John Fred
Encyclopedia
John Fred was a blue-eyed soul
, Cajun
swamp pop
and bubble-gum pop performer from Baton Rouge
, Louisiana
, best known for the song
, "Judy in Disguise (With Glasses)
".
His group, John Fred and the Playboys, was formed in 1956; their first hit single
was 1958's "Shirley". He appeared on Alan Freed
's show, but when Dick Clark
asked him to sing on American Bandstand
, Fred had to turn him down because he had to play in a basketball
game.
In 1967, Fred and band member Andrew Bernard
co-wrote "Judy in Disguise", whose name is a parodic
play on the title of The Beatles
' song "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds
". The song, issued by Louisiana-based Jewel Records
on the Paula label, became successful, knocking another Beatles song ("Hello, Goodbye") out of the #1 chart
position on the Billboard Hot 100
for two weeks in January 1968. It sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc
. Although Fred actually had a well-rehearsed and talented group honed by years on the road, now known as John Fred & His Playboy Band, he was branded as a novelty act and never had another success. Only after years of struggles did Fred obtain full legal rights to "Judy in Disguise" and its royalties
. They also covered "You're On My Mind" by The Animals
.
, coached high school basketball and baseball
, remained a fixture at concerts and shows in his hometown, and hosted a popular local radio
show, The Roots of Rock 'n' Roll. In 2002, he released his final album
, Somebody's Knockin. In 2004, his health began to fail and he received a kidney transplant. Complications ensued, culminating in a long hospital stay and death. He died on April 14, 2005, aged 63, in New Orleans, he was survived by his wife, Sandra, and a son.
. He has been inducted into the Delta Music Museum
in Ferriday
, Louisiana
.
Blue-eyed soul
Blue-eyed soul is a media term that was used to describe rhythm and blues and soul music performed by white artists, with a strong pop music influence. The term was first used in the mid-1960s to describe white artists who performed soul and R&B that was similar to the music of the Motown and...
, Cajun
Cajun
Cajuns are an ethnic group mainly living in the U.S. state of Louisiana, consisting of the descendants of Acadian exiles...
swamp pop
Swamp pop
Swamp rock is a musical genre indigenous to the Acadiana region of south Louisiana and an adjoining section of southeast Texas. Created in the 1950s and early 1960s by teenaged Cajuns and black Creoles, it combines New Orleans-style rhythm and blues, country and western, and traditional French...
and bubble-gum pop performer from Baton Rouge
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Baton Rouge is the capital of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is located in East Baton Rouge Parish and is the second-largest city in the state.Baton Rouge is a major industrial, petrochemical, medical, and research center of the American South...
, Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
, best known for the song
Song
In music, a song is a composition for voice or voices, performed by singing.A song may be accompanied by musical instruments, or it may be unaccompanied, as in the case of a cappella songs...
, "Judy in Disguise (With Glasses)
Judy in Disguise (With Glasses)
"Judy in Disguise " is a song that was a hit for the Louisiana-based John Fred and his Playboy Band in early 1968. The song was co-written with bandmate Andrew Bernard. According to The Billboard Book of Number One Hits by Fred Bronson, the song was inspired by Fred's listening to The Beatles' hit,...
".
Career
Hit single
A hit single is a recorded song or instrumental released as a single that has become very popular. Although it is sometimes used to describe any widely-played or big-selling song, the term "hit" is usually reserved for a single that has appeared in an official music chart through repeated radio...
was 1958's "Shirley". He appeared on Alan Freed
Alan Freed
Albert James "Alan" Freed , also known as Moondog, was an American disc-jockey. He became internationally known for promoting the mix of blues, country and rhythm and blues music on the radio in the United States and Europe under the name of rock and roll...
's show, but when Dick Clark
Dick Clark (entertainer)
Richard Wagstaff "Dick" Clark is an American businessman; game-show host; and radio and television personality. He served as chairman and chief executive officer of Dick Clark Productions, which he has sold part of in recent years...
asked him to sing on American Bandstand
American Bandstand
American Bandstand is an American music-performance show that aired in various versions from 1952 to 1989 and was hosted from 1956 until its final season by Dick Clark, who also served as producer...
, Fred had to turn him down because he had to play in a basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
game.
In 1967, Fred and band member Andrew Bernard
Andrew Bernard
Andrew B. Bernard is an American economist, currently the Jack Byrne Professor of International Economics at the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire, United States. He also is director of the Center for International Business at Tuck. He has been on the faculty at...
co-wrote "Judy in Disguise", whose name is a parodic
Parody
A parody , in current usage, is an imitative work created to mock, comment on, or trivialise an original work, its subject, author, style, or some other target, by means of humorous, satiric or ironic imitation...
play on the title of The Beatles
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...
' song "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds
Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds
"Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" is a song written primarily by John Lennon and credited to Lennon–McCartney, for The Beatles' 1967 album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band...
". The song, issued by Louisiana-based Jewel Records
Jewel Records (Shreveport record label)
Jewel Records was a record label founded in 1963 by Stan Lewis and based in Shreveport, Louisiana. It had two subsidiary labels, Paula and Ronn. The first of many retail record stores, called Stan's Record Shop, was opened in 1948...
on the Paula label, became successful, knocking another Beatles song ("Hello, Goodbye") out of the #1 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....
position 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...
for two weeks in January 1968. It sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc
Music recording sales certification
Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,...
. Although Fred actually had a well-rehearsed and talented group honed by years on the road, now known as John Fred & His Playboy Band, he was branded as a novelty act and never had another success. Only after years of struggles did Fred obtain full legal rights to "Judy in Disguise" and its royalties
Royalties
Royalties are usage-based payments made by one party to another for the right to ongoing use of an asset, sometimes an intellectual property...
. They also covered "You're On My Mind" by The Animals
The Animals
The Animals were an English music group of the 1960s formed in Newcastle upon Tyne during the early part of the decade, and later relocated to London...
.
Later life and death
Fred continued to perform in bandsBand (music)
In music, a musical ensemble or band is a group of musicians that works together to perform music. The following articles concern types of musical bands:* All-female band* Big band* Boy band* Christian band* Church band* Concert band* Cover band...
, coached high school basketball and baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
, remained a fixture at concerts and shows in his hometown, and hosted a popular local radio
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
show, The Roots of Rock 'n' Roll. In 2002, he released his final album
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...
, Somebody's Knockin. In 2004, his health began to fail and he received a kidney transplant. Complications ensued, culminating in a long hospital stay and death. He died on April 14, 2005, aged 63, in New Orleans, he was survived by his wife, Sandra, and a son.
Awards
In April 2007, John Fred (Gourrier) was inducted into The Louisiana Music Hall of FameLouisiana Music Hall of Fame
The Louisiana Music Hall of Fame is an IRS certified 501 non-profit organization based in the state capitol of Baton Rouge, La., that seeks to preserve Louisiana's rich music culture and heritage and to further educate its citizens and people worldwide about the state’s unique role contributing...
. He has been inducted into the Delta Music Museum
Delta Music Museum
The Delta Music Museum is a museum located in Ferriday, Louisiana. It offers exhibits on sixteen rock and roll and blues musicians from the Mississippi River delta country. The museum opened with a grant from the State of Louisiana and is operated by local volunteers. There is no admission charge;...
in Ferriday
Ferriday, Louisiana
Ferriday is a town in Concordia Parish in northeastern Louisiana, United States. The population, which is three-fourths African American, was 3,723 at the 2000 census....
, Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
.