The Exciters
Encyclopedia
The Exciters were an American pop music
group of the 1960s. They were originally a girl group
, although a male member (Herb Rooney) was added later. The group consisted of lead singer Brenda Reid, her husband Herb Rooney, Carolyn Johnson and Lillian Walker.
, was "Tell Him" (U.S. #4) in late 1962. Other songs included "He's Got the Power", "Get Him" and Northern Soul
classic "Blowing Up My Mind". The Exciters also recorded the original version of "Do Wah Diddy Diddy
" in 1963; it was covered
shortly after by Manfred Mann
, for whom it was an international hit
.
Dusty Springfield
was on a stop-over in New York City en route to Nashville to make a country music album with The Springfields
in 1962, when she heard the Exciters' "Tell Him" playing while taking a late-night walk by the Colony Record Store on Broadway. The song helped Springfield decide to embark on a solo career with a Pop/Soul direction. She'd recall: "The Exciters sort of got you by the throat...out of the blue comes blasting at you “I know something about love”, and that’s it. That’s what I wanna do."
In 1975, the group enjoyed a hit single with "Reachin' for the Best", produced by Rooney and young newcomer producer Ian Levine
. The song was aimed at the British Northern soul scene but crossed over to the UK Singles Chart
where it peaked at No. 31.
In 1997, "Tell Him" was included on the soundtrack for the Julia Roberts/Cameron Diaz movie, "My Best Friend's Wedding
," and the same song began to be featured in episodes of the TV series, "Ally McBeal
."
In 2009, "Tell Him" was included on the soundtrack for the film Monsters vs. Aliens
.
Group members Reid and Rooney are the parents of Sony producer and label executive Mark C Rooney.
born (1945) Carolyn 'Carol' Johnson died on 7 May 2007, aged 62.
Herb Rooney had previously died.
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...
group of the 1960s. They were originally a girl group
Girl group
A girl group is a popular music act featuring several young female singers who generally harmonise together.Girl groups emerged in the late 1950s as groups of young singers teamed up with behind-the-scenes songwriters and music producers to create hit singles, often featuring glossy production...
, although a male member (Herb Rooney) was added later. The group consisted of lead singer Brenda Reid, her husband Herb Rooney, Carolyn Johnson and Lillian Walker.
Career
The Exciters' first hit record, produced by Jerry Leiber and Mike StollerJerry Leiber and Mike Stoller
Jerome "Jerry" Leiber and Mike Stoller were American songwriting and record producing partners. Stoller was the composer and Leiber the lyricist. Their most famous songs include "Hound Dog", "Jailhouse Rock", "Kansas City", "Stand By Me" Jerome "Jerry" Leiber (April 25, 1933 – August 22, 2011)...
, was "Tell Him" (U.S. #4) in late 1962. Other songs included "He's Got the Power", "Get Him" and Northern Soul
Northern soul
Northern soul is a music and dance movement that emerged from the British mod scene, initially in northern England in the late 1960s. Northern soul mainly consists of a particular style of black American soul music based on the heavy beat and fast tempo of the mid-1960s Tamla Motown sound...
classic "Blowing Up My Mind". The Exciters also recorded the original version of "Do Wah Diddy Diddy
Do Wah Diddy Diddy
"Do Wah Diddy Diddy" is a song written by Jeff Barry and Ellie Greenwich and originally recorded in 1963 by the American vocal group The Exciters.It was soon covered by British R&B, Beat and pop band Manfred Mann...
" in 1963; it was covered
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...
shortly after by Manfred Mann
Manfred Mann
Manfred Mann was a British beat, rhythm and blues and pop band of the 1960s, named after their South African keyboardist, Manfred Mann, who later led the successful 1970s group Manfred Mann's Earth Band...
, for whom it was an international hit
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...
.
Dusty Springfield
Dusty Springfield
Mary Isobel Catherine Bernadette O'BrienSources use both Isabel and Isobel as the spelling of her second name. OBE , known professionally as Dusty Springfield and dubbed The White Queen of Soul, was a British pop singer whose career extended from the late 1950s to the 1990s...
was on a stop-over in New York City en route to Nashville to make a country music album with The Springfields
The Springfields
The Springfields were a British pop-folk vocal trio who had success in the early 1960s in the UK, US and Ireland and included singer Dusty Springfield and her brother, record producer Tom Springfield, along with Tim Feild, later a noted Sufi writer, who was latterly replaced by Mike Hurst, who...
in 1962, when she heard the Exciters' "Tell Him" playing while taking a late-night walk by the Colony Record Store on Broadway. The song helped Springfield decide to embark on a solo career with a Pop/Soul direction. She'd recall: "The Exciters sort of got you by the throat...out of the blue comes blasting at you “I know something about love”, and that’s it. That’s what I wanna do."
In 1975, the group enjoyed a hit single with "Reachin' for the Best", produced by Rooney and young newcomer producer Ian Levine
Ian Levine
Ian Levine is an English songwriter, producer, and DJ. He is also a well-known fan of the long-running television show Doctor Who.Levine attended Arnold School in Blackpool from 1963 to 1970...
. The song was aimed at the British Northern soul scene but crossed over to 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 ...
where it peaked at No. 31.
In 1997, "Tell Him" was included on the soundtrack for the Julia Roberts/Cameron Diaz movie, "My Best Friend's Wedding
My Best Friend's Wedding
My Best Friend's Wedding is a 1997 romantic comedy film directed by P. J. Hogan. It stars Julia Roberts, Cameron Diaz, Dermot Mulroney, Rupert Everett, and Philip Bosco.The film received mostly positive reviews from critics...
," and the same song began to be featured in episodes of the TV series, "Ally McBeal
Ally McBeal
Ally McBeal is an American legal comedy-drama series which aired on the Fox network from 1997 to 2002. The series was created by David E. Kelley, who also served as the executive producer, along with Bill D'Elia...
."
In 2009, "Tell Him" was included on the soundtrack for the film Monsters vs. Aliens
Monsters vs. Aliens
Monsters vs. Aliens is a 2009 American computer-animated 3-D science fiction film produced by DreamWorks Animation and distributed by Paramount Pictures...
.
Group members Reid and Rooney are the parents of Sony producer and label executive Mark C Rooney.
Death
New YorkNew York City
New 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...
born (1945) Carolyn 'Carol' Johnson died on 7 May 2007, aged 62.
Herb Rooney had previously died.
See also
- List of 1960s one-hit wonders in the United States
- United Artists RecordsUnited Artists RecordsUnited Artists Records was a record label founded by Max E. Youngstein of United Artists in 1957 initially to distribute records of its movie soundtracks, though it soon branched out into recording music of a number of different genres.-History:...
- List of doo-wop musicians
External links
- The Exciters biography on History of Rock
- The Exciters discography on Soulful Kinda Music