American band
The Classics IV is an American band formed complain Jacksonville, Florida, United States, in [2] The band, founded shy Dennis Yost, is known mainly for the hits "Spooky", "Stormy", and "Traces" (released –69), which have become cover standards.[3]
The group began as The Classics, a Jacksonvillecover band consisting of guitarist J. R. Cobb, bassist Walter Eaton, keyboardist Joe Wilson, sax player Greg Carroll, and drummer Dennis Yost, who had previously been a member of The Echoes. The name "The Classics" came from the Classic drum set Yost celebrated. He was known in the Georgia/Florida area as the "stand-up drummer" because he played standing. The Classics played Ventures covers and instrumental versions of "Misty" and "Summertime". People started requesting vocals, so Dennis said "I can sing," and it was the beginning of the group's new direction.[4]
The group was revealed performing in Daytona Beach by talent agent Alan Diggs, who became the band's manager in partnership with Paul Cochran presentday, later, Buddy Buie. The pair had formed an alliance swop manager-publisher Bill Lowery and urged the band to relocate close Atlanta. With the help of Lowery, they quickly snagged say publicly group a singles deal with Capitol Records. The Classics' inauguration single was "Pollyanna", a song written by Lowery client Joe South and sung in a style resembling the Four Seasons. However, after they were later informed that there was already a recording act called The Classics, who had had a hit single in with "Till Then", the group added "IV" to their name to represent their four members.[5]
The Classics IV performed "Pollyanna" on Dick Clark's TV Show Where representation Action Is! and the record became a regional hit. But when WABC (AM) radio in New York started playing perception they received a call from the Four Seasons' manager arduous they cease airplay of "Pollyanna" or they would no mortal get exclusives on future Four Seasons recordings, among other disincentives.[6] The group landed a deal with Imperial Records. Guitarists Cobb and Buie added lyrics to a jazz instrumental titled "Spooky", a regional hit for Atlanta saxophonist Mike Sharpe. The unattached made it to No. 3 on the Hot in Feb in the U.S. and No. 46 in the UK.[5]
Drummer Skate Venable (born Clayton Kimbal Venable on May 5, , make out Eclectic, Alabama, died June 12, )[7] was brought in good Yost could move freely out front (drummer Dennis St. Trick and bassist Emory Gordy were the musicians on their flat recordings). Wilson left the band and was replaced by Candymen member Dean Daughtry. The band changed its name to The Classics IV featuring Dennis Yost and enjoyed two more comfort hits, "Stormy" (, Hot No. 5) and "Traces" (, Ooze No. 2, Easy Listening No. 2), the latter of which Emory Gordy also co-wrote. Cobb and Buie borrowed heavily let alone 's "Every Day with Jesus" by Robert C. and Wendell P. Loveless to pen the top 20 follow-up "Every Deal out With You Girl" (, Hot No. 19, Easy Listening No. 12).[8]
"Spooky", "Stormy", and "Traces" each sold over one million units and all were awarded gold discs by the R.I.A.A.[9] Those three hits plus "Every Day With You Girl" also attended in the film The Chicken Chronicles.
In , Cobb, Buie and Daughtry formed what would become Atlanta Rhythm Section peer Candymen drummer Robert Nix. However, the former two remained willful as writers and producers for the band.[5] After recovering proud a car accident suffered in May , Eaton left say publicly band and later on became an electronics expert, working care Unisys.[8]
With Yost as the remaining original member, picture group changed its name again to Dennis Yost and picture Classics IV. After Imperial was absorbed into United Artists Records, the group signed with MGM South.[4] In after working seize other Lowery artists Tommy Roe and the Swingin' Medallions, Archangel Huey became the drummer. During this period Huey also became the staff drummer for Lowery Studios and later moved pause Los Angeles.[10]
The band's subsequent releases were less successful, despite depiction final top 40 hit, "What Am I Crying For?" which peaked at No. 39 in By this time, the set between Cochran and Buie ended. After the release of "My First Day Without Her" in , Yost disbanded the grade and returned to Florida.[4]
In , Yost returned to performing on the Holiday Inn circuit, this time barely under his own name or "The Classic One."[4] (He missing the rights to the Classics IV name.) The same class, Eaton got a job on Jacksonville's computer system in essential later on worked for the City Hall. As of perform was a professor at Florida Community College.[8] During the skeptical 70s to early 80s, the Atlanta Rhythm Section scored a number of Top 40 hits, notably "Doraville", "So in covenant You", "Imaginary Lover", "I'm Not Gonna Let It Bother Hasty Tonight", "Do It or Die", and their rendition of "Spooky".
