Five Americans

Five Americans

Five Americans was a 1960s American band, most famous for the song "Western Union",[1] which reached #5 in the U.S. Billboard chart and was their only single to chart in the Top 20. In Casey Kasem's "Book of Records" category of most repetitive word or phrase in a Hot 100 top 10 hit, "Western Union" holds the record (in this case, the two 40-fold and one 50-plus-fold repetition of the imitative word "dit").

Contents

History

The Five Americans, previously known as The Mutineers, were from Durant, Oklahoma (Southeastern State College). For a short while after their hits "I See The Light", "Western Union", "Sound of Love", "Evol Not Love" and "Zipcode", they toured. However, their manager, Jon Abdnor Senior, president and owner of Abnak Records and Bankers Management and Services Insurance Co., was allowed control of their finances. After Abdnor's death in 1996, all rights to their songs should have reverted to the original group, but Sundazed Records bought the original tapes. The Five Americans had at least five singles in, or close to, the Top 40 and are now receiving the sales and publishing royalties.[citation needed]

The Five Americans broke up in 1969 and went their separate ways. Mike Rabon had a successful touring career afterwards, released two albums that sold well, and played guitar for the Tyler, Texas, pop group, Gladstone, whose "A Piece of Paper" reached #45 in October 1972. He later returned to college, acquiring a master's degree in public school administration, and has been in the Oklahoma school systems for 28 years. John Durrill, the keyboardist, wrote "Dark Lady" for Cher and "Misery and Gin" for Merle Haggard, and was also a member of the touring band The Ventures. He now lives in Los Angeles. Bassist Jim Grant died on November 29, 2004. Norman Ezell (guitar and harmonica), who became a teacher and minister in Northern California, died of cancer on May 8, 2010 at the age of 68.[2] Jimmy Wright (drummer) is living in Texas and is a freelance videographer.

As of July 2008, there was an online petition to induct the Five Americans into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The petition amassed over 400 signatures.[3]

Original group members

  • Mike Rabon
  • John Durrill
  • Norm Ezell
  • Jim Grant
  • Jimmy Wright

Discography with Billboard (BB) and Cashbox (CB) chart peak positions

Singles

  • "Show Me" / "Love, Love, Love" — ABC-Paramount 10686 (1965)
  • "Say That You Love Me" / "Without You" — Abnak 106 (1965)
  • "I See The Light" / "The Outcast" — Abnak 109 (1965)
  • "I See The Light" (BB #26, CB #41) / "The Outcast" — HBR 454 (1966)
  • "Evol-Not Love" (BB #52, CB #68) / "Don't Blame Me" — HBR 468 (1966)
  • "Good Times" / "The Losing Game" — HBR 483 (1966)
  • "It's You Girl" / "I'm Gonna Leave You" — Jetstar 104 (1966)
  • "I'm Feeling OK" / "Slippin' and Slidin'" — Jetstar 105 (1966)
  • "Reality" / "Sympathy" — Abnak 114 (1966)
  • "If I Could" / "Now That It's Over" — Abnak 116 (1966)
  • "Western Union" (BB #5, CB #7) / "Now That It's Over" — Abnak 118 (1967)
  • "Sound Of Love" (BB #36, CB #31) / "Sympathy" — Abnak 120 (1967)
  • "Zip Code" (BB #36, CB #55) / "Sweet Bird of Youth" — Abnak 123 (1967)
  • "Stop Light" (BB #132) / "Tell Ann I Love Her" — Abnak 125 (1967)
  • "7:30 Guided Tour" (BB #96) / "See Saw Man" — Abnak 126 (1968)
  • "No Communication" / "The Rain Maker" — Abnak 128 (1968)
  • "Con Man" / "Lovin' is Lovin'" — Abnak 131 (1968)
  • "Generation Gap" / "The Source" — Abnak 132 (1968)
  • "Virginia Girl" (BB #133) / "Call On Me" — Abnak 134 (1969)
  • "Scrooge" / "Ignert Woman" — Abnak 137 (1969)
  • "I See The Light '69" / "Red Cape" — Abnak 139 (1969)
Billed as 'Mike Rabon & The Five Americans'
  • "She's Too Good To Me" / "Molly Black" — Abnak 142 (1969)

Albums

  • I See The Light (BB #136) — HBR HLP-8503 (Mono) / HST-9503 (Stereo) (1966)
  • Western Union (BB #121, CB #66) — Abnak ABLP-1967 (Mono) / ABST-2067 (Stereo) (1967)
  • Progressions — Abnak ABLP (Mono) / ABST-2069 (Stereo) (1967)
  • Now and Then — Abnak ABST-2071 (1968)

References

  1. ^ Jim Dawson, Steve Propes (2003). 45 RPM: The History, Heroes & Villains of a Pop Music Revolution. ISBN 0879307579. http://books.google.com/books?vid=ISBN0879307579&id=FUpK9VqOrU0C&pg=PA114&lpg=PA114&ots=KsiTExnfon&dq=%22Five+Americans%22+%22Western+Union%22&ie=ISO-8859-1&output=html&sig=Edi4kdWu66ud51z_XPC1PT-mXjo. 
  2. ^ Thedeadrockstarsclub.com - accessed May 2010
  3. ^ The petition may be found at www.petitiononline.com.

External links


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