State Theatre Hosts 60's Music Legends Tour featuring The Vogues
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May 20, 2010 at the Bay City State Theater
The 60's Music Legends Tour featuring The Vogues plus The Shades of Blue with special guests Deke & the Blazers
At the State Theater in Downtown Bay City on Thursday, May 20, 2010 at 7:00 PM
The Vogues created a sound. It was a fresh, original blend of vocal harmony that left an indelible mark in the world of popular music. Inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2001, The Vogues remain one of the top vocal groups on the oldies scene today. Even though their first hit 'You're the One' was released over 40 years ago, the Vogues continue to attract sellout audiences at concerts and club appearances around the country.
Their outstanding talent, stylish delivery and excellent choice of material, coupled with their vital, poised performance, makes this group one of the world's top oldies acts. The 2007 return of original tenor Hugh Geyer to the band and the 2008 return of original lead vocalist Bill Burkette only serves to enhance that authentic Vogues sound.
According to Webster, the word 'vogue' means general favor or acceptance. The Vogues many sold-out shows prove that they are not only accepted, but favored by oldies aficionados everywhere! They truly fulfill the promise of their name. Throughout the years, the sound remains unmistakably The Vogues.
The Shades of Blue:
In the Spring of 1966, a, suburban Detroit vocal quartet called The Shades Of Blue, skyrocketed to the top of charts with their 'Blue-Eyed Soul' smash, 'Oh How Happy'.
Originating from Livonia, Michigan, The Shades of Blue were: Nick Marinelli (lead vocals), Ernie Dernai (first tenor), Linda Allen (second tenor), and Bob Kerr (baritone).
The Shades of Blue got started in the ninth grade at Junior High, singing Doo-Wop type things on street corners. Not long after, they formed a group called The Domingos, singing at school, at Union Halls and even Elks-Clubs. Their sound was influenced by groups such as The Flamingos and The Temptations.
In 1965, The Domingos landed their first recording audition with the help of another Livonia, Michigan based group, The Reflections (who had recorded, 'Just Like Romeo and Juliet' for the Detroit-based Golden World label. They put them in touch with a guy named Ed Wingate, who owned the Golden World label. The four continued to hang around the Golden World studios at nights and on weekends. It was here where they met engineer/producer John Rhys, who worked for the label. Rhys thought the act needed a name that better suited their vocal style, and suggested, The Shades of Blue. Everyone agreed, and the name stuck.
One day at Golden World, The Shades of Blue were introduced to Edwin Starr, who recorded for the label. Starr showed the group a song he was writing called, 'Oh How Happy'. It was just the right kind of tune that the quartet was looking for. The Shades of Blue worked with Edwin to complete the song and recorded it at the Golden World studios in January 1966. Producer John Rhys was so impressed with the finished master that he immediately took the tape to Harry Balk, owner of the Detroit-based Impact label. Balk, signed The Shades of Blue to a multi-record contract.
On March 30, 1966, 'Oh How Happy' made its public debut on Detroit radio stations WKNR and WXYZ, as well as Windsor, Ontario's 50,000 watt giant, CKLW. The platter took off like a 'shot out of the blue', and blasted to the #1 spot on all three stations in less than three weeks. The record spread like wildfire into other major markets abroad, hitting #12 on the national pop charts, #7 on the R&B listings, and reaching the top ten in Canada.
The overnight success of 'Oh How Happy' caught everyone by surprise, as Nick Marinelli remembers: We literally hit the road running. All of us were still in college at the time, and suddenly, Harry Balk is calling us up saying, "I've got all kinds of bookings lined up for you guys". It was crazy!. In addition to a grueling cross-country tour schedule, the Shades TV appearances included several spots on Dick Clark's 'Where The Action Is', and Jerry Blavat's Philly-based -Discophonic Scene - teen show. In the Detroit area, they were regulars on Robin Seymour's 'Swingin Time'.
On September 17, 1966, the LP, 'Happiness Is The Shades of Blue', hit the shelves. A September 1966 Billboard album review described the eleven-track offering as, 'A well-performed, sure-fire winner'. The Shades of Blue concentrated on live performances through the end of the late sixties, but the end of the road was clearly in sight. Around 1967, the whole music scene started to change, Acid Rock was becoming popular and The Shades of Blue didn't want to go in that direction. So in 1970, four years after their Blockbuster hit 'Oh How Happy' was recorded The Shades of Blue disbanded.
