The Sandpipers
Encyclopedia
The Sandpipers were an American
easy listening
trio
/quartet
, who carved a niche in 1960s folk rock
. They are best remembered for their cover version
of "Guantanamera
", which became a transatlantic Top 10 hit in 1966, and their Top 20 hit "Come Saturday Morning
" from the soundtrack of the film The Sterile Cuckoo
in 1970.
, New York
) and Richard Shoff (born April 30, 1944, Seattle, Washington) first performed together in the Mitchell Boys Choir, before deciding to go it alone as 'The Four Seasons'. It was pointed out to them that a group of that name already existed in New York
, and they changed their name to 'The Grads'.
Although The Grads did not enter the charts
with their early recordings
, they performed well enough to secure them a residency in a Lake Tahoe
nightclub
, where a friend brought them to the attention of A&M Records
' Herb Alpert
. Alpert was impressed with The Grads, but after a couple of singles
without success the group agreed upon a name change to 'The Sandpipers', apparently unaware that a girl trio in Florida
was already using that name. After the name change, their producer
, Tommy LiPuma
, recommended they record the Cuba
n anthem
, "Guantanamera
", and they had their first hit
. Along with the name change, came a fourth member.
Although sidelined by the original trio for reasons which may never become clear, Pamela Ramcier had now become an integral part of The Sandpipers' sound. Her lyricless
vocals
were used much like second strings
, adding an ethereal quality to The Sandpipers' sound. For the Sandpipers' first live show, in San Diego, their management hired two females, the well-known folk singer Penny Nichols
and Pat Woolley. They too were replaced by subsequent backup singers.
"Guantanamera" charted in the US
in September 1966, and in the UK
the following month, and remains the group's biggest hit. Nevertheless they had many lesser chart entries, including a cover version
of "Louie Louie
", and song
s from the movies
, The Sterile Cuckoo
and Beyond the Valley of the Dolls
.
The record sleeve
for their 1966 album, Guantanamera
, was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Recording Package
. Dolores Erickson
appeared in part of the sleeve's design.
By 1970 the Sandpipers had secured seven separate LP entries in the US Billboard 200
chart. However, having not had a hit in the previous five years, The Sandpipers finally broke up in 1975.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
easy listening
Easy listening
Easy listening is a broad style of popular music and radio format that emerged in the 1950s, evolving out of big band music, and related to MOR music as played on many AM radio stations. It encompasses the exotica, beautiful music, light music, lounge music, ambient music, and space age pop genres...
trio
Trio (music)
Trio is generally used in any of the following ways:* A group of three musicians playing the same or different musical instrument.* The performance of a piece of music by three people.* The contrasting section of a piece in ternary form...
/quartet
Quartet
In music, a quartet is a method of instrumentation , used to perform a musical composition, and consisting of four parts.-Western art music:...
, who carved a niche in 1960s folk rock
Folk rock
Folk rock is a musical genre combining elements of folk music and rock music. In its earliest and narrowest sense, the term referred to a genre that arose in the United States and the UK around the mid-1960s...
. They are best remembered for their 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 "Guantanamera
Guantanamera
"Guantanamera" is perhaps the best known Cuban song and that country's most noted patriotic song.-Music:The music for the song is sometimes attributed to José Fernández Diaz, known as Joseíto Fernández, who claimed to have written it at various dates , and who used it regularly in one of his radio...
", which became a transatlantic Top 10 hit in 1966, and their Top 20 hit "Come Saturday Morning
Come Saturday Morning (song)
Come Saturday Morning is a popular song with music by Fred Karlin and lyrics by Dory Previn, published in 1970. It was first performed by The Sandpipers on the soundtrack of the 1969 film The Sterile Cuckoo starring Liza Minnelli, and it was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original...
" from the soundtrack of the film The Sterile Cuckoo
The Sterile Cuckoo
The Sterile Cuckoo , released in the UK as Pookie, is a theatrical release feature film released by Paramount Pictures. It tells the story of an eccentric young couple whose relationship deepens despite their differences and inadequacies, and stars Liza Minnelli, Wendell Burton, and Tim...
in 1970.
Career
Founding members Jim Brady (born August 24, 1944), Mike Piano (born October 26, 1944, RochesterRochester, New York
Rochester is a city in Monroe County, New York, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. Known as The World's Image Centre, it was also once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
) and Richard Shoff (born April 30, 1944, Seattle, Washington) first performed together in the Mitchell Boys Choir, before deciding to go it alone as 'The Four Seasons'. It was pointed out to them that a group of that name already existed in New York
New 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...
