Peculiar Fame of Old Time Group Singers

Many group singers venture to sing in group, just like their famous old time group singers since the 1950s , some became popular, gained peculiar fame and made names, some failed, or maybe their fame was too short. There are groups that sold millions of recording and made hit to the chart. Some group singers separate as groups and made solo performing acts, hoping to make names on their own. Here are some group of singers that we once knew, with their old time favorites still being played on air. Those struggling group singers, and gained peculiar and unexpected fame, then suddenly their fame dropped down and sometimes the finances is gone because of mismanagement, abused of health and “drowned by popularity”and many more.

1) The Platters

One of the most famous vocal singer groups are The Platters in rock and roll years , and had 40 charting singles on the Billboard from 1955 to 1967. The Platters were originally formed in 1953, and the original group’s casts were Alex Hodge, Cornell Gunter David Lynch, Joe Jefferson,Gaynel Hodge and Herb Reed(founding member and gave the name for the group, The Platters), but found little success, managed by Ralph Bass. In 1953, Cornell Gunter was replaced by Tony Williams, lead vocalist, and later, Alex Hodge was replaced by Paul Robi and additional female vocalist, Zola Taylor. Then Buck Ram a music entrepreneur and songwriter, composed Only You (And You Alone), originally written for the Ink Spots, was then decided unreleasable by the label. Then their singles was followed by, The Great Pretender, I’m Sorry, He’s Mine, Enchanted, The Magic Touch, My Prayer, Twilight Time, Harbor Lights, To Each His Own, Smoke Gets In Your Eyes, If I didn’t Care, and many more albums that made it to the chart. Alex Hodge, the baritone member was fired by Ram accusing him of Marijuana possession in 1954. After 1959, the group has difficulty of gaining back the fame, when four male members were arrested and charged for prostitution involvement and possession of marijuana. And during this time, vocalist Tony Williams left the group and went solo. Thus the group have changed its members replaced by new one many times. Member Paul Robi, died of pancreatic cancer on February 1,1989,and Herb Reed, founding member died in June 2012 at the age of 83.

2) The Temptation

The Temptations are the !960s to 1970s vocal group, with successful career under the Motown Records, with their harmonies and choreography and colorful outfits with their R&B singing style and doo-wop, disco and funky style, souls and contemporary music for adults and influential soul performers. The group was formed in Detroit Michigan in 1960′s as “The Elgins”, with original line ups, Otis Williams, second tenor and Elbridge “Al” Bryant, first tenor and Melvin Franklin bass , Eddie Kendicks, first tenor and falsetto, and Paul Williams baritone and second tenor second tenor, David Ruffin and Dennis Edwards lead singers , left the group and went solo performers, but the line ups of The Temptations, had changed frequently like The Platters. Their hit singles are; My Girl, Ain’t Too Proud To Beg, Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone,Get Ready, You’re My Everything, and many more hits.

3) The Stylistics

The best-known Philadelphia soul groups of the 1970s are The Stylistics a soul vocal music groups formed in 1968, were composed of Russell Thompkins Jr. sing in falsetto as the lead, Herbie Murrell, Airrion Love, James Smith, and James Dunn. Their R&B hit songs includes; Stop, Look, Listen to Your Heart, You Are Everything, Betcha By Golly, Wow, I’m Stone In Love With You, Break Up To Make Up, and You Make Me Feel Brand New. James Dunn and James Smith separated with the groups due to conflicts in 1980, and the group recruited their new member Raymond Johnson, and reunite with Thom Bell and released in 1980 their single that hit the chart after You Make Me Feel Brand New, Hurry Up This Way Again.

4) Earth, Wind And Fire

Earth, Wind & Fire, also known as EWF, and these group was formed and founded by Maurice White in 1969, with members , Philip Bailey, Verdine White, Ralph Johnson, Larry Dunn and Al McKay. The group sings live, between the contrasting vocals falsetto of Philip Bailey and tenor Maurice White. Their hit songs in the late 1970s and early 1980s includes; Devotion, Reasons, Sing A Song, Shining Star, That’s The Way of the World, Can’t Hide Love, Getaway, Fantasy, September, Boogie Wonderland, After The Love Has Gone, and Let’s Groove.

5) The Supremes

The all-female group was originally known as The Primettes, founded in 1959 in Detroit, Michigan, and was later changed to The Supremes, in 1960 and became the Motown Records premier act and performed style of vocal-based rhythm and blues music (doo-wop), Broadway show, soul, pop, disco and psychedelic soul. The founding members were Florence Ballard, Mary Wilson, Diana Ross and Betty McGlown.The Supremes was disbanded in 1977.

Florence Ballard

Florence Glenda Ballard Chapman was born on June 30, 1943 and died from heart failure on February 22, 1976 at the age of 32. She was a singer and a founding member of The Supremes, the Motown group. The Motown CEO Berry Gordy decided to remove Ballard from the Supremes in 1967. After being removedfrom the group, Ballard struggled with a solo career in the late 1960s and spent much of the last five years of her life in relative poverty. Her death has been called “one of rock’s greatest tragedies”.

Diana Ross

Diana Ernestine Earle Ross was born March 26, 1944^, is an Americanactress, singer and record producer. Barbara Ross, Diana’s elder sister, a successful doctor and the first black American woman to be an Administrator of a medical school in the United States, Rita Ross, a younger sister became a teacher, Fred Ross Jr, a Vietnam War veteran but chooses to become a private citizen, Arthur Ross was a Motown songwriter, writing hits for Michael Jackson, The Miracles and Martin Gaye and Wilbert Chico Ross, became a choreographer and professional dancer for sister Diana. In 1996, brother Arthur and wife Patricia Robinson-Ross was found murdered and no suspect can be found and convicted. Diana married twice and the first marriage was in January 1971 to Robert Ellis Silberstein, a music business manager and divorced in 1977. On January 1986, Diana married Arne Naess, Jr., shipping magnate Norwegian billionaire but divorced in 2000. In 2004, Arne Naess died from a mountain climbing accident, where Diana attended the funeral. She had five children, her daughter Rhonda Suzanne Silberstein was born on August 14, 1971, Rhonda’s biological father is Berry Gordy. Her two daughters from Silberstein are Tracee Joy (or now known as Tracee Ellis Ross, an American actress) and Chudney Lane. And from her marriage to Naess, she had two sons, Ross Arne and Evan Olav Naess (now known as Evan Ross an American actor and musician).

Mary Wilson

Mary Wilson, singer and one of the Supremes founding member, was born on March 6, 1944. Mary Wilson met Florence Ballard while attending the junior high school and became closed friends and both interests in music. Milton Jenkins, manager of The Primes a male vocal group, decided to form The Primettes a female spin-off group, he recruited Ballard, who recruited Wilson. Wilson then recruited a new friend of hers,Diana Ross and Betty McGlown to complete their group. Barbara Martin replaced McGlown in 1961, who was pregnant at that time and had to quit from the group. Then in 1962, they changed the name of The Primettes to The Supremes. It was in 1963 when the group had hit the chart with their records such as; When the Lovelight Starts Shining Through His Eyes, Where Did Our Love Go, Love Child, Someday We’ll Be Together, Stoned Love, River Deep-Mountain High, Touch and many more phenomenal songs.

Betty McGlown

Betty McGlown-Travis was born 1943 in Detroit Michigan, is anAfrican American singer and one of the meber of The Primettes and later on changed to The Supremes. There was never been reported that she had her own solo singe, just like her other group, it was only known that McGlown sang as back-up singers for Mary Wilson for her Pretty Baby and Tears of Sorrow for Diana Ross. She died on January 12, 2008, due to diabetes complications.

