The G-Clefs
Encyclopedia
The G-Clefs were an American
soul
group from Roxbury
, Massachusetts
.
The G-Clefs consisted of four brothers and a fifth member who was a childhood friend. They first began performing locally around 1952. They scored two Top 40 hits in the United States
: their 1956 single
"Ka-Ding-Dong", featuring Freddy Cannon
on guitar, hit #24 on the Billboard Hot 100
, and 1961's "I Understand (Just How You Feel)
", which uses the melody from "Auld Lang Syne
", reached #9. The latter track reached #17 in the UK Singles Chart
in late 1961.
They continued to play locally in the Boston area into the 2000s.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
soul
Soul music
Soul music is a music genre originating in the United States combining elements of gospel music and rhythm and blues. According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, soul is "music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm & blues into a form of...
group from Roxbury
Roxbury, Massachusetts
Roxbury is a dissolved municipality and current neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts, United States. It was one of the first towns founded in the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1630, and became a city in 1846 until annexed to Boston on January 5, 1868...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
.
The G-Clefs consisted of four brothers and a fifth member who was a childhood friend. They first began performing locally around 1952. They scored two Top 40 hits in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
: their 1956 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...
"Ka-Ding-Dong", featuring Freddy Cannon
Freddy Cannon
Frederick Anthony Picariello Jr. , known as Freddy Cannon, is an American rock and roll singer, whose biggest international hits included "Tallahassee Lassie", "Way Down Yonder In New Orleans", and "Palisades Park".-Biography:...
on guitar, hit #24 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...
, and 1961's "I Understand (Just How You Feel)
I Understand (Just How You Feel)
"I Understand " is a popular song. It was written by Pat Best and was published in 1953.Hit versions were recorded by The Four Tunes and by June Valli....
", which uses the melody from "Auld Lang Syne
Auld Lang Syne
"Auld Lang Syne" is a Scots poem written by Robert Burns in 1788 and set to the tune of a traditional folk song . It is well known in many countries, especially in the English-speaking world; its traditional use being to celebrate the start of the New Year at the stroke of midnight...
", reached #9. The latter track reached #17 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 ...
in late 1961.
They continued to play locally in the Boston area into the 2000s.
Members
- Teddy Scott (born 1936)
- Chris Scott (b. 1937)
- Tim Scott (b. 1938)
- Ilanga Scott (b. 1940)
- Ray Gibson (b. 1937)