The Edsels

Infobox musical artist
Name = The Edsels


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Origin = Campbell, Ohio
Genre = Doo-Wop
Years_active = 1957 – 1963
Label = Dub Records, Twin Records, Roulette Records, Tammy, Capitol Records
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Current_members = George 'Wydell' Jones
Larry Green
James Reynolds
Harry Green
Marshall Sewell
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The Edsels were an American doo-wop group active during the late 1950s and early 1960s. The name of the group was originally The Essos, after the oil company, but was changed to match the then-new Ford automobile, the Edsel. The Edsels recorded over 25 songs and had multiple performances on Dick Clark's "American Bandstand" . The Edsels were one of the few doo-wop groups to sign with a major record label, as most groups of that era found success with small independent labels. Before their national hit "Rama Lama Ding Dong," songs like "What Brought Us Together," "Bone Shaker Joe," and "Do You Love Me" helped the group land a major recording contract with Capitol Records in 1961.

Today, the group is known almost exclusively for their song, "Rama Lama Ding Dong." The song was recorded in 1957 and released, under the errant title "Lama Rama Ding Dong," in 1958. The song did not become popular until 1961, after a disc jockey in New York City began to play it as a segue from The Marcels doo-wop version of "Blue Moon." The song eventually became popular throughout the country, peaking at number 21 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

The group continues to perform today. In addition, James Reynolds performs with his five sons Jeff, Baron, Patrick, Chris and Carlise (as [http://cdbaby.com/cd/reynoldsbrothers The Reynolds Brothers] ). That group released an album, "The Reynolds Brothers", featuring songs written by James and fellow Edsels member George Jones, Jr.

Personnel

* George 'Wydell' Jones – lead vocals (died September 27, 2008) [ [http://www.vindy.com/news/2008/sep/30/youngstown-singer-songwriter-george-jones-of-the/ Youngstown singer-songwriter George Jones of The Edsels dies] ]
* Larry Green – first tenor
* James Reynolds – second tenor
* Harry Green – baritone
* Marshall Sewell – bass

Influence of the song "Rama Lama Ding Dong"

*A cover version of the song was performed on the "The Muppet Show" once: in Episode 89 (or season 4, episode 17), the episode that also had Mark Hamill, C-3PO, R2-D2 and Chewbacca from "Star Wars" as guests, a shepherd, his sheep and his girl perform the song.
*Rocky Sharpe and The Replays covered the song in 1979.
*Serbian doo wop band Vampiri covered the song in 1991.
*Barry Mann wrote a song called "Who Put the Bomp" in 1961, in which he sings about his girl falling in love with him after listening to some doo-wop style songs with their recognizable nonsense lyrics. One of the phrases he uses in the song is 'Rama-Lama-Ding-Dong'.
*"Rama Lama Ding Dong" is heard in the "Grease" song "We Go Together".
*"Rama Lama Ding Dong" is heard in the movie "Children of a Lesser God" and is used by the William Hurt character, "James Leeds," to teach his class of hearing impaired teenagers.

ources

* "All Music Guide": [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:3ucyxdgbjold~T1 The Edsels biography]
* [http://www.rockabilly.nl/references/messages/george_jones_jr.htm Biography of George Jones, Jr.]

External links

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