6)  Destiny’s Child

Destiny’s Child was formed in 1997 in Houston, Texas, an American R&B all female group whose final line-up comprised Beyonce Knowles, Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams. Destiny’s Child members began their musical endeavors in their pre-teens under the name Girl’s Tyme. After years of performing , they signed under the Columbia Records as Destiny’s Child, comprising Knowles, Rowland,LeToya Luckette and LaTavia Roberson. Oftentimes they are compared to the Supremes. Their second album made it to the chart, The Writings on the Wall which includes singles, Say My Name, Bills, Bills, Bills, Independent Women, Survivor, Bootylicious. LaTavia Roberson and LeToya Luckette, tried to get out from American manager and music executive, Mathew Knowles, and Beyonce’s father. They were replaced by Mary Williams and Farrah Franklin, however in 2000, Franklin left the group that made them as trio.

Beyonce Knowles

Beyoncé Giselle Knowles was born on September 4, 1981,famously known as Beyoncé, an American singer, songwriter, record producer and actress In April 2008, Knowles married American rapper Jay-Z (Shawn Corey Carter (born December 4, 1969 rapper, songwriter, record producer, entrepreneur, and occasional actor), and gave birth to their first child, Blue Ivy Carter, in January 2012. In 2003, Beyonce’s first album was released, Dangerously In Love, followed by Crazy In Love, Baby Boy, Deja Vu, Irreplaceable, Beautiful Liar, If I Were A Boy, Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It), Halo, Sweet Dreams and many more.

Kelly Rowland

Kelendria Trene Rowland known as Kelly Rowland was born on February 11, 1981, American recording artist, songwriter, dancer, actress and television personality. Born in Atlanta, Georgia and raised in Houston, Texas .

Michelle Williams

Tenitra Michelle Williams commonly known as Michelle Williams, born on July 23, 1980, commonly known as Michelle Williams, is an American songwriter, singer, record producer and actress. Williams rose to fame in the 2000s as a member of R&B all female group Destiny’s Child, one of the best-selling female groups of all time.

LaTavia Roberson

LaTavia Marie Roberson was born November 1, 1981, is a two-time winning Grammy Award, American songwriter and singer and Girl’s Tyme original member, which later became Destiny’s Child. So LaTavia and LeToya wrote their fateful ­letter to Mathew Knowles expressing their concerns. The next thing they knew, says LaTavia, they were out. But they didn’t find out until they have seen the video for Say My Name with two new girls in their places. They were just 18 when they officially left Destiny’s Child in ­December 1999.

LeToya Luckett

LeToya Nicole Luckett also known as LeToya was born March 11, 1981, is an Americansongwriter, singer and actress, and one of the original member of Destiny’s Child, an R&B all female group, won two Grammy Awards and released commercial recordings and became successful. Together with LaTavia, both was removed from the Destiny’s Child group ws replaced by new members by their manager, Mathew Knowles, Beyonce’s father.However, she became an actress and made some films like Preacher’s Kid, Killers, From the Rough and Treme, an HBO TV series.

Farrah Franklin

Farrah Destiny Franklin was born May 3, 1981, is an African-Italian-American singer and actress. She is an ex-member of Destiny’s Child, but was fired from the group after 6 months. Franklin replaced LaTavia Roberson and LeToya Luckett alongside with Michelle Williams, replacing LaTavia Roberson and LeToya Luckett alongside with Michelle Williams. Franklin was arrested for alcohol factor, at 6:45 AM on April 23, and was released the following day after posting her $100 bail.

7) Beatles

In 1960s, The Beatles an English rock band formed in Liverpool, and became a phenomenal successful bands in popular music history. The group’s best-known members are the following; (rhythm guitar and vocalist) John Lennon, (bass guitar and vocalist) Paul McCartney,( lead guitarist and vocalist) George Harrison and (drummer and vocalist) Ringo Starr. They started as the type of popular music with blues, folk, jazz and the 1950′s rock and roll, and the group later worked in many conventional category that identifies pieces of music that range from psychedelic rock and pop ballads, often incorporating classical music and other elements in innovative ways. This era was often called the Beatlemania era. Love Me Do was their first single released became the modest hit in 1962, and hit in the UK recording chart. Popular hits includes; Please, Please Me, With The Beatles, A Hard Days Night, Beatles For Sale, Help!, Rubber Soul, Revolver, Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, The Beatles, Yellow Submarine, Abbey Road, Let It Be, Long Tall Sally. The Beatles split up in 1970 and found success as solo performers.

John Lennon

John Winston Lennon, was born October9 ,1940 and was killed on December 8,1980, an English musician and singer-songwriter who rose to worldwide fame as one of the founder members of The Beatles, one of the most successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Lennon and Paul McCartney formed one of the most famous 20th century songwriter partnership. His first solo iconic song was Imagine and Give Peace A Chance. He was first married to Cynthia Powell on August 23, 1962 and had a son named Julian. They divorced after Cynthia when she started using LSD and accused of adultery when she slept with Alexis Mardas, while Lennon was on tour. He then married Yoko Ono in 1969 and changed his name as John Ono Lennon. His second son, Sean was born on October 9, 1975. On December 8, 1980, John Lennon was shot four times at the entrance of The Dakota Apartment by Mark David Chapman, sentenced to 20 years to life imprisonment and denied parole six times.

Sir James Paul McCartney

Sir James Paul McCartney was born June 18, 1942, he is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. The Beatles song Yesterday became a big hit, “Yesterday” was covered by 2,200 artists, more than any other song in the history in the music industry. McCartney first married to Linda Eastman, and was married in 1969. They had four children. Linda Eastman-McCartney died of breast cancer in 1998, that made Paul devastated. In 2002, Paul married Heather Mills and had a daughter but separated in 2006 and suffered an acrimonious divorce in March 2008. On October 9, 2011, he married Nancy Shevell from New York , a breast cancer survivor. His solo hit songs are Eleanor Rigby, Tomorrow Never Knows, Can’t Buy Me Love, Paperback Writer,Hello, Goodbye, Hey Jude, Get Back, Let It Be, The Long and Winding Road, Live and Let Die theme for James Bond film and many more songs from Paul that hit the chart.

George Harrison

George Harrison, Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE) was born on February 25, 1943 and died of lung cancer on November 29,2001. He was married twice, and the first marriage was to Pattie Boyd, an English model from 1966 to 1974. The second marriage was to Olivia Trinidad Arias, the secretary for 23 years of the record company, and had as son, Dhani Harison. Goerge Harrison achieved his peculiar fame as the Beatles lead guitarist, and was oftenly referred to as the quiet Beatles. Eric Clapton was his closest friend in the music industry. In 1980, he published his autobiography, I Me Mine.

Ringo Starr

Richard Starkey, commonly known as Ringo Starr, MBE, was born July7, 1940, is an English musician, Beatles drummer and actor.  In 1962, when the Beatles’ band was formed, Starr was a member of Liverpool Band, and the Rory Storm and the Hurricanes band in 1960s.  Pete Best, the former drummer of the Beatles, was relieved by Ringo Starr in August 1962. Aside to his drumming, Starr is featured on lead vocals on a number of successful With a Little Help from My Friends, Yellow Submarine, and version of Act Naturally. He is credited as a co-writer of What Goes On and Flying, and writer composer of Don’t Pass Me By, Octopus’s Garden. When he was age 6, he developed complications from an appendicitis, and became comatose. At the age of 13, he developed inflammation of the pleura or pleura cavity surrounding the lungs or chronic pleurisy, and for two years he was confined in a sanatorium ( a medical facility for long-term illness,  such the case of (TB) or Tuberculosis and anti-biotic treatments or hospitals. The long period of confinement left him negative psychological effects can have a very crippling impact on his social life, which in turn will discourage him from pursuing his goals in life.  However, he still attended grammar school and took the qualifying exams for Eleven plus.  On April 10, 1970, after the announcement of the Beatle’s break up, Starr released two albums that year. On February 11, 1965, he married Maureen Cox and had three children, Zak, Jason and Lee. Starr and Cox divorced in 1975, and Cox died in 1994. He then met his co-star of the Caveman film, Barbara Bach (the female lead star of James Bond Film, The Spy Who Loved Me) in 1980, and got married on April 27, 1981. Starr became ambidextrous (Able to use both hands with equal facility) since he was left handed in his younger years, but his grandmother forced him to write with his right hand.

