Geoff Turton
Encyclopedia
Geoff Turton who also recorded
under the name Jefferson, was a British
singer. His musical career began as the falsettist
lead singer, and rhythm guitar
ist of The Rockin' Berries
in 1961, who scored a number of hits
in the UK
and Europe
. The group
was best known for its covers
, and Turton did much of the searching and decision work as to what was to be sung.
When the group broke up in 1968, Turton started a solo
career, releasing a single
, "Don't You Believe It", on Piccadilly Records. It flopped, and Piccadilly head John Schroeder suggested that Turton change his name to Jefferson. The single "Montage" failed to chart
, but its follow-up, "Colour of My Love", was a hit in the UK (peaking at #22 in the UK Singles Chart
), and US
(reaching #68 on the Billboard Hot 100
), and an LP
was issued following its success. A third single, "Baby Take Me in Your Arms", was not a hit in the UK, but cracked the Top 40 in America
, peaking at #23 and justifying the release of a stateside
album. At the time of this single's success, Turton was hurt in a car crash, and so he did not make any live appearances. After a six month hospital stay, Turton had a second record
which was never released by his label
and a career on hiatus in the UK. He began touring the US, where he was still able to get gigs
based on the success of "Baby Take Me in Your Arms". He then secured a recording contract
with Polygram Records, who released another album and a single, "I Love You This Much" (later a hit in Europe for Mouth & MacNeal
).
He resumed under his given name when The Rockin' Berries reunited in the late 1970s, and toured with them (as well as doing solo shows in the UK) into the 1990s. In 2001, Castle Records released The Colour of My Love, a CD
composed of much of his previously unreleased material.
Sound recording and reproduction
Sound recording and reproduction is an electrical or mechanical inscription and re-creation of sound waves, such as spoken voice, singing, instrumental music, or sound effects. The two main classes of sound recording technology are analog recording and digital recording...
under the name Jefferson, was a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
singer. His musical career began as the falsettist
Falsetto
Falsetto is the vocal register occupying the frequency range just above the modal voice register and overlapping with it by approximately one octave. It is produced by the vibration of the ligamentous edges of the vocal folds, in whole or in part...
lead singer, and rhythm guitar
Rhythm guitar
Rhythm guitar is a technique and rôle that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse in conjunction with singers or other instruments; and to provide all or part of the harmony, ie. the chords, where a chord is a group of notes played together...
ist of The Rockin' Berries
The Rockin' Berries
The Rockin' Berries are a pop group from Birmingham, England, who had several hit records in the UK in the 1960s. A version of the group, emphasising comedy routines as well as music, continues to perform to the present day.-History:...
in 1961, who scored a number of hits
Hit record
A hit record is a sound recording, usually in the form of a single or album, that sells a large number of copies or otherwise becomes broadly popular or well-known, through airplay, club play, inclusion in a film or stage play soundtrack, causing it to have "hit" one of the popular chart listings...
in the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. The group
Musical ensemble
A musical ensemble is a group of people who perform instrumental or vocal music. In classical music, trios or quartets either blend the sounds of musical instrument families or group together instruments from the same instrument family, such as string ensembles or wind ensembles...
was best known for its covers
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...
, and Turton did much of the searching and decision work as to what was to be sung.
When the group broke up in 1968, Turton started a solo
Solo (music)
In music, a solo is a piece or a section of a piece played or sung by a single performer...
career, releasing a 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...
, "Don't You Believe It", on Piccadilly Records. It flopped, and Piccadilly head John Schroeder suggested that Turton change his name to Jefferson. The single "Montage" failed to chart
Record chart
A record chart is a ranking of recorded music according to popularity during a given period of time. Examples of music charts are the Hit parade, Hot 100 or Top 40....
, but its follow-up, "Colour of My Love", was a hit in the UK (peaking at #22 in the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
), and US
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
(reaching #68 on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
), and an LP
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
was issued following its success. A third single, "Baby Take Me in Your Arms", was not a hit in the UK, but cracked the Top 40 in America
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, peaking at #23 and justifying the release of a stateside
Stateside
Stateside may refer to:* stateside, a slang term for the United States, usually used concerning an American currently outside the country, particularly in a military context* Stateside Records, the British record label...
album. At the time of this single's success, Turton was hurt in a car crash, and so he did not make any live appearances. After a six month hospital stay, Turton had a second record
Gramophone record
A gramophone record, commonly known as a phonograph record , vinyl record , or colloquially, a record, is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove...
which was never released by his label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
and a career on hiatus in the UK. He began touring the US, where he was still able to get gigs
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...
based on the success of "Baby Take Me in Your Arms". He then secured 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...
with Polygram Records, who released another album and a single, "I Love You This Much" (later a hit in Europe for Mouth & MacNeal
Mouth & MacNeal
Mouth & MacNeal was a pop duo from the Netherlands. They are best known for their million selling recording of "How Do You Do".-Career:They were formed in 1971 when record producer Hans van Hemert brought together the solo talent of Mouth and Maggie MacNeal...
).
He resumed under his given name when The Rockin' Berries reunited in the late 1970s, and toured with them (as well as doing solo shows in the UK) into the 1990s. In 2001, Castle Records released The Colour of My Love, a CD
Compact Disc
The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
composed of much of his previously unreleased material.