The Cascades
Encyclopedia
The Cascades were an American
vocal group best known for their single
"Rhythm of the Rain
", recorded in 1962 and an international hit the following year.
personnel serving on the USS Jason (AR-8)
based in San Diego
, California
. They recruited John Gummoe, who had originally acted as their manager, and left the Navy to become The Thundernotes. After the departure of original guitarist Len Green, the group's membership consolidated as John Claude Gummoe (born August 2, 1938, Cleveland
, Ohio
) (lead vocals), Eddie Snyder (guitar), David Szabo (keyboards), Dave Stevens (bass
) and Dave Wilson (drums). Their first single was an instrumental
, "Thunder Rhythm", on the Del-Fi
label.
The group then started to get more interested in vocal harmony
, influenced by the Beach Boys
. They recorded
demo
s which ended up with Barry De Vorzon
at Valiant Records
, a subsidiary of Warner Brothers, who signed them up and also changed their name to The Cascades – inspired by a nearby box of dishwashing detergent
. Their first release, "There's A Reason", became a small regional hit, and, in summer 1962, they went to Gold Star Studios
in Los Angeles and recorded a song
which Gummoe had written in his Navy days while on watch during a thunderstorm
. The musician
s on the recording
included the "Wrecking Crew"
- Hal Blaine
on drums, Carol Kaye
on bass and Glen Campbell
on guitar - and it was arranged
by Perry Botkin. "Rhythm of the Rain
" was issued in November 1962. It rose to #3 on the U.S.
Billboard Hot 100
chart
in early 1963, and became a major hit in over 80 countries. It peaked at #5 in the UK Singles Chart
. "Rhythm of the Rain" sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc
.
The Cascades continued to record, producing an album
and several further singles
, including the follow-up "The Last Leaf", but none matched the charm or success of their big hit. The group did continue to receive major radio airplay in their hometown, San Diego. The Cascades' cover version
of Bob Lind
's "Truly Julie's Blues" received spins on KCBQ
and KGB
in 1966, and their song "Maybe The Rain Will Fall" did fairly well on San Diego radio
charts in the summer of 1969.
The group stayed active for some years, playing local San Diego clubs
like The Cinnamon Cinder, and at other times, touring widely. In 1967, The Cascades appeared onscreen in the Crown International Pictures teen comedy adventure film, Catalina Caper, which included their version of a song written by Ray Davies of the Kinks, "There's A New World."
Gummoe left the group in 1967 to pursue a solo
career and later formed the band Kentucky Express. The Cascades, with Wilson and Snyder remaining as original members, finally split up in 1975. Snyder later recorded country music
under the name Eddie Preston. Gummoe recorded a dance mix of "Rhythm of the Rain" in 1990. The group reformed in 1995 and again in 2004, touring the US and the Philippines
, where they retained a fan following. Dave Wilson died in 2000, aged 63.
A compilation
CD
of the Cascades’ best moments was issued in 1999. That same year, performing rights organization, BMI (Broadcast Music Inc.) announced the "Top 100 Songs of the Century." to receive airplay on radio or television in the U.S., with "Rhythm of the Rain" at #9.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
vocal group best known for their 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...
"Rhythm of the Rain
Rhythm of the Rain
"Rhythm of the Rain" is a song performed by The Cascades, released in November 1962. It was written by Cascades band member John Claude Gummoe. It rose to number three on the US pop chart on March 9, 1963, and spent two weeks at number one on the US Easy Listening chart. The song was also a top 5...
", recorded in 1962 and an international hit the following year.
Career
In 1960, the Silver Strands were a group of United States NavyUnited States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
personnel serving on the USS Jason (AR-8)
USS Jason (AR-8)
USS Jason was a repair ship of the United States Navy in service from 1944 to 1995, serving in World War II, Korea, Vietnam, and the Gulf War...
based in San Diego
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. They recruited John Gummoe, who had originally acted as their manager, and left the Navy to become The Thundernotes. After the departure of original guitarist Len Green, the group's membership consolidated as John Claude Gummoe (born August 2, 1938, Cleveland
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
) (lead vocals), Eddie Snyder (guitar), David Szabo (keyboards), Dave Stevens (bass
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
) and Dave Wilson (drums). Their first single was an instrumental
Instrumental
An instrumental is a musical composition or recording without lyrics or singing, although it might include some non-articulate vocal input; the music is primarily or exclusively produced by musical instruments....
