White Lightning" was being recorded by J.P. Richardson's friend

I can never get over the fact that the composer of "Angel of the Morning" and "Wild Thing" are one in the same. It was that Chip Taylor (James Wesley Voight) who produced Evie Sands first recorded "Angel Of the Morning" in 1967 for the Cameo-Parkway

Composer Carole King's version of "Crying In the Rain" (Greenfield - King) is the only time she and Howard Greenfield worked together despite the fact that were both with Aldon Music. This track is contained on her "Legendary Demos" cd. The Everly

Hank Williams called this man his favourite artist, Jim Reeves was once in his band, the Showboys. He was Grand Ole Opry member, pianist, singer and song writer Aubrey "Moon" Mullican who recorded "You Don't Have To Be A Baby To Cry" (Merrill - Shand)

New Orleans legend Antoine "Fats" Domino's "Ain't That A Shame" (Domino - Bartholomew) is from the album "Rock and Rollin' With Fats Domino" and hit the top ten in 1955. The Charles Eugene "Pat" Boone cover became his first of many number one singles

"Smoke Gets In Your Eyes" (Kern - Harbach) was written for the 1933 musical Roberta where it was sung by Tamara Drasin. The Platters (Tony Williams, Paul Robi, Herb Reed, David Lynch and Zola Taylor) 1958 cover became one of their four number one hits.

"Don't Cry Out Loud" was composed in 1976 by Peter Allen and Carole Bayer Sager. In December of the same year The Moments aka Ray, Goodman and Brown included it as "We Don't Cry Out Loud" on the album "Moments With You". It made it into the bottom

The Velvets (Virgil Johnson, Mark Prince, Robert Thursby, Clarence Rigsby and William Solomon) were brought to the attention of Monument Records by fellow Texan Roy Orbison. Released in February of 1961 "Lana" (Orbison - Melson) topped the charts in

His father Clarence sang with Bob Wills, he toured as a member of The Champs, he discovered Mac Davis along with Gary Puckett and the Union Gap writing and producing many of their hits, he produced "Lies" for the Knickerbockers. He is Jerry Fuller who

In 1957 Sun musical director, arranger, trumpeter, saxman, producer Bill Justis first recorded "Cattywampus" (Cannon - Justis) at Sun Studios in Memphis. A former member of the Bill Black Combo, Johnny "Ace" Cannon reached the top twenty and number

The Don Shirley Trio (pianist Don Shirley with session bassist and cellist) recorded the traditional prison song "Water Boy" (Avery Robinson) and had a top forty hit with the tune in the sixties. A most unusual occurrence for this subtle release. This

The Clovers (lead Charlie White) were first to record "Lovey Dovey" (Curtis - Ertegun) and it got to the number two position on the R&B chart in 1954. Along with Jimmy Bowen, Buddy Knox was a member of the Rhythm Orchids from Texas and his Snuff

Boffalongo (Kelly Sherman, Jeremy Steig, Eric Blackstead, Peter Giansante and Larry Hoppen) issued "Dancing In the Moonlight" (Kelly) in 1969 featuring composer Sherman Kelly on lead vocal. The tune is on their "Beyond Your Head" lp. American group