Briarwood Singers
Encyclopedia
The Briarwood Singers were a 1960s folk band from Miami, Florida consisting of Stan Beach, Barry Monroe, Harry Scholes, Bob Hoffman and Dorinda Duncan. The band is perhaps best known for performing as the opening act of The Beatles
' February 12, 1964 concert
at Carnegie Hall
. In 1963 the group released the album Well, Well, Well on United Artists Records
, produced
by LeRoy Holmes
. The group also released a cover
of the traditional
folk song
, "He Was a Friend of Mine
" in December 1963. The "He Was a Friend of Mine" single
was intended as a lament for the recently assassinated
John F. Kennedy
and peaked as #126 on the Billboard
singles chart.
In July 1963, prior to becoming a recording act, the group began playing regularly at the Crossway Inn in Miami. The General Manager of the Crossway Inn, Ray Barbarino, had networking connections and expertise as an entertainment manager
and promoter
. Utilizing these connections, Barbarino brought his friend and colleague, LeRoy Holmes of United Artists Records, down from New York to listen to the band, successfully securing a recording contract
for them with the label. During the mid-1960s, the Crossway Inn hosted appearances by many top celebrities and bands, including Peter, Paul and Mary
, The Mamas & the Papas
, Fats Domino
, and Guy Lombardo & his Orchestra
. Over the years, several local Miami talents have become national celebrities following appearances at the Crossway Inn, including The Miami Sound Machine
(featuring singer Gloria Estefan
) and the popular Latin singer, Willie Chirino. After signing with United Artists, the Briarwood Singers' recorded their one and only album, Well, Well, Well which was issued in late 1963. In early 1964, Barbarino arranged for the band to be the opening act for The Beatles while working with Jackie Gleason
and the Miami Beach Convention Center
management team.
In the early 1970s, Gabe Kaplan
, who at that time was an unknown stand-up comedian, repeatedly pestered Barbarino for a job at the Crossway. As he had done with the Briarwood Singers, Barbarino set Kaplan up with his contacts in New York and within a year Kaplan had become a celebrity. It's possible that the character of Vinnie Barbarino from the U.S. sitcom
, Welcome Back, Kotter
, played by John Travolta
, is a tribute of sorts to Ray Barbarino from Kaplan, who was the show's star.
Barry Monroe currently plays music professionally in Southern Colorado as Barry Monroe and Friends and with his group, Cheap Therapy. Stan Beach is a retired airline captain and lives in the mountains of western North Carolina in the town of Spruce Pine
with his wife Marie. Stan continues to pursue his love of music as a solo singing act and as lead male vocalist and lead guitar player for the local group, Chalk Mountain Connection. The Briarwood Singer's only female member, Dorinda Duncan, went on to sign a solo recording contract with United Artists Records in early 1965, following the breakup of The Briarwood Singers. During 1965 she released the John D. Loudermilk-penned single, "They'll Love You", as well as an album of Bob Dylan
covers titled The Songs of Bob Dylan Through the Heart of a Girl. Bob Hoffman became a journalist and author. He currently lives in St. Croix, US Virgin Islands, with his wife Lesley.
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
' February 12, 1964 concert
Concert
A concert is a live performance before an audience. The performance may be by a single musician, sometimes then called a recital, or by a musical ensemble, such as an orchestra, a choir, or a musical band...
at Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, United States, located at 881 Seventh Avenue, occupying the east stretch of Seventh Avenue between West 56th Street and West 57th Street, two blocks south of Central Park....
. In 1963 the group released the album Well, Well, Well on United Artists Records
United Artists Records
United Artists Records was a record label founded by Max E. Youngstein of United Artists in 1957 initially to distribute records of its movie soundtracks, though it soon branched out into recording music of a number of different genres.-History:...
, produced
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
by LeRoy Holmes
LeRoy Holmes
LeRoy Holmes was an American songwriter, composer, arranger and conductor....
. The group also released a cover
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
of the traditional
Traditional music
Traditional music is the term increasingly used for folk music that is not contemporary folk music. More on this is at the terminology section of the World music article...
folk song
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
, "He Was a Friend of Mine
He Was a Friend of Mine
"He Was a Friend of Mine" is a traditional folk song in which the singer laments the death of a friend. The earliest known version of the song is titled "Shorty George"...
" in December 1963. The "He Was a Friend of Mine" single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
was intended as a lament for the recently assassinated
John F. Kennedy assassination
John Fitzgerald Kennedy, the thirty-fifth President of the United States, was assassinated at 12:30 p.m. Central Standard Time on Friday, November 22, 1963, in Dealey Plaza, Dallas, Texas...
John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
and peaked as #126 on the Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
singles chart.
In July 1963, prior to becoming a recording act, the group began playing regularly at the Crossway Inn in Miami. The General Manager of the Crossway Inn, Ray Barbarino, had networking connections and expertise as an entertainment manager
Talent manager
A talent manager, also known as an artist manager or band manager, is an individual or company who guides the professional career of artists in the entertainment industry...
and promoter
Promoter (entertainment)
An entertainment promoter i.e. music, wrestling, boxing etc is a person or company in the business of marketing and promoting live events such as concerts/gigs, boxing matches, sports entertainment , festivals, raves, and nightclubs.- Business model :Promoters are typically hired as independent...