, "Thunder Rhythm", on the Del-Fi
Del-Fi Records
Del-Fi Records was a record label based in Hollywood, California and owned by Bob Keane. The label's first single released was no 4101 "Caravan" by Henri Rose released in 1958; however, the label was most famous for signing Ritchie Valens. Valens' first single for the label was "Come On Let's Go"...
label.
The group then started to get more interested in vocal harmony
Harmony
In music, harmony is the use of simultaneous pitches , or chords. The study of harmony involves chords and their construction and chord progressions and the principles of connection that govern them. Harmony is often said to refer to the "vertical" aspect of music, as distinguished from melodic...
, influenced by the Beach Boys
The Beach Boys
The Beach Boys are an American rock band, formed in 1961 in Hawthorne, California. The group was initially composed of brothers Brian, Dennis and Carl Wilson, their cousin Mike Love, and friend Al Jardine. Managed by the Wilsons' father Murry, The Beach Boys signed to Capitol Records in 1962...
. They recorded
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...
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...
s which ended up with Barry De Vorzon
Barry De Vorzon
Barry De Vorzon is an American singer, songwriter, producer, and composer. His first composing big hit was the rock song "Dreamin'," sung by Johnny Burnette in 1960, although he had a number-one hit previously called "Just Married," which he wrote for Marty Robbins in 1958...
at Valiant Records
Valiant Records
Valiant Records was an independent record company co-owned by Four Star Television which was sold in 1967 to Warner Bros. Records.Valiant Records was never fully independent, for most of its existence, its distributor was ABC Records before Warners took it over distribution in 1965 and then...
, a subsidiary of Warner Brothers, who signed them up and also changed their name to The Cascades – inspired by a nearby box of dishwashing detergent
Detergent
A detergent is a surfactant or a mixture of surfactants with "cleaning properties in dilute solutions." In common usage, "detergent" refers to alkylbenzenesulfonates, a family of compounds that are similar to soap but are less affected by hard water...
. Their first release, "There's A Reason", became a small regional hit, and, in summer 1962, they went to Gold Star Studios
Gold Star Studios
Gold Star Studios was a major independent recording studio located in Los Angeles, California, United States. For more than thirty years, from 1950 to 1984, Gold Star was one of the most influential and successful commercial recording studios in the world....
in Los Angeles and recorded a 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...
which Gummoe had written in his Navy days while on watch during a thunderstorm
Thunderstorm
A thunderstorm, also known as an electrical storm, a lightning storm, thundershower or simply a storm is a form of weather characterized by the presence of lightning and its acoustic effect on the Earth's atmosphere known as thunder. The meteorologically assigned cloud type associated with the...
. The musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
s on the 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...
included the "Wrecking Crew"
The Wrecking Crew (music)
The Wrecking Crew was a nickname coined by the drummer Hal Blaine after the fact for a group of session musicians in Los Angeles, California, who earned wide acclaim in the 1960s. They backed dozens of popular singers, and were one of the most successful "groups" of studio musicians in music history...
- Hal Blaine
Hal Blaine
Hal Blaine is an American drummer and session musician. He is most known for his work with the Wrecking Crew in California. Blaine played on numerous hits by popular groups, including Elvis Presley, John Denver, the Ronettes, Simon & Garfunkel, the Carpenters, the Beach Boys, Nancy Sinatra, and...
on drums, Carol Kaye
Carol Kaye
Carol Kaye is an American musician, best known as one of the most prolific and widely heard bass guitarists in history, playing on an estimated 10,000 recording sessions in a 55 year career....