8) Dave Clark 5

The Dave Clark Five or known as “The DC5″ started as The Dave Clark Quintet n 1957 with Dave Clark as the drummer, Dave Sanford as the lead guitarist, Chris Walls as the bassist, Don Vale the pianist and the music arranger and one saxophone player, Rick Huxley as the Rhythm guitarist, replaced Sanford. And some additional replacement for the members who left the group for some reason. Additional members like Stan Saxon lead vocals, Roger Smedlet on Piano, Johnny Johnson lead guitar and was replaced by Mick Ryan and Jim Spencer on the saxophone. The DC5 were an English pop rock bands, and Glad All Over was their single, knocked I Want to Hold Your Hands of the Beatles from the top of the UK singles charts in January 1964, and in April 1964 it peaked at No.6 in the United States. They were the second British Invasion group on the Ed Sullivan Show, appearing in March for two weeks after the Beatles appeared three straight weeks in February 1964. For some time they were more popular in the US than in their native UK, but they had a renaissance in the UK between 1967 and 1970. In 1970, the group was disbanded. On March 10, 2008 the band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The DC5 band changed its name to The Dave Clark Five, in 1962, when Saxon left. The band was Clark on drums, Smith on organ, lead vocals, and Davidson on lead guitar, adding Denny Payton on tenor and baritone saxophone,harmonica and guitar.

Dave Clark

David ‘Dave’ Clark was born December 15, 1942) is an English record producer, musician, songwriter. He was the drummer and leader of the 1960s The Dave Clark Five group, the first big British Invasion band to follow The Beatles, to America in 1964. The band broke up in 1970, and in 1972 Clark stopped drumming after he broke four knuckles in a tobogganing accident ( a sled , of the Innu and Cree, people of northern Canada, traditional form of transport).

Mike Smith

Michael George Smith was born December 6, 1943, and died pneumonia on February 28, 2008 at the age of 64. Mike Smith was an English music producer, songwriter and singer, and was the lead vocalist of the Dave Clark Five Band in the 1960s. The band was a leading unit in the British Invasion of the United States, and became the Beatles rivals in popularity before the Rolling Stones emerge. Mike Smith was divorced from his first wife Jill Smith, a Royal hairdresser. They had one son, James. He lived with his longtime partner, Jane Geerts, for 18 years between 1980 and 1998. In October 2001, he married Arlene Gorek aka “Charlie”, with whom he had reestablished contact in 1999, having dated 35 years earlier.In June 2003, Smith’s only son James died in a diving accident.In September 2003,Smith had a severe spinal cord injury and left him paralyzed from his waist and his right arm leaving his left arm moved slightly,  nearing age 60, Smith was involved in a falling accident in his home in Spain.The next four years of treatment, Smith was released from hospital on his 64th birthday, 6 December 2007. On 19 December 2007,Bruce Springsteen, a longtime friend and fan, dedicated Born To Run to Smith and his wife, Charlie, who were attending his concert at The O2, London on December 19,2007. and the following year Smith died on 28 February 2008 at Stoke Mandeville Hospital, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire.

Lenny Davidson

Leonard Arthur ‘Lenny’ Davidson was born May 30, 1944 in Enfeld,Middlesex, was the Dave Clark Five’s guitarist of 1960s’ pop rock group. In March 2008,Lenny Davidson was inducted as part of the group into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame  along with fellow surviving band members Dave Clark and Rick Huxley and deceased band members Denis Payton, died on December 17, 2006 and Mike Smith, died on February 28, 2008.

Rick Huxley

Rick Huxley was the Dave Clark Five bassist in, he was born on August 5, 1942 in Dartford,Kent. Rick Huxley went to work for two years for the Musical Instrument Maker, the Vox, in 1998 after the group was disband. He became the partner in the Music Equipment Ltd. for fourteen years, and as on the late 1990s, he worked as Electrical Wholesaler^.

The Beach Boys,formed in 1961, an American rock group in Hawthorne, California and the group members comprised of three brothers Brian (the composer, arranger, producer and band leader), Dennis and Carl Wilson, joined by cousin Mike Love and their friend Al Jardine, and managed by their father Murry Wilson. In the mid of 1962, after signing with Capitol Records, Wilson wrote or co-wrote more than two dozen of Top 40 hits, that includes Surfin Safari, Surfin USA, Surfer Girl, Little Deuce Coupe, Be True To Your School, In My Room, Fun Fun Fun, I Get Around, Dance Dance Dance, Help Me Rhonda and California Girls “. And with these songs and their accompanying albums, became popular internationally and across the United States for its close vocal harmonies, making The Beach Boys one of the biggest acts of their time.  

Brian Wilson

Dennis Carl Wilson was born December 4, 1944  and died on December 28, 1983, and was found drowned at Marina Del Ray in Los Angeles, after drinking the whole day and dived in the afternoon to look for some item he threw overboard previously.  He is often considered the dark horse member of the Beach Boys amongst fans and in 1977, and best known as drummer and founding member of the Beach Boys band.
Dennis Wilson was still married to Shawn Marie Love at the time of his death, Mike’s Love illegitimate child, their fellow member and cousin (which caused a rift between Dennis and Mike Love), with whom Dennis had as son, Gage Dennis Wilson, born September 3, 1982. Shawn Wilson died after the 15 years battle with cancer, shortly after their son’s 21st birthday. Wilson’s previous marriages were to Carole Freedman and had a daughter Jennifer born in 1966, Barbara Charren whom he had two sons Michael (1971) and Carl (1972). He also married Karen Lamm twice, ex-wife of Robert Lamm, Chicago keyboardist in 1976 and 1978. Wilson was suffering from alcohol abuse, and heavy smoking damaged his voice. Dennis Wilson was found dead by drowning after his 39th birthday. He had a sea burial by the U.S. Coast Guard off the California coast on January 4, 1984.

Mike Love

Mike Love, songwriter, singer and founding member of the Beach Boys

Michael Edward “Mike” Love was born March 15, 1941, cousin of Brian, Carl and Dennis Wilson, also a songwriter, singer and musician and member of The Beach Boys, and continues to write, record and perform with the band to the present day. Love’s devotion as a songwriter  reflected in his contributions of putting lyrics into the composition to successive hit songs for the Beach Boys, from “Surfin’ Safari” ,”I Get Around” and “Good Vibrations” and “Kokomo”, the groundbreaking number 1 in the Billboard. Mike Love, and cousin Dennis had a rift, when Dennis married Love’s illegitimate daughter, Shawn Marie Love.

10)  The Cascades

 The American vocal group known as The  Cascades were best known for their Rhythm of the Rain single, recorded in 1962 and the following year it became an international hit. The Silver Strands were a group, based in San Diego California, of United States Navy personnel, serving on the USS Jason (AR-8) in 1960, was their first formed group as band. They recruited John Gummoe, who had originally acted as their manager, and left the Navy to become The Thundernotes. After Len Green left the group as their original guitarist, he was replaced, and the group’s membership consolidated as John Claude Gummoe (born August 2, 1938, of Cleveland, Ohio, and the group’s lead vocals), Eddie Snyder (guitar), David Szabo on the keyboards, Ronald Lynch as the keyboards saxophone, Dave Stevens on the bass  and Dave Wilson drums.Their first single was an instrumental, “Thunder Rhythm”, on the Del-Fi label. The group then started to get more interested in vocal harmony, which the Beach Boys has a big influenced on them and other hits like the, Last Leaf, Shy Girl, Rhythm of the Rain, Maybe the Rain Will Fall and For Your Sweet Love. Additional members replacing those who left the group are, Charles Crews ( acoustic guitar, electric guitar and vocals), Tony Grasso (Bass guitar and vocals) and Gabe Lapano (keyboards and Vocals).