, and they changed their name to 'The Grads'.
Although The Grads did not enter the charts
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....
with their early recordings
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...
, they performed well enough to secure them a residency in a Lake Tahoe
Lake Tahoe
Lake Tahoe is a large freshwater lake in the Sierra Nevada of the United States. At a surface elevation of , it is located along the border between California and Nevada, west of Carson City. Lake Tahoe is the largest alpine lake in North America. Its depth is , making it the USA's second-deepest...
nightclub
Nightclub
A nightclub is an entertainment venue which usually operates late into the night...
, where a friend brought them to the attention of A&M Records
A&M Records
A&M Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group that operates under the mantle of its Interscope-Geffen-A&M division.-Beginnings:...
' Herb Alpert
Herb Alpert
Herbert "Herb" Alpert is an American musician most associated with the group variously known as Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass, Herb Alpert's Tijuana Brass, or TJB. He is also a recording industry executive — he is the "A" of A&M Records...
. Alpert was impressed with The Grads, but after a couple of 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...
without success the group agreed upon a name change to 'The Sandpipers', apparently unaware that a girl trio in Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
was already using that name. After the name change, their producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
, Tommy LiPuma
Tommy LiPuma
Tommy LiPuma is an American music producer. In his long career, he has worked with many musicians, including Barbra Streisand, Miles Davis, Al Jarreau, Anita Baker, Natalie Cole, Claudine Longet, Dave Mason, the Yellowjackets, Michael Franks, Diana Krall, and The Story...
, recommended they record the Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
n anthem
Anthem
The term anthem means either a specific form of Anglican church music , or more generally, a song of celebration, usually acting as a symbol for a distinct group of people, as in the term "national anthem" or "sports anthem".-Etymology:The word is derived from the Greek via Old English , a word...
, "Guantanamera
Guantanamera
"Guantanamera" is perhaps the best known Cuban song and that country's most noted patriotic song.-Music:The music for the song is sometimes attributed to José Fernández Diaz, known as Joseíto Fernández, who claimed to have written it at various dates , and who used it regularly in one of his radio...
", and they had their first 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...
. Along with the name change, came a fourth member.
Although sidelined by the original trio for reasons which may never become clear, Pamela Ramcier had now become an integral part of The Sandpipers' sound. Her lyricless
Lyrics
Lyrics are a set of words that make up a song. The writer of lyrics is a lyricist or lyrist. The meaning of lyrics can either be explicit or implicit. Some lyrics are abstract, almost unintelligible, and, in such cases, their explication emphasizes form, articulation, meter, and symmetry of...
vocals
Human voice
The human voice consists of sound made by a human being using the vocal folds for talking, singing, laughing, crying, screaming, etc. Its frequency ranges from about 60 to 7000 Hz. The human voice is specifically that part of human sound production in which the vocal folds are the primary...
were used much like second strings
String instrument
A string instrument is a musical instrument that produces sound by means of vibrating strings. In the Hornbostel-Sachs scheme of musical instrument classification, used in organology, they are called chordophones...
, adding an ethereal quality to The Sandpipers' sound. For the Sandpipers' first live show, in San Diego, their management hired two females, the well-known folk singer Penny Nichols
Penny Nichols
Penny Nichols is an American folk musician and songwriter. She began her career in the Southern California folk circuit in Orange County, California in 1964, singing in a bluegrass band with Alice, Bill & John McEuen...
and Pat Woolley. They too were replaced by subsequent backup singers.
"Guantanamera" charted in the US
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in September 1966, and 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...
the following month, and remains the group's biggest hit. Nevertheless they had many lesser chart entries, including a 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 "Louie Louie
Louie Louie
"Louie Louie" is an American rock 'n' roll song written by Richard Berry in 1955. It has become a standard in pop and rock, with hundreds of versions recorded by different artists...
", and 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...
s from the movies
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
, The Sterile Cuckoo
The Sterile Cuckoo
The Sterile Cuckoo , released in the UK as Pookie, is a theatrical release feature film released by Paramount Pictures. It tells the story of an eccentric young couple whose relationship deepens despite their differences and inadequacies, and stars Liza Minnelli, Wendell Burton, and Tim...
and Beyond the Valley of the Dolls
Beyond the Valley of the Dolls
Beyond the Valley of the Dolls is a 1970 American schlock melodrama film starring Dolly Read, Cynthia Myers, Marcia McBroom, John LaZar, Michael Blodgett and David Gurian...
