The Yellow Balloon
Encyclopedia
The Yellow Balloon was an American
sunshine pop
band
, produced
by Gary Zekley
. The group is notable for featuring Don Grady
(sometimes billed as "Luke R. Yoo") of Mouseketeers and My Three Sons
fame. Other band members hailed from Oregon
and Arizona
. They were led by Alex Valdez (lead singer), and included Frosty Green (keyboards
), Don Braught (bass guitar
), and Paul Canella (lead guitar
). The band at one time also included Daryl Dragon
, later the male half of Captain & Tennille
.
The Yellow Balloon released multiple single
s, including their hit "Yellow Balloon
" which peaked at #25 on the Billboard 100 Chart and "Good Feelin' Time" both taken from the group's debut album
.
The band's 1967 self-titled LP
was released through Canterbury Records and besides featuring the hit single "Yellow Balloon
", also included two songs co-written by former The Mamas & the Papas
singer Jill Gibson
. The album was later re-released in 1998 as a CD by Sundazed Music, including all eleven songs from the original album, a few songs Grady released as singles, a demo, and a Zekley recorded interview conducted by the music historian Domenic Priore.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
sunshine pop
Sunshine pop
Sunshine pop is a subgenre of pop music originating in the United States, mainly the state of California, in the mid-1960s. Sunshine pop, by nature, is cheerful and upbeat music which is characterised by warm sounds, prominent vocal harmonies, as well as sophisticated productions...
band
Band (music)
In music, a musical ensemble or band is a group of musicians that works together to perform music. The following articles concern types of musical bands:* All-female band* Big band* Boy band* Christian band* Church band* Concert band* Cover band...
, produced
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...
by Gary Zekley
Gary Zekley
Gary Zekley was a former West Coast record producer and songwriter associated with 1960s, 1970s and 1980s bands and songs in the bubblegum, rock and roll, sunshine pop, and surf genres....
. The group is notable for featuring Don Grady
Don Grady
Donald Michael Agrati , better known as Don Grady, is an American composer, musician and actor. He is remembered both as one of Mickey Mouse's original Mouseketeers, and as Robbie Douglas, from My Three Sons. His sister was also an actress, billed as Lani O'Grady...
(sometimes billed as "Luke R. Yoo") of Mouseketeers and My Three Sons
My Three Sons
My Three Sons is an American situation comedy. The series ran from 1960 to 1965 on ABC, and moved to CBS until its end on August 24, 1972. My Three Sons chronicles the life of a widower and aeronautical engineer named Steven Douglas , raising his three sons.The series was a cornerstone of the CBS...
fame. Other band members hailed from Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
and Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
. They were led by Alex Valdez (lead singer), and included Frosty Green (keyboards
Keyboard instrument
A keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
), Don Braught (bass guitar
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
), and Paul Canella (lead guitar
Lead guitar
Lead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs within a song structure...
). The band at one time also included Daryl Dragon
Daryl Dragon
Daryl Frank Dragon is a keyboardist, known as Captain in the successful 1970s pop musical duo Captain & Tennille, with his wife, Toni Tennille....
, later the male half of Captain & Tennille
Captain & Tennille
Captain & Tennille are American pop music recording artists who achieved chart success from 1975 to 1980. The duo consists of husband and wife duo "Captain" Daryl Dragon , and Cathryn Antoinette "Toni" Tennille . They are best known for their singles "Love Will Keep Us Together" and "Do That to Me...
.
The Yellow Balloon released multiple 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...
s, including their hit "Yellow Balloon
Yellow Balloon
"Yellow Balloon" was a Top 30 hit single in the Billboard Hot100 by The Yellow Balloon, included on the group's 1967 self-titled album. It was classified as in the sunshine pop genre.-Music and lyrics:...
" which peaked at #25 on the Billboard 100 Chart and "Good Feelin' Time" both taken from the group's debut 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...
.
The band's 1967 self-titled LP
Gramophone record
A gramophone record, commonly known as a phonograph record , vinyl record , or colloquially, a record, is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove...
was released through Canterbury Records and besides featuring the hit single "Yellow Balloon
Yellow Balloon
"Yellow Balloon" was a Top 30 hit single in the Billboard Hot100 by The Yellow Balloon, included on the group's 1967 self-titled album. It was classified as in the sunshine pop genre.-Music and lyrics:...
", also included two songs co-written by former The Mamas & the Papas
The Mamas & the Papas
The Mamas & the Papas were a Canadian/American vocal group of the 1960s . The group recorded and performed from 1965 to 1968 with a short reunion in 1971, releasing five albums and 11 Top 40 hit singles...
singer Jill Gibson
Jill Gibson
Jill Gibson is an American singer, songwriter, photographer and painter. She is mostly known for having once briefly been a member of the famous 1960s rock group The Mamas & the Papas.-Early life and personal life:...
. The album was later re-released in 1998 as a CD by Sundazed Music, including all eleven songs from the original album, a few songs Grady released as singles, a demo, and a Zekley recorded interview conducted by the music historian Domenic Priore.