John Claude Gummoe

John Claude Gummoe was born August 2, 1938, in Cleveland, Ohio, he was the band leader-manager, lead vocalist and songwriter of The Cascades. He then met David Wilson and Leonard Green, while he was active US Navy of U.S.S. Jason AR-8. He the left the navy and joined the group The Thundernotes group. At first he was so shy to perform on stage, but with full support and encouragement from David and Len, he began singing on stage as duet with David, singing most Everly Brother’s hits.
Charles Crew, The Cascades

Gabe Lapano, Vocalist and keyboardist

Gabe Lapano, a professional keyboard player, vocalist and composer since the 1960′s. He was former member of The Cascades as the lead vocalist and songwriter, which he also write songs for other performing group artists such as; The Righteous Brothers, The Rolling Stone, The Accents, The Byrds, Herman’s Hermits, The Turtles, Roger Miller, Janis Joplin, and the Credence Clearwater Revival, Cher and The Mamas and the Papas and many other more artists. The Cascades was nominated in 2004 to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in a exhibit along with David Wilson (drummer), Tony Grasso (bass guitar and vocals) and Ed Snyder (acoustic and electric guitar).

Tony Grasso

 The Cascades Ex-Band Members:  Eddy Snyder, Guitar (acoustic), David Szabo (electric guitar),  Dave Stevens (keyboards),  and Dave Wilson (drums and bass guitar).

Current Status: In 2005, the group reunited for series of revival concerts that make their hits in Manila, Philippines, that include the foursome of John Gummoe, Gabe Lapano, Tony Grasso, and Chuck Crews. Manila was one of the final stops for the band’s 2007 farewell tour. One key player in the band, Dr. Ron Lynch, is now working as a drama director and teacher at the Bear Creek School in Redmond, Washington.

11) The Mamas and the Papas

The Mamas & the Papas , were an American-Canadian vocal group, who came to prominence in the 1960s (Denny Doherty was from Canada). The group recorded and performed from 1965 to 1968 with a short reunion in 1971, releasing five albums and 11 Top 40 hit singles , and have sold nearly 40 million records internationally. Their signature style of music was based on four part of male and female vocal harmony arranged by the groups leader, songwriter John Phillips. He arranged the music that beat country music behind, blending his composition with the new beat sound in a concise mode of music. The Mamas and the Papas was formed by Denny Doherty and John Phillips with wife Michelle Phillips, after they split up with their previous bands, The Mugwumps and The New Journeymen. Cass Elliot or known as Mama Cass, was the last member to join, though Phillips, the chief songwriter did not liked her because of Elliott’s size, because he believed tht there is no way to succeed in the music industry with her big size.

Cass Elliot

Born Ellen Naomi Cohen better known as Cass Elliot and also known as Mama Cass, was born September 19, 1941 and died of heart attack on July 29, 1974 at the age of 32. Elliot’s first marriage was to James Hendricks in 1963, her former bandmate in The Big Three and The Mugwumps. According to reports, the marriage was a “platonic arrangements and was never consummated ‘to help out Hendricks avoid being drafted into the army during the Vietnam War and the marriage was annulled in 1968. Her second marriage was to Baron Donald Von Wiedenman, a journalist and an heir to a Bavarian Barony, but in a few months it ended in divorce. On April 26,1967, Elliot gave birth to daughter, Owen Vanessa Elliot, but the fraternal identity was never identified by Cass Elliot. But after Cass Elliot died, Michelle Phillips helped Owen Elliot locate her biological father, (Owen was only 7 at the time of Cass Elliot’s death). Elliot died in her sleep in her London Flat, No. 12 at 9 Curzon Place, Shepherd Market, Mayfair, London, which was on loan from Harry Nilsson also a songwriter and singer. Four years after Elliot’s death, Keith Moon, drummer of the group The Who, died in the same flat and the same age of 32. Weird or coincidence?

John Phillips

John Edmund Andrew Phillips better known as John Phillips, called Papa John, was born August 30, 1935, died March 18, 2001 because of heart failure at the age of 65. John Phillips was a promoter, songwriter, singer and guitarist and leader of the group The Mamas and the Papas. His first marriage was the daughter of a wealthy Virginia family, Susan Adams, and had a son Jeffrey and Laura Mackenzie Phillips (actress and singer).Then he married Michelle Phillips, second wife, a singer and member of The Mamas and the Papas. Then he married actress Genevieve Waite in 1972, his third wife, and had two children Tamerlane and Bijou Phillips, and there was a report that both, John and Genevieve were drug addicts, and this addiction lead to John’s Liver Transplant in 1992. After a few months from his transplant, he was spotted “drinking alcohol” in a bar in Palm Springs, California, but he said in one interview (Howard Stern Radio Show) that he was just trying to “break-in” his new liver.  John Phillips died of heart attack on March 8, 2001 in Palm Springs, Californina, where he lived with his fourth wife, Farnaz. John’s eldest daughter, Mackenzie Phillips revealed that she had an illicit affair with her own dad in an interview in September 2009, and stated she was 19 years old at that time in 1979, when John raped her while both are under the influenced of drugs, on the eve of Mackenzie’s wedding. She appeared on September 23, 2009 The Oprah Winfrey Show, and revealed that her father injected her with heroin and cocaine. She also said the incestuous relationship with her father stopped when she got pregnant, but she was not sure who the father was of her baby, if it is her husband or her father, John, and this doubts led her to abortion, paid by her father, and she said she did not allow her father to ‘touch’ her again. However, Genevieve Waite (she was the wife at that time) denied the allegations, likewise to Michelle Phillips (second wife), she said Mackenzie’s story is untrue.

Denny Doherty

Dennis Gerrard Stephen Doherty, better known as Denny Doherty, was born November 29, 1940, died on  January 19, 2007 due to abdominal aortic aneurysm, after the first one was removed, he was a songwriter and singer, born in Canada. He was most widely known as a founding member of the 1960s musical group The Mamas and the Papas with former band mate John Phillips. Doherty and Michelle Phillips (John’s second wife) started an affair (John and Michelle share a house with John Doherty), and were able to keep it as secret during the group’s early success.  The affair was soon discovered and John and Michelle moved into their own house, and continued their recording together. On February 1968, Michelle gave birth to John’s daughter, Chynna and a formal statement announcing the band’s demise was released. Doherty had a daughter Jessica Woods from his first short marriage, and from his 20 years marriage to his second wife Jeannette (died in 2008) he had a daughter Emberly and son John.

Michelle Phillips

Michelle Phillips was born June 4, 1944,  is an American actress, singer, and songwriter, and gained peculiar fame when she joined The Mamas and the Papas group in 1960s, and is the last surviving original member of the group.  She then met John Phillips, while he was touring California with his band the Journeymen. John Phillips divorced his then-wife and married Michelle, she was 18 at that time, on December 31, 1962. In 1968, she gave birth to their daughter, Chynna Phillips, vocalist of the 1990s pop trio Wilson Phillips. The couple divorced in 1970.  Phillips began acting in the 1970s and continues to act in movies and in television, where she was introduced as the girlfriend of John Dillinger (played by Billie Frechette), the 1973′s film Dillinger. In 1974 she was featured with Martin Sheen in The California Kid movie. Then in 1977, she played the second wife of Rudolph Valentino, as “Natacha Rambova” in Ken Russell’s movie, “Valentino”. Michelle Phillips  played the mermaid role, as Princess Nyah of the Fantasy Island three episodes.

She has been married to John Phillips on December 31, 1962 and divorced in 1970, and had a daughter, Chynna, then married the second time to Dennis Hopper on October 31, 1970 to November 8, 1970 (divorced after 8 days), Robert Burch , third marriage was on May 21, 1978 and divorced in 1980, then with fourth husband Grainger Hines had two children and divorced then lastly to Steven Zax, married in 2000 up to present.

