Kalin Twins
Encyclopedia
The Kalin Twins were a pop music
recording
duo
, comprising twin brothers Hal and Herbie Kalin (d. August 24, 2005 and July 21, 2006, respectively).
s. Their only Top 10 chart
hit
- "When" - may have cruelly prophesied the question of further success. Originally discovered by Clint Ballard, Jr.
, the writer of many hit records
such as "Good Timin'
" for Jimmy Jones
, and "I'm Alive
" for The Hollies
, the sibling duo had a couple of early recording flops.
However, in 1958, after searching through piles of writers' demo
tapes, their management
discovered the song called "When", written by Paul Evans
and Jack Reardon. It topped the UK Singles Chart
, got to Number 5 in their U.S.
homeland, and sold over two million copies in the process. The track remained in the UK
listings
for eighteen weeks, five of which were at Number One. They had no further UK chart entries.
Harold (Hal) and Herbert (Herbie) were the first set of twins
to reach number one in the UK
as a duo, followed years later by The Proclaimers
. They were supported by Cliff Richard
on their only UK tour. Their second single, "Forget Me Not," reached Number 12 in the US Billboard chart later in 1958. After two further low-ranking entries in 1959, they never reached the charts again.
. Sometimes they performed with their younger sibling, Jack, and thus appeared as the Kalin Brothers.
They disappeared again as a performing act, until 1989. Then, their one-time support act, Cliff Richard
, invited them to play at his Wembley Stadium 'The Event' concerts, as part of a sequence paying homage to the 1950s television pop
show, Oh Boy!
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
recording
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...
duo
Duet (music)
A duet is a musical composition for two performers. In classical music, the term is most often used for a composition for two singers or pianists; with other instruments, the word duo is also often used. A piece performed by two pianists performing together on the same piano is referred to as...
, comprising twin brothers Hal and Herbie Kalin (d. August 24, 2005 and July 21, 2006, respectively).
Career
The Kalin Twins remain the archetypal one-hit wonderOne-hit wonder
A one-hit wonder is a person or act known mainly for only a single success. The term is most often used to describe music performers with only one hit single.-Characteristics:...
s. Their only Top 10 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....
hit
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...
- "When" - may have cruelly prophesied the question of further success. Originally discovered by Clint Ballard, Jr.
Clint Ballard, Jr.
Clint Ballard, Jr. was an American songwriter. He wrote two Billboard Hot 100 number one hits. The first was "Game of Love" by Wayne Fontana and The Mindbenders in 1965...
, the writer of many hit records
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...
such as "Good Timin'
Good Timin' (1960 song)
"Good Timin" is a number-one single in the UK Singles Chart in 1960, by Jimmy Jones. It also went to #3 in the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart.It was later covered by Kyu Sakamoto in Japanese....
" for Jimmy Jones
Jimmy Jones (singer)
Jimmy Jones is an African American singer-songwriter, who moved to New York while a teenager. According to Allmusic journalist, Steve Huey, "best known for his 1960 R&B smash, "Handy Man," Jones sang in a smooth yet soulful falsetto modeled on the likes of Clyde McPhatter and Sam...
, and "I'm Alive
I'm Alive (Clint Ballard, Jr. song)
"I'm Alive" is a 1965 number-one UK hit single by The Hollies. It was written especially for them by the successful US pop songwriter Clint Ballard, Jr. who also had chart-topping hits with Linda Ronstadt, Wayne Fontana and Jimmy Jones...
" for The Hollies
The Hollies
The Hollies are an English pop and rock group, formed in Manchester in the early 1960s, though most of the band members are from throughout East Lancashire. Known for their distinctive vocal harmony style, they became one of the leading British groups of the 1960s and 1970s...
, the sibling duo had a couple of early recording flops.
However, in 1958, after searching through piles of writers' demo
Demo (music)
A demo version or demo of a song is one recorded for reference rather than for release. A demo is a way for a musician to approximate their ideas on tape or disc, and provide an example of those ideas to record labels, producers or other artists...
tapes, their management
Management
Management in all business and organizational activities is the act of getting people together to accomplish desired goals and objectives using available resources efficiently and effectively...
discovered the song called "When", written by Paul Evans
Paul Evans (musician)
Paul Evans is an American rock and roll singer and songwriter, who was most prominent in the 1950s and 1960s...
and Jack Reardon. It topped 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 ...
, got to Number 5 in their U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
homeland, and sold over two million copies in the process. The track remained 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...
listings
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....
for eighteen weeks, five of which were at Number One. They had no further UK chart entries.
Harold (Hal) and Herbert (Herbie) were the first set of twins
TWINS
Two Wide-Angle Imaging Neutral-Atom Spectrometers are a pair of NASA instruments aboard two United States National Reconnaissance Office satellites in Molniya orbits. TWINS was designed to provide stereo images of the Earth's ring current. The first instrument, TWINS-1, was launched aboard USA-184...
to reach number one 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...
as a duo, followed years later by The Proclaimers
The Proclaimers
The Proclaimers are a Scottish band composed of identical twin brothers, Charlie and Craig Reid . They are probably best known for the songs "Letter from America", "I'm On My Way" and "I'm Gonna Be ". The band tours extensively throughout Europe and other continents...
. They were supported by Cliff Richard
Cliff Richard
Sir Cliff Richard, OBE is a British pop singer, musician, performer, actor, and philanthropist who has sold over an estimated 250 million records worldwide....
on their only UK tour. Their second single, "Forget Me Not," reached Number 12 in the US Billboard chart later in 1958. After two further low-ranking entries in 1959, they never reached the charts again.
Family
Herbert Kalin was married and had four children, Suzan Lynn, Kelly Lee, Buddy Ladd, and Jonathan Ray.Post-music career
Eventually, disillusioned with diminishing returns, the brothers returned to their day jobs, with each pursuing college degrees. They did not perform again until 1977, when a mutual friend booked them to appear at his new nightclubNightclub
A nightclub is an entertainment venue which usually operates late into the night...
. Sometimes they performed with their younger sibling, Jack, and thus appeared as the Kalin Brothers.
They disappeared again as a performing act, until 1989. Then, their one-time support act, Cliff Richard
Cliff Richard
Sir Cliff Richard, OBE is a British pop singer, musician, performer, actor, and philanthropist who has sold over an estimated 250 million records worldwide....
, invited them to play at his Wembley Stadium 'The Event' concerts, as part of a sequence paying homage to the 1950s television pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
show, Oh Boy!
Deaths
- Harold "Hal" Kalin died on August 24, 2005, as a result of injuries sustained in an automobile accident, aged 71.
- Herbert "Herbie" Kalin died July 21, 2006 from a heart attackMyocardial infarctionMyocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...
, aged 72.
Discography
- "Jumpin' Jack"/"Walkin' To School" - (1957)
- "When" - (1958) - UKUK Singles ChartThe 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 ...
Number One - U.S.Billboard Hot 100The 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...
Number Five - "Three O'Clock Thrill" - (1958) - U.S. jukeboxJukeboxA jukebox is a partially automated music-playing device, usually a coin-operated machine, that will play a patron's selection from self-contained media...
favorite - "Forget Me Not" - (1958) - U.S. Number Twelve
- "Oh! My Goodness" - (1959)
- "It's Only The Beginning" - (1959)
- "Sweet Sugar Lips" - (1959)
- "Sometimes It Comes, Sometimes It Goes" - (1966) - Amy Records
- "Silver Seagull" - (1978)
- "American Eagle" - (1979)