Kirby Stone Four
Encyclopedia
The Kirby Stone Four were an American
vocal ensemble popular in the 1950s and early 1960s.
Kirby Stone founded the group in the years after World War II
and began playing clubs in the New York area. They won slots on local television, including The Ed Sullivan Show
, and soon after signed to Columbia Records
. Several LPs followed, including Baubles, Bangles and Beads; their version of the song "Baubles, Bangles and Beads" became a hit in the U.S. in 1958, reaching #25 on the Billboard Hot 100
. The song was also nominated for a Grammy award
. On the strength of the single, the album reached #13 on the Billboard 200
.
Among the backing musicians that played on Kirby Stone Four albums were Jimmy Carroll
's orchestra, the Kai Winding
Quartet, Alvino Rey
, Shelly Manne
, and Al Klink
. Their style, which melded swing jazz, vocalese
, and early rock and roll
was referred to as "The Go Sound". They made many appearances on U.S. television shows such as The Judy Garland Show
into the mid-1960s. By that time their sound had faded from popularity, and in 1966 they recorded a rock & roll album with The Tokens
as the United States Double Quartet. During this time Stone directed several TV variety show
s.
Some of their output has been re-released on CD by Collectables Records
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
vocal ensemble popular in the 1950s and early 1960s.
Kirby Stone founded the group in the years after World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and began playing clubs in the New York area. They won slots on local television, including The Ed Sullivan Show
The Ed Sullivan Show
The Ed Sullivan Show is an American TV variety show that originally ran on CBS from Sunday June 20, 1948 to Sunday June 6, 1971, and was hosted by New York entertainment columnist Ed Sullivan....
, and soon after signed to Columbia Records
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
. Several LPs followed, including Baubles, Bangles and Beads; their version of the song "Baubles, Bangles and Beads" became a hit in the U.S. in 1958, reaching #25 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...
. The song was also nominated for a Grammy award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
. On the strength of the single, the album reached #13 on the Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
.
Among the backing musicians that played on Kirby Stone Four albums were Jimmy Carroll
Jimmy Carroll
Jimmy Carroll is a retired Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club Hospital-Herbertstown and was a member of the Limerick senior inter-county team in the 1970s and 1980s. Carroll won back-to-back National Hurling League and Munster titles with his native county.-References:...
's orchestra, the Kai Winding
Kai Winding
Kai Chresten Winding was a popular Danish-born American trombonist and jazz composer. He is well known for a successful collaboration with fellow trombonist J. J. Johnson.-Biography:...
Quartet, Alvino Rey
Alvino Rey
Alvin McBurney , known by his stage name Alvino Rey, was an American swing era musician and pioneer, often credited as the father of the pedal steel guitar...
, Shelly Manne
Shelly Manne
Shelly Manne , born Sheldon Manne in New York City, was an American jazz drummer. Most frequently associated with West Coast jazz, he was known for his versatility and also played in a number of other styles, including Dixieland, swing, bebop, avant-garde jazz and fusion, as well as contributing...
, and Al Klink
Al Klink
Al Klink was an American swing jazz tenor saxophonist.Klink played with Glenn Miller from 1939 to 1942, and is heard trading solos with Tex Beneke on the most well-known version of "In the Mood". When Miller started playing in the U.S...
. Their style, which melded swing jazz, vocalese
Vocalese
Vocalese is a style or genre of jazz singing wherein lyrics are written for melodies that were originally part of an all-instrumental composition or improvisation. Whereas scat singing uses improvised nonsense syllables, such as "bap ba dee dot bwee dee" in solos, vocalese uses lyrics, either...
, and early rock and roll
Rock and roll
Rock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...
was referred to as "The Go Sound". They made many appearances on U.S. television shows such as The Judy Garland Show
The Judy Garland Show
The Judy Garland Show is an American musical variety television series that aired on CBS on Sunday nights during the 1963-1964 television season. Despite a sometimes stormy relationship with Judy Garland, CBS had found success with several television specials featuring the star...
into the mid-1960s. By that time their sound had faded from popularity, and in 1966 they recorded a rock & roll album with The Tokens
The Tokens
The Tokens are an American male doo-wop-style vocal group from Brooklyn, New York. They are known best for their chart-scoring 1961 single, "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" .-Career:...
as the United States Double Quartet. During this time Stone directed several TV variety show
Variety show
A variety show, also known as variety arts or variety entertainment, is an entertainment made up of a variety of acts, especially musical performances and sketch comedy, and normally introduced by a compère or host. Other types of acts include magic, animal and circus acts, acrobatics, juggling...
s.
Some of their output has been re-released on CD by Collectables Records
Collectables Records
Collectables is a reissue record label founded in 1980 by Jerry Greene. Greene was previously associated with New York City's Times Square Record Shop, Philadelphia's Record Museum retail chain, and the Lost Nite and Crimson record labels....
.
Members
- Kirby Stone (born April 27, 1918, New YorkNew York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, died July 13, 1981) - Eddie Hall
- Mike Gardner
- Larry Foster
Discography
- Man, I Flipped When I Heard the Kirby Stone Four (Cadence RecordsCadence RecordsCadence Records was an American record company based in New York City. It was founded by Archie Bleyer, who had been the musical director and orchestra leader for Arthur Godfrey in 1952...
, 1958) - Baubles, Bangles and Beads (Columbia, 1958)
- The Go Sound
- The Kirby Stone Touch
- My Fair Lady
- Things Are Swinging
- Wow
- Whooping It Up
- Get That Ball
- Showtime
- Kirby Stone Four Singalong
- Kirby Stone Four & The Tokens: Life Is Groovy
- Guys And Dolls