.
The record sleeve
Record sleeve
A record sleeve is the outer covering of a vinyl recording. The sleeve is technically the paper covering that is closest in contact to the surface of the recording, as in "dust sleeve", "liner" and "album liner". The term has come to be synonymous with "record jacket" and "album jacket", which is...
for their 1966 album, Guantanamera
Guantanamera (The Sandpipers album)
Guantanamera was an LP album, the first album featuring The Sandpipers, released by A&M Records in October 1966. The catalog numbers were LP 117 in monaural and SP 4117 in stereo...
, was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Recording Package
Grammy Award for Best Recording Package
The Grammy Award for Best Recording Package is one of a series of Grammy Awards presented for the visual look of an album. It is presented to the art director of the winning album, not to the performer, except if the performer is also the art director....
. Dolores Erickson
Dolores Erickson
Dolores Erickson is a model and artist. She came to prominence by appearing as a model on a number of album covers, most notably Whipped Cream & Other Delights by Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass.-Modeling:...
appeared in part of the sleeve's design.
By 1970 the Sandpipers had secured seven separate LP entries in the US 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...
chart. However, having not had a hit in the previous five years, The Sandpipers finally broke up in 1975.
Other Sandpipers
- In 1965-66 an American girl group from Pensacola, FloridaPensacola, FloridaPensacola is the westernmost city in the Florida Panhandle and the county seat of Escambia County, Florida, United States of America. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 56,255 and as of 2009, the estimated population was 53,752...
, briefly toured and recorded as The Sandpipers, backed by GreggGregg AllmanGregory Lenoir Allman , known as Gregg Allman, is a rock and blues singer, keyboardist, guitarist and songwriter, and a founding member of The Allman Brothers Band. He was inducted with the band into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1995 and received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Georgia...
and Duane AllmanDuane AllmanHoward Duane Allman was an American guitarist, session musician and the primary co-founder of the southern rock group The Allman Brothers Band...
. After "Guantanamera" was released, they discovered the other group had prior rights to the name. - There was also a South AfricaSouth AfricaThe Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
n group called the Sandpipers. No one from the American groups was in their line-up, and it is assumed that these groups have no connection beyond their name. - Yet another group known as The Sandpipers (or sometimes The Golden Sandpipers) sang for Golden Records, most notably the theme to Mighty MouseMighty MouseMighty Mouse is an animated superhero mouse character created by the Terrytoons studio for 20th Century Fox.-History:The character was created by story man Izzy Klein as a super-powered housefly named Superfly. Studio head Paul Terry changed the character into a cartoon mouse instead...
; perhaps the original, and the version that is now most well known. - The psychedelic rockPsychedelic rockPsychedelic rock is a style of rock music that is inspired or influenced by psychedelic culture and attempts to replicate and enhance the mind-altering experiences of psychedelic drugs. It emerged during the mid 1960s among folk rock and blues rock bands in United States and the United Kingdom...
group, The Lemon PipersThe Lemon PipersThe Lemon Pipers were a 1960s psychedelic pop band from Oxford, Ohio, known chiefly for their song "Green Tambourine", which reached No. 1 in the United States in 1968...
, overlapped the Sandpipers' years of success (circa 1967-68); and it is said that the two groups were frequently confused.
Albums
A&M RecordsA&M Records
A&M Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group that operates under the mantle of its Interscope-Geffen-A&M division.-Beginnings:...
- GuantanameraGuantanamera (The Sandpipers album)Guantanamera was an LP album, the first album featuring The Sandpipers, released by A&M Records in October 1966. The catalog numbers were LP 117 in monaural and SP 4117 in stereo...
LP-117/SP-4117* (1966) - The SandpipersThe Sandpipers (album)The Sandpipers was an LP album featuring the group of the same name, released by A&M Records in May 1967. The catalog numbers were LP 125 in monaural and SP 4125 in stereo...
LP-125/SP-4125* (1967) - Misty RosesMisty Roses (album)Misty Roses was an LP album featuring The Sandpipers, released by A&M Records in 1967. It peaked at number 35 on The Billboard 200.The album reached #135 on the Billboard chart, and the first track, "Cuando Salí de Cuba," made #3 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart.- Track listing :# "Cuando...
