The Rockin' Chairs were a doo-wop recording group based in Queens Village, New York active in 1958 and 1959.[2][4]

The Rockin' Chairs
OriginQueens Village, New York
Genresdoo-wop
Years active1958 (1958)–1959 (1959)
LabelsRecorte Records, CBS Records[1]
Past members
  • Lenny Dean (leader)[2]
  • Bob Gerardi[2]
  • Carmine Ray[2]
  • Rick Baxter[2]
  • Joey Cary

Discography

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Title Year Catalog Comments
A Kiss Is a Kiss / Rockin' Chair Boogie 1958[2] Recorte 402[2] 200,000 copies sold[2]
Please Mary Lou / Come On Baby 1958[2] Recorte 404[2]
Memories of Love / Girl of Mine 1959[2] Recorte 412[2] with backup from Nino and the Ebb Tides[3]

Reception

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Billboard described their A Kiss Is a Kiss as a "hot record."[5]

When the band played Please Mary Lou on Alan Freed's Big Beat television show, Freed commented that it sounded like Paul Anka's "Diana."[2]

Billboard described their Memories of Love recording as having an "overly long intro" and described the recording as "none too good."[6]

All three of their a-side recordings are considered among the top 1000 doo-wop songs of all time.[7]

References

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  1. ^ Rizzo, Ken (March 2008). "Reinventing an Artistic Life". Allegro. CVIII (3).
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Rosalsky, Mitch (2002). Encyclopedia of Rhythm and Blues and Doo Wop Vocal Groups. Lanham, Maryland: Scarecrow Press. pp. 485–486. ISBN 978081083663-1.
  3. ^ a b Warner, Jay (2006). American Singing Groups: A History from 1940 to Today. Milwaukee, Wisconsin: Hal Leonard Corporation. p. 266. ISBN 0634099787. Rockin' chairs memories of love billboard.
  4. ^ Gribin, Anthony (2000). The Complete Book of Doo-Wop. Krause Publications. p. 441. ISBN 978-0873418294.
  5. ^ "Distributor News". Billboard. 26 May 1958. p. 6.
  6. ^ "The Billboard's Music Popularity Charts: Pop Records". Billboard. 22 June 1959. p. 77.
  7. ^ Anthony Gribin; Matthew Schiff (1 September 2014). The Top 1000 Doo-Wop Songs: Collector's Edition. Lulu.com. pp. 207–. ISBN 978-0-9827376-5-1.