The Vogues
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| The Vogues | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Turtle Creek, Pennsylvania, United States |
| Genre(s) | Rock and Roll, Traditional Pop |
| Years active | 1965-Present Day |
| Label(s) | Co & Ce, Reprise |
| Former members | |
| Bill Burkette, Don Miller, Hugh Geyer, and Chuck Blasko | |
The Vogues were an American singing quartet from Turtle Creek, Pennsylvania, USA, a Pittsburgh suburb. They consisted of Bill Burkette (lead baritone), Don Miller (baritone), Hugh Geyer (first tenor) and Chuck Blasko (second tenor).
Contents |
[edit] Overview
Originally, the group was called "The Val-Airs." Their first and only record under this moniker was "Laurie, My Love". It was first released under local label Willett Records (owned by the group's manager, Elmer Willett), then distributed nationally on Coral Records. Soon after its release, they adopted the name "The Vogues", derived from Vogue Terrace, a popular teenage dance hall (which also housed Willett Records) in North Versailles, near the group's hometown. They soon signed a contract with the small Pittsburgh-based Co & Ce Records label, run by Herb Cohen and Nick Cenci. The song, "You're The One", rose to #4 on the Billboard charts and was followed by "Five O'Clock World," which reached the same #4 level. Two more hits, "Magic Town" and "The Land of Milk and Honey," did not reach the same heights, but still made Billboard's Top 40 in 1966.
As their sound was not in step with the trend in rock & roll, their fortunes dwindled, but in 1968 they signed with Reprise Records and had a string of remakes: Glen Campbell's "Turn Around, Look at Me," which reached #7 on the Billboard charts; Bobby Helms' "My Special Angel" (matching Helms' #7 peak); "Till" (previously recorded by Roger Williams, Percy Faith, and The Angels), The Four Lads' "No, Not Much," The Penguins' "Earth Angel (Will You Be Mine)," The Four Lads' "Moments To Remember," and The Brothers Four's "Greenfields" (retitled "Green Fields").
The group lost favor in the 1970s, but various groupings of singers using the name "The Vogues" continued to sing into the 2000s. and subsequent business moves allowed the new owner of their trademark name to later assign it to another group of all new artists. Chuck Blasko, then performing with other artists as "Chuck Blasko's Five O'clock World Reunion," lobbied Congress to make changes in trademark laws to prevent others from misrepresenting themselves as being original artists.[1]
As of March 2007, Hugh Geyer, who had briefly toured with Chuck Blasko's group in the year before, is now touring the country with the "trademark" Vogues. Mr. Blasko continues to perform as "Chuck Blasko & The Vogues" in the 14 Western Pennsylvania counties that were awarded to him by the courts. Today, both groups contain original members of The Vogues.
As of May 2008 original lead vocalist Bill Burkette has joined Hugh Geyer touring the country with the "trademark" Vogues.[2] Current performing members include Burkette, Geyer, Jim Campagna, Stan Elich, and Troy Elich on vocals. The group is rounded out with Dave Watkins (keyboards/vocals), Don Decena (bass guitar/vocals), Artie Delonardis (drums), and Tom Lamb (guitar).
They (the original group) were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2001.[3]
A blog has been established by fans of The Vogues at [4].
[edit] Studio Albums
- Meet the Vogues (1965)
- Five O'Clock World (1966)
- Turn Around, Look at Me (1968)
- Till (1969)
- Memories (1969)
- Sing the Good Old Songs (1970)