12) The Lettermen

The Lettermen are an American male pop music vocal trio which started in 1959, and the Lettermen’s trademark is a light arrangements close harmony pop songs. They have had 16 Top 10 singles including one number 1, 32 consecutive Billboard Magazine chart albums, 11 gold record awards and 5 Grammy nominations. A Lettermen group was formed  by Mike Barnett, Dick Stewart and Tony Butala. They auditioned for Jimmy Durante TV Show for the “Newcomers of 1928 revue”, to Jackie Barnett, who was chief comedy writer.  It was Barnett who gave the group their name, The Lettermen, and as The Lettermen started as trio, they impersonate The Rhythm Boys (the vocal group who traveled with Paul Whiteman and his orchestra in the late 1920s. These famous group The Rhythm Boys, which gave Bing Crosby his initial fame. The Lettermen hits were the following, Goin Out of My Head (1968 hits), Put Your Head on My Shoulder (1968), Traces and Memories (1970), The Way You Look Tonight, When I Fall in Love, I Only Have Eyes for You, I Have Dreamed and many more.  Under the leadership of Tony Butala, The Lettermen continued to record and appear in live concert, as The Lettermen’s pop music chart success ended in 1969.

13) Monkees

The Monkees were an American rock band, formed in 1965 in Los Angeles, California, by founding members, Robert “Bob” Rafelson and Bert Schneider, for The Monkees, the American TV series which lasted from 1966 to 1968, a two seasons of musical acting quartet composed of Micky Dolenz, Michael Nesmith, Peter Tork and Davy Jones, an Englishmen. Don Kirshner, the producer supervised initially the band’s music.

Micky Dolenz

George Michael “Micky” Dolenz, Jr. was born March 8, 1945 is an American actor, musician, television director, radio personality and theater director, best known as the drummer and lead vocalist of the 1960′s band, The Monkees, a television comedy series. Dolenz has been married three times and is the father of four daughters.

Michael Nesmith

Robert Michael Nesmith was born December 30, 1942,  is an American musician, songwriter, actor, producer, novelist, businessman, and philanthropist, best known as a member of the musical group Te Monkees, and star of the TV series of the same name. Nesmith write the song Different Drum, sung by Linda Rondtadt with the Stone Poneys, and he is also the executive producer of the “Repo Man” a cult film. In 1981, Nesmith won the first Grammy Award for his long hour “Elephant Parts”, a Video for the Year.  In 1976, he married Kathryn Bild,  following the ending of this second marriage in 1988, he returned to Los Angeles where he had met Victoria Kennedy.  In 1992, they moved to Santa Fe, New Mexico and returned to Carmel, California, in 2000. They were married in April 2000 in Monterey, California, but in 2011, they separated and  Kennedy filed for divorce.

Peter Tork

Born Peter Halsten Thorkelson better known as Peter Tork,    is an American actor and musician, and best known as The Monkees’ bass guitarist and keyboardist, was born on February 13, 1942. On March 3, 2009 Peter Tork was diagnosed with adenoid cystic carcinoma, a rare slow growing tumor of the neck and the head. The cancer was discovered through a biopsy and had not yet spread beyond the initial area. According to Peter Tork, “the combination on the tongue was so rare, and there is no medical studies about this particular combination of cancer and this type of cancer, is somewhat well known and the outcome of a disease of the probable course, and he underwent a radiation treatment to prevent the cancer cells to return. The on March 4, 2009, he underwent extensive, but successful surgery in New York City. However, in June 11, 2009, Tork’s cancer returned, and according to report, Tork was “shaken but not stirred” by the bad news, although the doctors had given an 80% chance of shrinking the tumor. Tork was married three times, and has child from each of the two marriages and a child from a previous relationship. Tork is currently living in Mansfield, Connecticut. He has been married three times, first with Reine Stewart whom he had a child, Halle Luia Iannoli, born January 25, 1970, and second marriage to Barbara Iannoli with one child, Ivan Joseph Iannoli, born December 22,1975 and from his relationship with Tammy Sustek, he have one child, Erica Marie, born June 15, 1997.

Davy Jones

David Thomas “Davy” Jones was born, December 30, 1945 , and died due to heart attack recently, on February 29, 2012, was an English actor and recording artist and best known member of The Monkees. Jones was also married three times, the first was on January 1968, marrying Linda Haines in a secret ceremony, and was kept secret from the public for 18 months, and was late announced in June 1969, but caused him accusations from his fans of deceptions, and according to Jones, he kept it private because he believed that the stars should keep their private life and entitled for privacy. They had two daughters, Talia Elizabeth born October 2, 1968 and Sarah Lee, born July 3, 1971. Their marrage ended in 1975. Then on January 24,1981, he married his second wife, Anita Pollinger, and had also two daughters Jseeica Lilian, born September 4, 1981 and Annabel Charlotte, born June 26, 1988. In 1996, Jones and Pollinger divorced during the 30th Anniversary of The Monkees Reunion tour. And for the third time, he married Jessica Pacheco, a Telemundo TV presenter, on August 30, 2009. On February 29, 2012 morning, Jones was found seated in his car having difficulty in breathing and complaining of chest pains. He was immediately rushed to Martin Memorial South Hospital in Stuart, Florida, and was later pronounced dead due to atherosclerosis and massive heart attack.

14) Herman Hermits

Herman’s Hermits are an English pop or beat band, and was first formed in 1963, in Manchester. The group’s record producer, Mickie Most (who controlled the band’s output) which the band originally played the R&B, emphasized a simple, non-threatening, clean-cut image.  This helped Herman’s Hermits become hugely successful in the mid-1960s but dampened the band’s songwriting; Noone, Hopwood, Leckenby and Green’s songs were relegated to B-sides and album cuts. Their first hit was a cover of Earl Jean’s I’m Into Something Good, Mrs. Brown You’ve Got a Lovely Daughter, I’m Henry the Eight, I Am, When the Boys Meet the Girls and may mores singles recorded. The original members of the band were Keith Hopwood (guitar, vocals), Karl Green (guitar, vocals), Alan Wrigley (bass guitar, vocals), Steve Titterington (drums), and Peter Noone (lead vocals), the youngest member age 15, and an experienced actor on the British soap opera “Coronation Street”. Derek “Lek” Leckenby (guitar, vocals) and Barry Whitwam (drums, was born Jan Barry Whitwam was born on July 21,1946) joined later from another local group, The Wailers. Whitwam replaced Titterington on drums, Green switched to bass guitar (replacing Wrigley), and Leckenby took over for Green as lead guitarist.

Keith Hopwood

Keith Hopwood was born October 26, 1946, is an English comoser, songwriter, singer, musician, record producer and a businessman. He was the Rhythm guitarist and backing vocals for the 1960s famous pop band, the Herman Hermits. Hopwood also served as backing guitarist, keyboardist for the Peter Noone post outfit, Sour Mash, which recorder the Whale of a Tale album, but was not released for RCA label.

Karl Green

Karl Green was born Karl Anthony Green on 31 July 31,  1947  is an English musician and songwriter, bass guitarist for The Herman Hermits and backing singer for British Bands in the 1960s, featuring the youngest member, Peter Noone. Karl Green co-writer of the songs for the group, and was a capable player but was replaced by session players on some of Herman’s Hermits mid-career singles, although Karl Green have played on many Herman’s Hermits recordings and hit singles.

Peter Noone

The Herman Hermits lead vocalist and the youngest member at age 15, and an experienced actor on the British soap opera.

15) Queen Band

The British rock band known as Queen, was formed in 1971, and the original casts consists of Freddie Mercury (piano and lead vocals), Brian May (vocals, guitar), John Deacon (vocals, guitar, bass guitar), and Roger Taylor (vocals, drums). The Queens band are influenced by ‘progressive rock’ and ventured more into radio friendly works which incorporates more on innovative style in the music they are playing. Their hit records stayed number 1 in the UK Singles Chart for nine weeks, such as; We Will Rock You, We Are the Champions, Bohemian Rhapsody (stayed number one ) and many more. Freddie Mercury died in 1991 of  broncho-pneumonia due to AIDS complication, while John Deacon retired in 1997. Since then, Brian May and Roger Taylor, performed together only few times, including a collaboration with Paul Rodgers, still using the Queen’s name which ended in May 2009.