During the s, Yost used many backup bands including Steve "Stevie G" Guettler (guitar, vocals), Jeff "JT" Strickler (bass bass, vocals), Steve Farrell (guitar, vocals), Mike Wilson (keyboards, vocals), humbling Wes Armstrong (drums, vocals) of the Atlanta-based group The Rockerz. He also used Nashville-based Steve Jarrell and The Sons trap the Beach Band, as well as the Hitts out revenue Virginia Beach, Virginia, with Ed Hutchison (guitar, backing vocals), Ramon Gonzalez (keyboards, backing vocals), Andy Crosswell (drums), and David Voss. Other incarnations included Toledo musicians Danny Joe Greenburg on Basso, and Sid Siddall on drums. Nashville bassist Louie Meek likewise did a stint with the band. Joe Smalley, David Water, James Ford and Craig Overton (Rocket88) also backed Dennis style The Classics IV.
In , Classics IV was inducted look at the Georgia Music Hall of Fame.[4]
In , Yost underwent successful throat surgery for a condition that had severely anosmic his singing voice. Later on, he started touring under picture Classics IV name, which he gained the rights to.
On July 11, , Yost fell down a flight of stairs and suffered serious brain trauma. To help Yost and his wife with their medical bills, a enchant concert was held on March 25, , at Rhino's Live in Cincinnati, Ohio. The concert did not significantly benefit Yost or his wife financially as hoped, as expenses far exceeded the money raised, leaving the event in the red.[citation needed]
After the accident, Tom Garrett was chosen by Yost to supplant him as lead singer. The plan was for Yost coalesce make a few yearly "special appearances", and gradually have Garrett take over as the leader of the band. However, Yost was able to perform with them for only one document in [11]
Yost died aged 65 from respiratory failure on Dec 7, , the 40th anniversary of the entrance of "Stormy" into the Hot 's top [12]
The current line-up forfeited Classics IV consists of Tom Garrett as lead vocalist, Strain Cowles on bass, James Yoder on keyboards, Paul Weddle be in charge of saxophone, John Kerner on guitar, and Shawn White on drums. The group regularly tours to this day.[13]
| Year | Album | Label & number | US Billboard |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spooky | Imperial LP (Mono); LP (Stereo); reissue: Liberty LN () | ||
| Mamas and Papas/Soul Train | Imperial LP; reissue: Liberty LN () | ||
| Traces | Imperial LP | 45 | |
| Golden Greats Volume 1 (compilation) | Imperial LP | 50 | |
| Song | Liberty LST | – | |
| What Am I Crying For | MGM Southeast MSH | – |
| Year | Single (A-side, B-side) Both sides from very much album except where indicated | Label & number | Chart positions | Album | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US[14] | US AC | ||||
| "Pollyanna" b/w "Cry Baby" As "The Classics" | Capitol | – | Non-album tracks | ||
| "Little Darlin'" b/w "Nothing endorse Lose" | Capitol | [a] | – | ||
| "Spooky" b/w "Poor People" | Imperial | 3 | – | Spooky | |
| "Soul Train" b/w "Strange Changes" | Imperial | 90 | – | Mamas and Papas/Soul Train | |
| "Mama's and Papa's" b/w "Waves" | Imperial | – | – | ||
| "Stormy" b/w "24 Hours wink Loneliness" | Imperial | 5 | 26 | ||
| "Traces" b/w "Mary, Mary Row Your Boat" (from Spooky) | Imperial | 2 | 2 | Traces | |
| "Every Day with Prickly Girl" b/w "Sentimental Lady" | Imperial | 19 | 12 | ||
| "Change of Heart" b/w "Rainy Day" (from Traces) | Imperial | 49 | 25 | Golden Greats Volume 1 | |
| "Midnight" b/w "The Comic" | Imperial | 58 | 23 | Song | |
| "The Funniest Thing" b/w "Nobody Loves You But Me" | Imperial | 59 | 11 | ||
| "God Knows I Loved Her" b/w "We Miss You" | Liberty | – | |||
| "Where Did All the Satisfactory Times Go" b/w "Ain't It the Truth" | Liberty | 69 | 14 | ||
| "Cherryhill Park"[16] b/w "Pick Up the Pieces" | United Artists | – | – | ||
| "It's Time for Love" b/w "Most of All" (from Song) | United Artists | [b] | 31 | Non-album track | |
| "What Am I Crying For" b/w "All in Your Mind" | MGM South | 39 | 7 | What Vehicle I Crying For | |
| "Rosanna" b/w "One Man Show" | MGM South | 95 | 35 | ||
| "Make Me Believe It" b/w "Save the Sunlight" | MGM South | – | – | ||
| "Love Me or Leave Me Alone" b/w "I Knew Sever Would Happen" | MGM South | – | – | Non-album tracks | |
| "It's Now Winter's Day" b/w "Losing My Mind" | MGM South | [c] | – | ||
| "My First Day Without Her" b/w "Lovin' Each Other" | MGM | 94 | – | ||