. Utilizing these connections, Barbarino brought his friend and colleague, LeRoy Holmes of United Artists Records, down from New York to listen to the band, successfully securing a recording contract
Recording contract
A recording contract is a legal agreement between a record label and a recording artist , where the artist makes a record for the label to sell and promote...
for them with the label. During the mid-1960s, the Crossway Inn hosted appearances by many top celebrities and bands, including Peter, Paul and Mary
Peter, Paul and Mary
Peter, Paul and Mary were an American folk-singing trio whose nearly 50-year career began with their rise to become a paradigm for 1960s folk music. The trio was composed of Peter Yarrow, Paul Stookey and Mary Travers...
, The Mamas & the Papas
The Mamas & the Papas
The Mamas & the Papas were a Canadian/American vocal group of the 1960s . The group recorded and performed from 1965 to 1968 with a short reunion in 1971, releasing five albums and 11 Top 40 hit singles...
, Fats Domino
Fats Domino
Antoine Dominique "Fats" Domino, Jr. is an American R&B and rock and roll pianist and singer-songwriter. He was born and raised in New Orleans, Louisiana, and Creole was his first language....
, and Guy Lombardo & his Orchestra
Guy Lombardo
Gaetano Alberto "Guy" Lombardo was a Canadian-American bandleader and violinist.Forming "The Royal Canadians" in 1924 with his brothers Carmen, Lebert, and Victor and other musicians from his hometown, Lombardo led the group to international success, billing themselves as creating "The Sweetest...
. Over the years, several local Miami talents have become national celebrities following appearances at the Crossway Inn, including The Miami Sound Machine
Gloria Estefan
Gloria María Milagrosa Fajardo García de Estefan; known professionally as Gloria Estefan is a Cuban-born American singer, songwriter, and actress. Known as the "Queen Of Latin Pop", she is in the top 100 best selling music artists with over 100 million albums sold worldwide, 31.5 million of those...
(featuring singer Gloria Estefan
Gloria Estefan
Gloria María Milagrosa Fajardo García de Estefan; known professionally as Gloria Estefan is a Cuban-born American singer, songwriter, and actress. Known as the "Queen Of Latin Pop", she is in the top 100 best selling music artists with over 100 million albums sold worldwide, 31.5 million of those...
) and the popular Latin singer, Willie Chirino. After signing with United Artists, the Briarwood Singers' recorded their one and only album, Well, Well, Well which was issued in late 1963. In early 1964, Barbarino arranged for the band to be the opening act for The Beatles while working with Jackie Gleason
Jackie Gleason
Jackie Gleason was an American comedian, actor and musician. He was known for his brash visual and verbal comedy style, especially by his character Ralph Kramden on The Honeymooners, a situation-comedy television series. His most noted film roles were as Minnesota Fats in the drama film The...
and the Miami Beach Convention Center
Miami Beach Convention Center
Miami Beach Convention Center is an indoor arena in Miami Beach, Florida and it is currently the largest convention center in the Miami area. It now features 4 large rooms each holding about 12,000 people.- History :...
management team.
In the early 1970s, Gabe Kaplan
Gabe Kaplan
Gabriel W. "Gabe" Kaplan is an American comedian, actor, poker commentator, and professional poker player.He was born in Brooklyn, New York...
, who at that time was an unknown stand-up comedian, repeatedly pestered Barbarino for a job at the Crossway. As he had done with the Briarwood Singers, Barbarino set Kaplan up with his contacts in New York and within a year Kaplan had become a celebrity. It's possible that the character of Vinnie Barbarino from the U.S. sitcom
Situation comedy
A situation comedy, often shortened to sitcom, is a genre of comedy that features characters sharing the same common environment, such as a home or workplace, accompanied with jokes as part of the dialogue...
, Welcome Back, Kotter
Welcome Back, Kotter
Welcome Back, Kotter was an American television sitcom starring Gabe Kaplan and featuring a young John Travolta.It originally aired on the ABC network from September 9, 1975 to June 8, 1979.-Premise:...
, played by John Travolta
John Travolta
John Joseph Travolta is an American actor, dancer and singer. Travolta first became known in the 1970s, after appearing on the television series Welcome Back, Kotter and starring in the box office successes Saturday Night Fever and Grease...
, is a tribute of sorts to Ray Barbarino from Kaplan, who was the show's star.
Barry Monroe currently plays music professionally in Southern Colorado as Barry Monroe and Friends and with his group, Cheap Therapy. Stan Beach is a retired airline captain and lives in the mountains of western North Carolina in the town of Spruce Pine
Spruce Pine, North Carolina
Spruce Pine is a town in Mitchell County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 2,175 at the 2010 census.-History:Spruce Pine was founded in 1907 when the Clinchfield Railroad made its way up the North Toe River from Erwin, Tennessee...
with his wife Marie. Stan continues to pursue his love of music as a solo singing act and as lead male vocalist and lead guitar player for the local group, Chalk Mountain Connection. The Briarwood Singer's only female member, Dorinda Duncan, went on to sign a solo recording contract with United Artists Records in early 1965, following the breakup of The Briarwood Singers. During 1965 she released the John D. Loudermilk-penned single, "They'll Love You", as well as an album of Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet, film director and painter. He has been a major and profoundly influential figure in popular music and culture for five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly...
covers titled The Songs of Bob Dylan Through the Heart of a Girl. Bob Hoffman became a journalist and author. He currently lives in St. Croix, US Virgin Islands, with his wife Lesley.