In 2003 after a 33 year hiatus recording with The Shades of Blue, Nick Marinelli received a phone call from the legendary Motown Group, The Valadiers. The Valadiers recorded with Motown Records in the early 60's and where the first White Recording Group Motown ever signed. Their most successful hit was 'Greetings (This is Uncle Sam)'. The Valadiers lost one of their members and needed a replacement. Vocal group veterans Stuart Avig (original lead singer of The Valadiers), Andy Alonzo (Valadier since 1980) and Donald Revels called upon Nick to join the group.
The Valadiers first performance with Nick was in April of 2003 in Washington DC. On that show were also The Cadillacs, The Teenagers and The Platters. Shortly after the show the group thought it would be a good idea to change their name to The Shades of Blue.
In October of 2003 The 'New' Shades of Blue would form their partnership around Andy Alonzo, Stuart Avig, Donald Revels and Nick Marinelli. The Shades of Blue have performed for numerous sold out audiences all over the world ever since. Combining their Motown roots with their Blue-Eyed Soul sound they quickly became one of the finest entertainment groups in the world.
The Shades of Blue would go on to perform over 40 dates a year all over the world in cities such as: Detroit, Columbus, Seattle, New York City, Atlanta, Chicago, Cincinnati, Grand Rapids, Cleveland, Omaha, Minneapolis, Boston, St. Louis, Washington D.C., Charlotte, Miami, Buffalo and Toledo just to name a few. In addition, The Shades of Blue performed on three Caribbean cruises, The Rock N' Roll Hall of Fame and The Motown 50th Anniversary Party.
The Shades of Blue would go on to perform on the same shows with the legendary artists from the 50's and 60's such as: The Four Tops, The Platters, The Teenagers, The Contours, The Spaniels, Ben E King, The Drifters, The Skyliners, The Flamingos, Tommy Hunt, Dion, Bowzer and Jay Black to name a few.
In 2006, Donald Revels decided to take a break from touring and he was replaced with former Detroit Police officer, Charlie Valverde. The Shades of Blue continued to tour and perform all across the country. In 2009, Nick Marinelli decided to leave the group to pursue a solo career in Country and Spiritual music. The Shades of Blue needed a replacement and they enticed Donald Revels to make a comeback to the stage.
The Shades of Blue now consisting of Andy Alonzo, Stuart Avig, Donald Revels and Charlie Valverdie are still going strong. They continue to perform all of their hits including the two that put them on the map, 'Oh How Happy' and 'Greetings (This is Uncle Sam)'.
Deke and the Blazers:
It began in the Pittsburgh area, years ago. Jan (Deke) Detanna and Rick Budd formed an R & B group called The Del Renos. College beckoned and they both went on to form their own R&B groups in college. The years rolled by, yet Rick and Jan stayed connected. The Doo-Wop stayed alive with duo performances at weddings, parties and reunions. In 2006, Jan and Rick formed a duo called 'East Coast' and , recorded two CD's 'Sessions' and 'Street Corner Harmonies', featuring the power of four and five part harmony by a duo.
Looking for a venue and a vehicle to promote 'East Coast', they attended the 2nd Annual Cool Bobby B's Doo-Wop Convention in Las Vegas in November of 2007 signing up for an Amateur Doo-Wop contest. In the course of the first evening, they met Larry D'Angelo, a bassman from the Detroit suburbs, and Lenny Blasso, a baritone from the Baltimore area. After a few hours of doo-wopping under a street lamp, they all realized that something magical was happening. 'Deke and the Blazers' was born. The group entered the amateur contest the next day and came in 2nd. In a few short months, the group has managed to pull together from the four corners of the U.S. (Los Angeles, Portland, Baltimore and Detroit) with the high point the opportunity to join the 'Ultimate Doo-Wop Show' tour in July of 2008 in Detroit as the opening act.
Larry has been a fan of vocal group harmony since the early 50's listening to The Mills Brothers and The Ink Spots with his grandfather. This love continued through his teens when he started collecting Doo-Wop 45's such as Dion and The Belmonts and The Crests. He has played five instruments and was in band and choir in school. He DJ's Oldies parties for fun and for three years had a Doo-Wop radio program in Detroit. Besides his family, his passion now is keeping this music alive with Deke and The Blazers.
Len, started singing Doo-Wop in 1963 in high school hallways in Queens, NY. He interrupted his budding singing career for college while his buddies went on to form two groups, The Ovations and The Dialtones, who later became Randy and the Rainbows. He returned to Doo-Wop in Bayside, NY in 1965 with The Banished Souls. In 1986 he sang with the acapella group Pure Essence winning a local TV talent contest. He was also a DJ from 1997 to 1998 at WYRE 810 AM, in Annapolis, MD, interviewing such greats as The Persuasions, Charlie Thomas of the Drifters, and Louis Lymon.
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Mike Bacigalupo - State Theatre |
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