There is a blue moon tonight, so it's only fitting to write about the Marcels.

They are in the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in Sharon, Pa. Also a note from Pittsburgh Music History page, "Blue Moon" was named one of 500 songs that shaped rock and roll by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

From the Vocal Group Hall of Fame website, the Marcels were formed in 1959 in Pittsburgh. Richard Knauss was putting together a vocal group to go with his baritone voice. Knauss found his members from other groups: Fred Johnson - bass, Gene Bricker - second tenor, Ron "Bingo" Mundy - first tenor and lead singer Cornelius Harp. They sang after school.

Knauss also sang with the Dynamics but told their manager about his other group, the Marcels, named for Harp's hairstyle.

Their demo tape consisted of covers by such artists as The Cadiallacs and The DelVikings. In 1961, while in studio for a short time -- in two takes -- the Marcels recorded "Blue Moon," which was done in 1935 by Glen Gray.

The demo was was taken to a radio station and DJ Murray the K played it 26 times in his four-hour shift. That song hit the top in February, pushing Elvis Presley from No. 1. It was not until April that Del Shannon's "Runaway" took over at No. 1. The Marcels' "Blue Moon" hit No. 1 in England and Top 5 in Australia, Denmark and New Zealand. It was a Top 10 hit in other countries.

In March, the Marcels recorded songs such as "Over the Rainbow" and "Sweet was the Wine" but they did not even reach the Top 40. They appeared with Chubby Checker in the movie "Twist Around the Clock."

The group replaced members Knauss and Bricker with Alan Johnson, baritone, and Walter Maddox, second tenor. The new Marcels had a No. 7 hit with a cover of Guy Lombardo's 1931 "Heartaches"; other songs that were recorded did not reach the Top 40.

Harp left in 1962, Alan Johnson also dropped out. That left Fred Johnson, bass; Walter Maddox, lead; adding Richard Harris, baritone; and William Herndon, first tenor. They recorded on and off for two decades.

In 1973, Knauss and Mundy sang as The Memories. Later, Mundy was a bus driver, Knauss a school janitor. Maddox paid tribute in night clubs to Nat King Cole. Fred Johnson continued leading with the Marcels and Alan Johnson was at the University of Pittsburgh.

Gene Bricker died in the 80s. Cornelius Harp died in 2013 of natural causes.

 

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