The Marcels

The Marcels were a doo-wop group known for turning beloved American classical pop songs into rock and roll. The group formed in 1959 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, with lead Cornelius Harp, bass Fred Johnson, Gene Bricker, Ron Mundy, and Richard Knauss. In 1961 many were shocked to hear a new version of the ballad Blue Moon that began with the bass going, "bomp-baba-bomp" and "dip-da-dip." Still, the record sold a million and is featured in The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll. Later revivals in the same vein -- Heartaches and Melancholy Baby -- were less successful.

Related Topics:
Doo-wop - Rock and roll - 1959 - Pittsburgh - Pennsylvania - Cornelius Harp - Fred Johnson - Gene Bricker - Ron Mundy - Richard Knauss - 1961 - Ballad - Blue Moon - The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll - Heartaches - Melancholy Baby

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In August of 1961, Knauss and Bricker left and were replaced by Alan Johnson (brother of Fred) and Walt Maddox. Mundy left soon after, leaving the group a quartet.

Related Topics:
Alan Johnson - Walt Maddox

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In 1962, Harp and Alan Johnson left, and were replaced by Richard Harris and William Herndon. There was a brief reunion of the original members in 1973. The group made several recordings in 1975 with Harp back on lead.

Related Topics:
1962 - Richard Harris - William Herndon - 1973 - 1975

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By the 1990s the group was Johnson, Maddox, Harris, Jules Hopson and Richard Merritt.

Related Topics:
Jules Hopson - Richard Merritt

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There are presently two groups of Marcels- one featuring Fred Johnson, and the other with Maddox, Harris, Hopson, and Merritt. In 1996 Maddox won a lawsuit against Sunny James Svetnic, the manager of Johnson's group, for trademark infringement. Svetnic passed away in 2002.

Related Topics:
1996 - Sunny James Svetnic - 2002

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Johnson reunited with Harp, Bricker, Mundy, and Knauss in 1999.

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