3rd time's a charm? Yepper, “Rip Van Winkle” finally broke out… blasting off in Pittsburgh. It had been a four-step climb: tiny-label original, first Roulette reissue, then radio heat from a cult oldies compilation, to another reissue… and then a national #Top40 hit. #TheDevotions #OneHitWondered
WAMO DJ Porky Chedwick
Legend says that WAMO DJ Porky Chedwick bragged that he could make any song a hit, picked up the Roulette Golden Goodies compilation out of a pile, and started playing "Rip Van Winkle" by The Devotions. True? No idea… #TheDevotions #PorkyChedwick #OneHitWondered
Roulette Records Golden Goodies Vol. 1 front cover
In late 1963, Roulette Records included “Rip Van Winkle” by The Devotions on Vol. 1 of their new Golden Goodies compilation line. That release reached Pittsburgh’s ‘Daddio of the Raddio,’ WAMO DJ Porky Chedwick… who started hammering the song on the air. #PorkyChedwick #OneHitWondered
Roulette Records release of "Rip Van Winkle" by The Devotions
“Rip Van Winkle” got a 2nd life in '62 because it started attracting interest in NY oldies circles… finding a small local following. Once Roulette Records noticed that niche buzz, they bought the Delta masters & reissued the single. Same song, bigger label, but still no breakthrough. #OneHitWondered
Rip Van Winkle by Washington Irving
The Devotions’ bass vocalist, Ray Sanchez, wrote “Rip Van Winkle.” The novelty doo-wop song was based on the Washington Irving character and first came out on Delta in 1961. The single basically disappeared on arrival. #TheDevotions #OneHitWondered
Astoria, Queens, doo-wop group The Devotions
The Devotions were a doo-wop group out of Astoria, Queens, formed in 1960. They never became a major national act, but they carved out an interesting lil’ corner of NY vocal-group history… Their break came with Delta Records, who liked the group but wanted something with a gimmick. #OneHitWondered
The week ending April 4, 1964, Astoria, New York, doo-wop group The Devotions earned US #OneHitWonder honors when their doo-wop novelty single “Rip Van Winkle” spent the week at #36 on the US #Billboard #Top40. The following week it dropped from the chart… a rare #OneWeekWonder. #OneHitWondered
Danny Williams
Danny Williams helped define a polished, orchestral style of pop in the UK, but the guitar groups of the British beat boom came along and pushed many traditional balladeers out of the spotlight… including Danny Williams. #DannyWilliams #OneHitWondered
Danny Williams was a young South African singer who won a talent contest at 14. In 1959, he came to London and signed a record contract with EMI. At 19, the smooth ballad singer, known as ‘Britain's Johnny Mathis’, had a UK #1 hit with a cover of "Moon River." #OneHitWondered #MusicSky
The week ending April 4, 1964, South African-born British pop singer Danny Williams earned US #OneHitWonder honors when his pop ballad “White On White” entered the US #Billboard #Top40 at #34. The single spent 10 weeks on the chart, peaking at #9. #DannyWilliams #OneHitWondered #MusicSky
That guitar player lookin’ over Ricky’s left shoulder is Rock and Roll Hall of Famer James Burton… we’ve mentioned him a lot. Most recently, as the session guitarist on “Long Lonesome Highway,” which earned actor/singer Michael Parks his US #OneHitWonder honors in 1970. #JamesBurton #OneHitWondered
The song that knocked Ernie K-Doe’s “Mother-in-Law” out of the #1 spot? It was “Travelin’ Man” by Ricky Nelson. #OneHitWondered #MusicSky
In his later years, Ernie (and his wife Antoinette) opened the Mother-in-Law Lounge in New Orleans’ 7th Ward. It wasn't just a bar; it was a shrine to his career, filled with memorabilia and his own larger-than-life personality. #ErnieKDoe #MotherInLawLounge #OneHitWondered
“Mother-in-Law” was written and produced by famed New Orleans R&B musician/songwriter & producer Allen Toussaint. He also produced this gem, written & performed by Dr. John. The quintessential New Orleans funk/R&B classic earned US #OneHitWonder honors for Dr. John in 1973. #OneHitWondered #MusicSky
The self-proclaimed 'Emperor of the Universe,' Ernie K-Doe
Ernie K-Doe was one of New Orleans’ great R&B characters… a local legend with a huge personality whose name is tied to his one unforgettable hit. He never became a huge national pop star, but he did become something of an institution in the Crescent City. #NewOrleans #ErnieKDoe #OneHitWondered