Freddie Mercury

Born on September 5, 1946, Farrokh Bulsara famously known as Freddie Mercury ( a Gujarati descent), and died on November 24, 1991, a British singer and songwriter, musician lyricist and the lead vocals of the famous rock band Queen. He is best know for his flamboyant style of performance on stage with his powerful vocals a, four-octave range. Freddie Mercury, as a songwriter, he composed many hits for the Queen band, which includes; Bohemian Rhapsody, Killer Queen, Somebody to Love, Don’t Stop Me Now, Crazy Little Thing Called Love and We are the Champions. He led a solo career, in addition to his work with Queen, and served as producer occasionally and sometimes as guest musician as vocals or piano for other artists. Mercury died of broncho-pneumonia complication from AIDS on November 24, 1991, after one day of public announcement that had AIDS. Mercury was openly gay and acknowledge bisexual. Mercury was a shy person especially around people whom he don not know much, in spite of his “flamboyant style of performance on stage”. One he said, “I am an extrovert when I am performing, and deep inside me, I am a different person”. And Kurt Cobain‘s suicide letter, he noted, on how he envied and admired Mercury for being to do whatever he wants to express”.

Brian May

Brian Harold May or Brian May, CBE, was born July 19,1947, is an English astrophysicist, musician, guitarist, songwriter and occasional singer of the Queen rock band. He frequently used his Red Special home built guitar, and his best composition were, Tie Your Mother Down, I Want It All, We Will Rock You, Fat Bottomed Girls and Who Wants To Live Forever. Brian May was first married to Chrissie Mullen, from 1974 until 1988 and had three children. Their most publicized divorce in 1988 by the British tabloid newspaper, reported that he had extra marital affair with actress Anita Dobson, the star for EastEnders film, whom May met in 1986 and gained fame as Angie Watts in the 1980s. After living together for many years, they decided to get married on December 18, 2000. Brian May once said in an interview, that he suffered from severe depression that led him to suicide attempt because of his first marriage, that he was a failure as husband and father to his children, during the death of his father, Harold May and followed by illness and sudden death of Freddie Mercury.

John Deacon

John Richard Deacon was born 19 August 1951, better known as John Deacon, a songwriter and famous Queen’s rock band’s bassist, and a retired English multi-instrumentalist.  He was only 19 years old when he joined the band, and of the four members of the band, he was the last to join and also the youngest and was recruited by members.  Deacon wrote a number of Queen’s hit singles, including You’re My Best Friend, Spread Your Wings, Back Chat, I Want To Break Free and Another One Bites the Dust, the Queen’s biggest selling single in the United States,  as well as a number of tracks  album. He also played acoustic and electric and on several albums and, to a lesser extent, keyboards, synthesizers, programming and drums. During live concerts, he provide the Backing vocals. Among the Queen members, he was known as the quiet member, and some reports said he was in charge most of the group’s finances. In 1997, he appeared with the band for the AIDS charity event, and this was his last public appearance and his last direct involvement with the group Queen and recording of No-One But You (Only The Good Die Young. He is currently residing in Putney, South West, London, with wife, Veronica Tetzlaff. They were married on January 18, 1975, while she was already two months pregnant with their first child, and had six children.

Roger Taylor

Roger Meddows Taylor or Roger Taylor, was born July 26, 1949, is an English multi-instrumentalist, singer, songwriter, and best known as the drummer, occasional lead vocalist and backing vocalist of the Queen rock band group. He is well known for his big unique sound, and considered as one of the most rock drummers of the 1970s and 1980s, as an influential rock drummer. Roger Taylor contributed songs to the group’s album from the start of their career, composing one track for every album, and during their early days, he sang his own compositions and sang as the lead vocalist. Taylor met Dominique Beyrand, when she was working at for Richard Branson, who was ushering the Queen’s free concert held at Hyde Park, and lived together from 1980 to 1987 and had two children, Felix Luther and Rory Eleanor. They later decided to get married, for the reasons of children’s legitimacy related to his estate and protect his children’s future. However, that time, Taylor was seeing another girl, Debbie Leng, and moved in with Leng after his marriage for convenience to Dominique Beyrand. Debbie Leng and Roger Taylor had their first child Rufus Tiger, born in March 1991 before Mercury’s death, followed by Tiger Lily, born in 1994 and Lola Daisy May, born in 2000. Leng and Taylor decided to separate in 2002, and remarried on October 3, 2010, his girlfriend for 6 years, Sarina Potgieter.

16) Bee Gees

The Bee Gees were a musical group founded in 1958 consisting of brother’s; Barry, twin brothers Robin and Maurice Gibb. The Gibb’s trio or famously known as The Bee Gees, were successful for most of their decades of recording music, but they had two distinct periods of exceptional success: as a pop act in the 1960s and 1970s, and as disco music era, prominent performers. The group sang three-part tight- harmonies that were instantly recognizable, with Robin’s clear vibrato lead was a hallmark of their earlier hits, while Barry’s R&B falsetto became the 1970s to 1980s signature sound. The brothers wrote all of their own hits, as well as writing and producing several major hits for other artists. Following Maurice’s sudden death in January 2003, Barry and Robin retired the group’s name after 45 years of activity. In 2009, however, Robin announced that he and Barry had agreed that the Bee Gees would re-form and perform again.Robin died in May 2012 after a prolonged bout of cancer. Three Bee Gees singles hits, How Deep is Your Love, Stayin’ Alive and Night Fever reached No. 1 in the United States and many countries around the world. Barry and Robin also composed Emotion, for an old friend and composed more No. 1 hits, such as Too Much Heaven, Tragedy and Love You Inside Out.

Barry Gibb

Barry Alan Crompton Gibb, better known as Barry Gibb, CBE, was born September1, 1946 is a musician, singer-songwriter and producer and also the eldest and last surviving Gibb brother. Known for his high-pitched falsetto singing voice, Gibb shares their hit record for consecutive Billboard Hot 100 Number Ones as as writer with six, with John Lennon and Paul McCartney. Barry Gibb was listed in the book of Guinness World Records, as the second most successful songwriter in history behind Paul McCartney.   On 10 July 2009, Gibb was made a Freeman of the Borough of Douglas (Isle of Man). The award was also bestowed upon his brother Robin, and posthumously upon his brother Maurice. Also in 2009, Barry and Linda Gibb became US citizens. They retained their British citizenship.  Barry Gibb’s first marriage was to Maureen Bates, whom he married on 22 August 1966, when he was nineteen, however, the couple lived together for only a short time, and were divorced in 1970. On September1, 1970 (his 24th birthday), he married the former Miss Edinburgh, Linda Gray. They have five children, Stephen (born 1973), Ashley (born 1977), Travis (born 1981), Michael (born 1984) and Alexandra (born 1991).

Maurice Gibb

Maurice Ernest Gibb, CBE , born December 22,1949 , and died January 12, 2003) due to heart failure at the age of 53, while waiting for his schedule for his surgery for a twisted intestines, with his wife, children families and friends. Robin’s twin brother, Maurice was a musician, singer-songwriter and record producer, and younger brother to Barry Gibb. He is best known as a member of the songwriter and singer Bee Gees, formed along with his two brothers. Andy,their younger brother was a popular solo singer. The trio got their start in Australia, and found major success when they returned to England. The Bee Gees became one of the most successful pop groups ever. Maurice’s alcoholic lowest point, came when he pulled a gun on his wife and kids after a month long heavy episodic drinking.  After rehab Maurice started to rediscover his family again, spending quality time with them. To celebrate this, he and Yvonne renewed their wedding vows in 1992. The ceremony was attended not only by many members of their families but many of the friends Gibb made while he was confined for treatment at the rehabilitation center.  Maurice Gibb died unexpectedly at Mount Sinai Medical Center in Miami Beach, Florida and was cremated after his funeral services. His brothers Barry and Robin stopped performing as a group for a time,   but later decided to perform occasionally under the Bee Gees banner, brother Robin died  suddenly of liver and kidney failure on 20 May 2012. 