on bass and Glen Campbell
Glen Campbell
Glen Travis Campbell is an American country music singer, guitarist, television host and occasional actor. He is best known for a series of hits in the 1960s and 1970s, as well as for hosting a variety show called The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour on CBS television.During his 50 years in show...
on guitar - and it was arranged
Arrangement
The American Federation of Musicians defines arranging as "the art of preparing and adapting an already written composition for presentation in other than its original form. An arrangement may include reharmonization, paraphrasing, and/or development of a composition, so that it fully represents...
by Perry Botkin. "Rhythm of the Rain
Rhythm of the Rain
"Rhythm of the Rain" is a song performed by The Cascades, released in November 1962. It was written by Cascades band member John Claude Gummoe. It rose to number three on the US pop chart on March 9, 1963, and spent two weeks at number one on the US Easy Listening chart. The song was also a top 5...
" was issued in November 1962. It rose to #3 on the U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
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...
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....
in early 1963, and became a major hit in over 80 countries. It peaked at #5 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 ...
. "Rhythm of the Rain" 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,...
.
The Cascades continued to record, producing an 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...
and several further singles
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...
, including the follow-up "The Last Leaf", but none matched the charm or success of their big hit. The group did continue to receive major radio airplay in their hometown, San Diego. The Cascades' cover version
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 Bob Lind
Bob Lind
Bob Lind is an American folk music singer-songwriter who reached the height of his success during the 1960s...
's "Truly Julie's Blues" received spins on KCBQ
KCBQ
KCBQ is a radio station broadcasting a News Talk Information format and is owned by Salem Communications. The station offers Conservative talk programming such as Mike Gallagher, Dennis Prager and Michael Medved...
and KGB
KGB-FM
KGB-FM is a classic rock radio station in San Diego, California. It is owned and operated by Clear Channel Communications.-History:...
in 1966, and their song "Maybe The Rain Will Fall" did fairly well on San Diego 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...
charts in the summer of 1969.
The group stayed active for some years, playing local San Diego clubs
Nightclub
A nightclub is an entertainment venue which usually operates late into the night...
like The Cinnamon Cinder, and at other times, touring widely. In 1967, The Cascades appeared onscreen in the Crown International Pictures teen comedy adventure film, Catalina Caper, which included their version of a song written by Ray Davies of the Kinks, "There's A New World."
Gummoe left the group in 1967 to pursue 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 and later formed the band Kentucky Express. The Cascades, with Wilson and Snyder remaining as original members, finally split up in 1975. Snyder later recorded country music
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
under the name Eddie Preston. Gummoe recorded a dance mix of "Rhythm of the Rain" in 1990. The group reformed in 1995 and again in 2004, touring the US and the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
, where they retained a fan following. Dave Wilson died in 2000, aged 63.
A compilation
Compilation album
A compilation album is an album featuring tracks from one or more performers, often culled from a variety of sources The tracks are usually collected according to a common characteristic, such as popularity, genre, source or subject matter...
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 ,...
of the Cascades’ best moments was issued in 1999. That same year, performing rights organization, BMI (Broadcast Music Inc.) announced the "Top 100 Songs of the Century." to receive airplay on radio or television in the U.S., with "Rhythm of the Rain" at #9.
Chart singles
| Year | Title | U.S. 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... | 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 ... |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1963 | "Rhythm of the Rain Rhythm of the Rain "Rhythm of the Rain" is a song performed by The Cascades, released in November 1962. It was written by Cascades band member John Claude Gummoe. It rose to number three on the US pop chart on March 9, 1963, and spent two weeks at number one on the US Easy Listening chart. The song was also a top 5... " |
3 | 5 |
| "The Last Leaf" | 60 | - | |
| "Shy Girl" | 91 | - | |
| "For Your Sweet Love" | 86 | - | |
| 1969 | "Maybe The Rain Will Fall" | 61 | - |
Albums
- Rhythm of The Rain (1963)
- What Goes On Inside (1968)
- Maybe The Rain Will Fall (1969)
- Rhythm of the Rain (1971) Compilation
- The Very Best of The Cascades (1999)
- Hits and Rarities (2001)
- All The Way To Yesterday (2006)