The week of April 3, 1961, New Orleans R&B singer Ernie K-Doe earned US #OneHitWonder honors when his Allen Toussaint-penned & produced “Mother-in-Law” entered the US #Billboard #Top40 at #23. The single spent 12 weeks on the chart, including one at the top spot. #OneHitWondered #MusicSky
Long Island, NY hip-hop group De La Soul earned their US #OneHitWonder honors in 1989 when their defining alternative hip hop/jazz rap single “Me, Myself and I” spent 3 weeks on the US #Billboard #Top40, peaking at #34. #DeLaSoul #OneHitWondered #MusicSky
In 2005, studio/virtual group Gorillaz earned US #OneHitWonder honors, with help from fellow #OneHitWonder honorees De La Soul, when "Feel Good Inc." spent 35 weeks on the US #Billboard #Top40, peaking at #14. #OneHitWondered #Gorillaz #DeLaSoul #MusicSky
Happy birthday to comic book artist/illustrator Jamie Hewlett, #BOTD in 1968. Hewlett co-created the English ‘virtual’ group Gorillaz with Blur’s Damon Albarn… and gave it its entire visual identity, including designing the animated members 2-D, Murdoc, Noodle, & Russel. #Gorillaz #OneHitWondered
Speaking of Detroit… Back in the ‘90s, when musician/composer & producer Dan Yessian wrote a sports song for the Detroit Red Wings, he brought it to his old pal Larry Santos. #LarrySantos #DanYessian #DetroitRedWings #OneHitWondered
Our Motor City friends might remember Larry Santos performing a duet at the piano with a puppet named Seymour, at the end of each episode of The Hot Fudge Show… It was a children's puppet show, I’ve been told, that was broadcast from Detroit, Michigan. #OneHitWondered #MusicSky
As a solo artist, Larry Santos recorded steadily, releasing albums from the late 1960s into the 1970s. Those records never made him a household name, but they gave him a loyal following and a reputation for smooth, soulful vocals. #LarrySantos #OneHitWondered
Don Davis was famously paid $10 to play guitar on a raw, catchy dance tune named “Cool Jerk” in 1966. Detroit soul trio The Capitols earned US #OneHitWonder honors that year with that original version of the Motor City classic. #DonDavis #TheCapitols #FunkBrothers #OneHitWondered #MusicSky
Don Davis played guitar on some of the Motown enterprise’s earliest foundational hits, including Barrett Strong's "Money (That's What I Want)." Strong earned US #OneHitWonder honors in 1960 with the seminal R&B classic. #DonDavis #BarrettStrong #Motown #OneHitWondered #MusicSky
Session guitarist/songwriter & producer Don Davis
“We Can't Hide It Anymore” was produced by versatile (and underrated) session guitarist/songwriter & producer Don Davis. He bridged the gap between the polished Detroit Motown sound and the grittier Stax sound coming out of Memphis... #DonDavis #Motown #Stax #OneHitWondered
Larry Santos? A singer/songwriter with a style that leaned a lil’ pop, some soul, & a lot of adult contemporary... Before his own moment in the spotlight, Santos had already built strong songwriting credentials... most notably on 1963’s “Candy Girl” for The Four Seasons. #OneHitWondered
The week ending April 3, 1976, 🇺🇸 pop singer/songwriter Larry Santos earned US #OneHitWonder honors when his soft pop/blue-eyed soul single “We Can't Hide It Anymore” entered the US #Billboard #Top40 at #38. The single peaked the following week at #36… and then dropped from the chart. #OneHitWondered
After OXO, Ish Ledesma shifted from new wave into Miami freestyle, putting together Company B in 1986. It was a producer-built vocal trio featuring his wife, Lori. They earned US #OneHitWonder honors in 1987 when “Fascinated” spent 8 weeks on the US #Billboard #Top40, peaking at #21. #OneHitWondered
Why did OXO vanish? In true #OneHitWonder fashion, OXO broke up at the high point of having a #Billboard #Top40 hit… While their hit was on the chart, the group faced internal tension and creative differences. The band politics/infighting between management and their label doomed OXO #OneHitWondered
OXO’s breakout single was “Whirly Girl,” written & co-produced by Ish Ledesma... That one song is why OXO still gets brought up in ‘80s pop conversations: bright, shiny new wave… very Miami… very 1983… and gone almost as quickly as it arrived. #OXO #IshLedesma #OneHitWondered