Robin Gibb

Robin Hugh Gibb, CBE born December 22 1949, died recently on May 20, 2012, due to pneumonia complications from his advanced colorectal cancer, at the age of 62. Robin was a songwriter and singer, best known as a member of the Bee Gees , co-founded with his twin brother Maurice who died due to twisted intestines and heart attack and older brother Barry. Their younger brother Andy was also a singer and teen idol in his early days. In 1968 Gibb married Molly Hullis, a secretary in Robert Stigwood’s organization. The couple had both survived the Hitler Green Rail crash, which killed 49 people on 5 November 1967.  They had two children together, Spencer (born in 1972) and Melissa (born in 1974). The couple divorced in 1980 after years of living separate lives, Robin Gibb lives almost permanently in the U.S. while his wife Molly Hullis stayed in the UK.  Gibb’s second marriage, was to Dwina Murphy-Gibb, an artist and author, from 1985 until his death.  She is interested in the Druidry religion and a follower of the neo-Hindu Brahma Kumaris movement. The couple had a son,Robin John or RJ, born in 1983. Gibb and his wife divided their time between their homes in their Miami, Florida mansion, which was for sale on November of 2011, and their main residential home in Thame, Oxfordshire. Younger brother Andy died on March 10, 1988 due to myocarditis in Oxford, England, while twin btother died on January 12, 2003 due to twisted intestines.  On August 14, 2010, while performing on a live concert in Belgium, Gibb began to feel abdominal pains. Then on August 18, he was rushed to a hospital in Oxford, England and underwent emergency surgery for a blocked intestine, the same condition that killed Maurice.  Gibb recovered and returned to perform concerts in New Zealand and Australia. Robin Gibb was hospitalized for intestinal surgery in March 2012 and cancelled scheduled appearances while on his recovery, however, he contracted pneumonia in April, and fell into a coma.  Although he came out of his coma later in April,   his colorectal cancer had advanced  and he died in London on 20 May 2012 at the age of 62 from liver and kidney failure, three days after another disco legend, Donna Summer.

17) Everly Brothers

Isaac Donald “Don” Everly, better known as Don Everly and Phillip “Phil” Everly, are known as the Everly Brothers, are country performers influenced by rock and roll, known for steel-string guitar player and close harmony singing duo. The Everly Brothers was elected in 1986′s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Their first Cadence label record was Bye Bye Love, which had been rejected by 30 acts, and the biggest hit singles are; Wake Up Little Susie, All I Have to Do is Dream, Bird Dog and Problems. The Everly Brothers, found success as songwriters, when Don Everly‘s composition reached number 4 on the US pop charts, (Till) I Kissed You. The Everly Brothers had 35 Billboard Top 100 Singles and 26 Billboard Top 40 singles, and hold this record by any duo, and trail for the Top 40 singles by duo by Hall Oates.

Don Everly

Don Everly was born on February 1, 1937.  In 1973, with many unsuccessful albums and Don Everly’s turmoil, the duo parted. During this time, Don Everly pursued a solo career. He found success in Nashville with his band Dead Cowboys and maintained a career by playing with Albert Lee. By the end of 1961, both were drafted into the Marines, but only remained there for six months and embarked on a comeback European tour.  He married Venetia Sevenson in 1962 and had one daughter but divorced in 1970.  He remarried Adela Garza. Don Everly’s Daughter, Erin, was married to Guns N’ Roses front man, Axl Rose, but the marriage was just brief and ended in divorced.

Phil Everly

18) Air Supply

Air Supply is an Australian group based, and the duo of Graham Russell was the main songwriter and Russell Hitchcock. The group’s light pop-rock hits have earned Air Supply several platinum LPs and gold singles worldwide; Greatest Hits was quadruple platinum in the U.S., and The Earth Is, which failed to chart here, went gold in over 20 countries. Their other singles that reached the Top 10 hits, Making Love Out of Nothing at All, Sweet Dreams (1981 hits), Lost in Love (1980), Every Woman in the World, The One that You Love, Even the Nights Are Better and many more singles. The group was first disbanded in 1988, and in 1991, Russell and Hitchcock formed Air Supply again, and included Cooper as the only one from the original group.

Graham Russel

Graham Cyrill Russell, best known as Graham Russell, born on June 11, 1950 in Nottingham, England. He is a songwriter, singer and musician for Air Supply. Graham Russell met Russell Hitchcock in 1975, while both were in the cast of Jesus Christ Superstar .  In 1976, the two formed the band Air Supply. The Air Supply maintained its popularity internationally.  He is married to Jodi Russell and have two children, Simon and Samantha.

Russell Hitchcock

Russell Charles Hitchcock, better known as Russell Hitchcock, was born June 15, 1949 in Melbourne, Australia, musician and lead vocalist of the Air Supply. Hitchcock formed the Air Supply after he met Graham Russell, an Englishman in 1975, at the Jesus Christ Superstar production set. The Air Supply became successful and famous in Europe and the UK, but little known in the US in 1980′s album Lost in Love. He is married to Laurie and had two children, Sydney Rose and Jon Hitchcock.

19) Righteous Brothers

The Righteous Brothers , were the musical duo who gained peculiar fame for their successful hit singles, and the duo consist of Bobby Hatfield and Bill Medley. From 1963 to 1975 they have recorded hit songs and performed continuously until the death of Hatfield in 2003. They were called “blue-eyed soul” because of their style of singing with emotive vocal styles. In 1965, the Philles label released their first major hit single, You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’. Followed by more hit singles such as You’re My Soul and Inspiration, Just Once in My Life, Unchained Melody and  Ebb Tide.

Bill Medley

William Thomas Medley was born September 19, 1940, in Los Angeles, California, an American songwriter and singer, famous duo member of the Righteous Brothers.  While attending school in California State University, he met his partner, Bobby Hatfield and formed the duo in 1962. Their first single released was Little Latin Lupe Lu, and their first hit single was You’ve Lost that Lovin’ Feelin’, produced by Phil Spector in 1964, followed by (You’re My) Soul and Inspiration and Unchained Melody. In 1968, the duo broke up, but reunited in 1974 with another hit, Rock and Roll Heaven and continued to perform until Hatfield’s death in November 2003. Medley had moderate success as a solo performer with his Brown Eyed Woman and Peace, Brother Peace released in 1968 and reached Top 40 Pop Hits.

Bobby Hatfield

Robert Lee “Bobby” Hatfield born August 10, 1940, and died from sleep on  November 5, 2003, due to heart attack, concluded by toxicology report, that Hatfield had an overdose of cocaine, and the autopsy report revealed he died of advanced coronary disease or amount of blockage in the coronary arteries. He was an American singer, best known as one half of The Righteous Brothers. Hatfield and Medley began singing as a duo in 1962 in the Los Angeles area as part of a five-member group called the Paramours, and often times they were told they sounded like African-American gospel singers , thus, they are called Righteous Brothers, after a fan remarked of their singing, “that’s righteous, brothers.   Hatfield had a short marriage with Joy Ciro, a dancer of Where the Action Is and the T.A.M.I. Show. They had two children together, Bobby, Jr. and Kalin. In 1979, Hatfield married his second wife Linda, and they were happily married for 24 years until he died. They had two children together, Vallyn and Dustin.  On November 5, 2003, Hatfield died at the Radisson Hotel in Kalamazoo, Michigan from fatal heart attack while asleep.

 20)  ABBA

ABBA was a Swedish pop  and rock band formed in Stockholm, Sweden in 1972, consisting of Agnetha Faltskog, Benny Andersson, Bjorn Ulvaeus and Anni-Frid Lyngstad. The name of the band ABBA, is the acronym of their first names A (Agnetha) , B (Benny), B(Bjorn) and A (Anni).  They became one of the most commercially successful acts in the history of pop music, topping the charts worldwide from 1972 to 1982. They are also known for winning the 1974 Eurovision Song Contest , giving Sweden its first victory in the history and successful group to take part of the  contest.

