The Tarriers

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The Tarriers were a vocal group specializing in folk music and folk-flavored popular music. Founded in 1956 by Erik Darling, Alan Arkin, and Bob Carey, they had two hit songs during 1956-57: "Cindy, Oh Cindy" (with Vince Martin) and "The Banana Boat Song."

Shortly after appearing in a low-budget musical titled Calypso Heat Wave (1957, in which they lip-synched to "The Banana Boat Song"), Arkin left the group to pursue acting and was replaced by Clarence Cooper. In 1959, Darling departed to join The Weavers; he was replaced by banjoist/singer Eric Weissberg (later of "Dueling Banjos" fame). In 1962, Weissberg's college chum Marshall Brickman joined, making the group a quartet until Carey departed in late 1963 to pursue a solo career. With the decline in popularity of folk music in the wake of the British Invasion, The Tarriers disbanded in 1965.

During their career, the group in its various configurations recorded 6 long-playing albums: one for Glory Records, one for United Artists Records, one for Atlantic Records and three for Decca Records (including one in which they backed folksinger Oscar Brand). The Tarriers also hold the distinction of being the first interracial singing group to appear on network television, when they appeared on ABC-TV's Hootenanny show on June 8, 1963.