LP-135/SP-4135* (1967) - SoftlySoftly (The Sandpipers album)Softly was an LP album featuring The Sandpipers, released by A&M Records in August, 1968. The album was the first Sandpipers album to be issued in stereo only and not in monaural form in the United States; the catalog numbers were SP-4147 in the US and AML-918 in the United Kingdom.The album...
SP-4147 (1968) (From this point, their albumAlbumAn 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...
s were issued in stereo only) - Spanish AlbumSpanish AlbumSpanish Album was an LP album consisting of tracks assembled from previous albums by The Sandpipers, released by A&M Records in 1969. The catalog numbers were SP 4159 in the United States and AMLS 926 in the United Kingdom...
SP-4159 (1969) - The Wonder of YouThe Wonder of You (The Sandpipers album)The Wonder of You was an LP album featuring The Sandpipers, released by A&M Records in May 1969. The catalog numbers were SP 4180 in the United States and AMLS 935 in the United Kingdom...
SP-4180 (1969) - Greatest Hits SP-4246 (1970)
- Come Saturday MorningCome Saturday Morning (The Sandpipers album)Come Saturday Morning was an LP album featuring The Sandpipers, released by A&M Records in August 1970. The catalog numbers were SP 4262 in the United States and AMLS 99 in the United Kingdom. The album reached #96 on the Billboard charts....
SP-4262 (1970) - A Gift of Song SP-4328 (1971)
- Foursider (compilationCompilation albumA 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...
) SP-3525 (1973) - Stereo
Singles
| Year | Song | 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 ... |
Record label and catalogue reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1966 | "Guantanamera Guantanamera "Guantanamera" is perhaps the best known Cuban song and that country's most noted patriotic song.-Music:The music for the song is sometimes attributed to José Fernández Diaz, known as Joseíto Fernández, who claimed to have written it at various dates , and who used it regularly in one of his radio... " (Joseíto Fernández Joseíto Fernández José Fernández Diaz, September 5, 1908 - October 11, 1979 , commonly known as Joseíto Fernández was a Cuban singer and songwriter. He is the writer of well-known songs, including: "Elige tú, que canto yo", "Amor de madre", Demuéstrame tú, and Así son, boncó, as well as the more famous "Guajira... ) |
9 | 7 | A&M 806 |
| 1966 | "Louie Louie Louie Louie "Louie Louie" is an American rock 'n' roll song written by Richard Berry in 1955. It has become a standard in pop and rock, with hundreds of versions recorded by different artists... " (Richard Berry Richard Berry Richard Berry was an African American singer, songwriter and musician, who performed with many Los Angeles doo-wop and close harmony groups in the 1950s, including The Flairs and The Robins.... ) |
30 | - | A&M 819 |
| 1968 | "Quando M'Innamoro (A Man Without Love)" | - | 33 | A&M 723 |
| 1969 | "Kumbaya Kumbaya "Kumbaya" or "Kumbayah" — is an African-American spiritual song from the 1930s. It enjoyed newfound popularity during the folk revival of the 1960s and became a standard campfire song in Scouting and nature-oriented organizations... " |
- | 38 | A&M 744 |
| 1970 | "Come Saturday Morning Come Saturday Morning (song) Come Saturday Morning is a popular song with music by Fred Karlin and lyrics by Dory Previn, published in 1970. It was first performed by The Sandpipers on the soundtrack of the 1969 film The Sterile Cuckoo starring Liza Minnelli, and it was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original... " (Fred Karlin Fred Karlin Fred Karlin was an American composer of more than one hundred scores for feature films and television movies. He also was an accomplished trumpeter adept at playing jazz, blues, classical, rock, and medieval music.... /Dory Previn Dory Previn Dory Previn, née Dorothy Veronica Langan , is an American lyricist, singer-songwriter and poet.During the late 1950s and 1960s she was a lyricist for motion picture songs, and with her first husband André Previn received several Academy Award nominations... ) |
17 | - | A&M 1134 |
| 1970 | "Free To Carry On" (Dale Bobbitt, Jim Brady) |
94 | - | A&M |
| 1976 | "Hang On Sloopy Hang on Sloopy "Hang on Sloopy" is a song by the pop group The McCoys which was #1 in America in October 1965 and is the official rock song of the state of Ohio and The Ohio State University... " (Wes Farrell Wes Farrell Wes Farrell was an American musician, songwriter and record producer, who was most active in the 1960s and 1970s... , Bert Russell) |
- | 32 | |