Benny Andersson

Göran Bror “Benny” Andersson better known as Benny Andersson, was born on December 16,1946 in Stockholm, Sweden, is a Swedish musician, composer, a former member of the Swedish musical group ABBA from 1972 to 1983, and co-composer of the musicals Chess, Kristina fran Duvemala, and Mama Mia! As of 2011 he is active with his own band Benny Anderssons Orkester (BAO) , and was executive producer for the film version of the musical Mamma Mia!. He was engaged with Anni-Frid Lyngstad of ABBA for almost nine years, got married on October 1978 and divorced in 1981.

Björn  Ulvaeus

Björn Kristian Ulvaeus  born 25 April 1945, is a Swedish songwriter, composer, musician, writer, producer, a former member of the Swedish musical group ABBA (1972–83), and co-composer of the musicals Chess, Kristina fran Dumavela and Mama Mia! with fellow ex- ABBA member and close friend Benny Andersson.  The Swedish Tax Board accused Björn Ulvaeus of failing to pay 90 million kronor (US$12.8 million) in back taxes for eight years ending in 2005. They claimed that he “laundered” his music royalty income through institutions in several foreign countries. Ulvaeus paid the taxes as a precautionary measure during the 2½-year dispute. In October 2008, the county administrative court decided the case in Ulvaeus’ favour, ruling that he never owed any of the 90 million kronor

Agnetha Faltskog

Agnetha Åse Fältskog was born 5 April 1950,  is a Swedish recording artists . She achieved success in Sweden after the release of her début album Agnetha Faltskog in 1968, and reached international stardom as a member of the ABBA pop group, which has sold over 375 million records worldwide,  making it the best selling music artist in history in number eighth, and the fourth best–selling band in history.   Fältskog met Bjorn Ulvaeus, a Hootenanny Singers member in 1969.Her relationship with Ulvaeus, as well as her friendship with Anni-Frid Lyngstad and Benny Anderson, with whom Ulvaeus had already written songs, eventually led to the formation of ABBA. Fältskog and Ulvaeus married on 6 July 1971 in the village Verum, with Andersson playing the organ at their wedding. Their first child, Linda Elin Ulvaeus, was born on 23 February 1973, and their son Peter Christian Ulvaeus on 4 December 1977.   The couple decided to separate in late 1978, and Fältskog moved out of their home on Christmas night, 25 December 1978^.  In January 1979, the couple filed for divorce, which was finalised in June 1980. Both Fältskog and Ulvaeus agreed not to let their failed marriage interfere with their responsibilities with ABBA.  The failure of their marriage inspired Ulvaeus to write “The Winner Takes It All “, one of ABBA’s greatest hits.

Frida Lyngstad

Born Anni-Frid Synni  Lyngstad, November 15, 1945 in Bjørkåsen, Ballangen , Norway), best known as Frida Lyngstad, is a Norwegian-born Swedish pop singer. She was one of the four members of Swedish ABBA group.  She is formally named Her Serene Highness Princess Anni-Frid Synni Reuss, Countess of Plauen, when she married Prince Heinrich Ruzzo Reuss of Plauen, a German Prince of the former Sovereign House of Reusiin 1992. At the early age of 17, Frida married fellow musician Ragnar Fredrickson on April 3, 1963 and had two children, and separated in 1969 and officially divorced on May 19,1970, the same day Frida’s grandmother, Arntine, died at age 71. Frida Lyngstad, met Benny Anderson in February 1969, and were engaged and lived together in 1971, and married at the height of the ABBA’s success on October 6, 1978, and divorced in November 1978, and moved to London in in 1982 and relocated in Switzerland in 1986. She lived with her boyfriend during this time, Architect Prince Heinrich Ruzzo Reuss of Plauen (1950 -1999) in Fribourg, his family’s castle. Pn January 13, 1998, her daughter Ann Lise-Lotte Casper Fredrickson, died from a severe injury in a car accident in Livonia, Michigan. The following year, in 199, the Prince died of Lymphoma. Frida is currently residing in Zermatt, Switzerland.

  Bonus:    Journey

After their successful Frontiers stadium tour, the group decide to rest and take some time, and the lead singer Steve Perry and Neal Schon, guitarist decided to have solo projects from 1982 to 1985. In December 2007, Arnel Pineda from the Philipines was hired by the Journey band as their new lead singer, after Neal Schon saw him on YouTube, singing covers of the Journey songs. Arnel Pineda, was not the first foreign national hired by the Journey; Aynsley Dunbar is a British, or former bass player, Randy Jackson is black, which Paul Liberatore, writer for Marin Independent Journal, called “an undercurrent of racism among the Journey fans. However, Jonathan Cain, keyboardist of Journey, responded; “We have become a world band and International now. We are not about one color”.  In 2012, a documentary film, told the story of how the Journey found its current lead singer, Arnel Pineda, which premiered the documentary “Don’t Stop Believin’: Evryman’s Journey” for the TriBeCa Film Festival.

Current members: Neal Schon (lead guitar, vocals) 1973 up to present:

He was rock guitarist, songwriter, and vocalist and also a member of the rock band Santana before forming Journey.

Ross Valory

Ross Lamont Valory  was born February 2, 1949, in San Francisco, is Journey’s noted bass player. He Neal Schon are the only original members of the band, from 1973, 1985, 1995 up to the present, still performing with the group. Aside from his termination from the group during the Raised on Radio album sessions and concert  tour in 1986, Ross has played on all of Journey’s albums.

Jonathan Cain

born Jonathan Leonard Friga  better known as Jonathan Cain, born February 26, 1950, Chicago, Illinois, is an American musician, best known for his work with The Babys, Bad English and the Journey as keyboards and rhythm guitar and vocals from 1980 up to the present.

Deen Castronovo

Deen Castronovo was born August 17, 1965, in Keizer, Oregon, and is an Italian – American descent, drummer who has played in various hard rock and metal bands. He is the drummer, vocals and percussion of the Journey band from 1998 up to the present.

Arnel Pineda

Arnel Pineda was born September 5, 1967 is a Filipino songwriter and singer, and the lead singer of the American rock band Journey since 2007. Arnel Pineda had  successful musical career in the Philippines for the last 25 years.  On August 12, Pineda, along with his manager Bert de Leon, flew to Marin County, north of San Francisco, for a two-day audition, when Schon discovered Pineda in a YouTube, and invited him for audition as the new lead singer for the group. The star-struck Pineda was welcomed warmly but he described the audition as “nerve-wracking, tense”, and on December 5, 2007, Pineda was announced as the new lead singer of Journey. CNN Headline News ran the story as part of their “News to Me” segment.

Former Members:     Steve Perry

Stephen Ray “Steve” Perry was born January 22, 1949, is an American singer and songwriter best known as the lead singer of the Journey rock band, during their most commercially successful periods from 1977–1987 and 1995–1998. Perry had a successful solo career between the mid-1980s and mid-1990s.

Randy Jackson

Randall Darius “Randy” Jackson  better known as Randy Jackson, born June 23, 1956, is an American bassist, singer, record producer, entrepreneur and television personality. He is best known as a judge on American Idol, and executive producer for America’s Best Dance Crew MTV. Jackson has won a Grammy Award as a producer.  Jackson played in bands with Carlos Sanatna and Jerry Garcia, and in the 1980s he played on three albums for Jean-Luc Ponty  and with the rock band Taxxi. Then from 1986 to 1987 he was a session musician for the Journey rock group, and in 1986, Jackson played for Raised Radio album for the Journey.  In 2003, Jackson lost 114 pounds (52 kg) followingGastric bypass surgery, and revealed in a television commercial on February 2008, that he has type 2 diabetes.

 Other former members were; Gregg Rolie (keyboeards, vocals and harmonica, from 1973 to 1980), George Tickner (rhythm guitar from 1973 to 1975), Aynsley Dunbar (drums, percussion from 1974 to 1978), Robert Fleischman (lead vocalist in 1977), Steve Smith (drums percussions from 1978,1985,1995 & 1998), Steve Augeri (lead vocals and guitar (1998 to 2006)