In Celebration of the Human Voice - The Essential Musical Instrument

Lettermen

Male Vocal Jazz Trio from United States.

The most famous line-up of this very successful US close-harmony pop trio comprised Tony Butala (20 November 1940, Sharon, Pennsylvania, USA), Bob Engemann (b. 19 February 1936, Highland Park, Michigan, USA), and Jim Pike (b. 6 November 1938, St. Louis, Missouri, USA). Pike, a letterman at Utah's Brigham Young University, released an unsuccessful single on Warner Brothers Records in 1959. In 1960, he and fellow student and ex-Mormon missionary Engemann formed a trio with Los Angeles-based supper-club singer Butala, who had recorded previously on Topic and Lute and had been using the Lettermen name since 1958.

After two unsuccessful singles ('Their Hearts Were Full Of Spring' and 'The Magic Sound'), they joined Capitol Records and struck gold immediately with 'The Way You Look Tonight', a number previously associated with Fred Astaire. The trio enjoyed another 19 US chart singles including the Top 10 hits 'When I Fall In Love' in 1961 and the medley 'Goin' Out Of My Head'/'Can't Take My Eyes Off You' in 1967. They were rated the number 1 Adult Contemporary vocal group of the 60s, and put an impressive 24 albums in the US chart during the decade, with 10 of them reaching the Top 40.

In 1968, Jim's brother Gary replaced Engemann and six years later their brother Donny replaced Jim. Numerous personnel passed through the group in later decades with Butala the mainstay, although Donovan Tea (b. Houston, Texas, USA) has kept him company since 1984. The Lettermen began recording on their own Alpha Omega label in 1979 and have continued to record on a regular basis, releasing their 70th studio album in 2000. In 1998, Butala opened the Vocal Group Hall Of Fame in his home town of Sharon, Pennsylvania.

This distinctive harmonic vocal group, who have never charted in the UK, remain a top-earning club act and are much in demand on the cabaret circuit. The Lettermen have earned nine gold albums to date and sold over $25 million worth of records.

Discography

Displaying 1-2 of 2 items.

Lettermen : Collectors Series

Review: The centerfold of the liner notes for this CD is a montage of more than a dozen Lettermen album covers. The rest of the notes has some nice color pictures of the trio, and a simple list of the 23 "best of" songs, beginning with "The Way You Look Tonight," recorded in February of 1961 (which reached #13 on the pop charts), and ending chronologically with "If You Feel the Way I Do," recorded in August, 1975. In between are consistently popular (all accompanied) romantic "slow dance" songs, "When I Fall In Love" (#7 on the charts), "Come Back Silly Girl" (#17), "Silly Boy" (#81), "Theme from A Summer Place" (#16), "Sealed with a Kiss," "Medley: Goin' Out of My Head/Can't Take My Eyes Off Of You" (#7), "Put Your Head On My Shoulder" (#44), "Hurt So Bad" (#12) and John Lennon's "Love" (#42). There's no bio or history of the group, it's assumed we know all about their remarkable career, and lets this sincere, possibly sappy, romantic music speak for itself. Fair enough! Those of us who have slow danced to this music will always be touched by it - the sweet harmonies, the lyrical sentiments of young love, the sweeping orchestral strings, oboes and horns-it chronicles a simpler time, a time of innocence and sweet music to fall in and out of love to.

Songlist: The Way You Look Tonight, That's My Desire, When I Fall in Love, Come Back, Silly Girl, How Is Julie?, Turn Around, Look at Me, Silly Boy, Be My Girl, Theme from "A Summer Place", Sealed with a Kiss, Secretly, I Only Have Eyes for You, Our Winter Love, Medley: Goin' Out of My Head/Can't Take My Eyes off You, Sherry Don't Go, Put Your Head on My Shoulder, Hurt So Bad, Shangri-La, Medley: Traces/Memories, Everything Is Good About You, Love, Oh My Love, If You Fell the Way I Do

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Lettermen : The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Review: From The Opening "We Need A Little Christmas" to the ending song, "White Christmas", The Letterman present a heartfelt program of songs from Christmas past and present. Combining their close harmonies with traditional and updated arrangements this concert is abundant with holiday cheer. The audience seems to enjoy the recognizable songs, and the new ones and in several instances sings along. The first half of the show is given over to secular songs and the second to more religious minded themed carols. Whatever the song the Lettermen deliver them in a sound that has become identifiable with them over the years. This concert is family fare to be shared year after year.

Songlist: We Need A Little Christmas, It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year, Sleigh Ride, Silver Ride, Silver Bells, Medley: We Wish You A Merry Christmas/Deck The Halls/Jingle, Winter Wonderland, Medley: Jolly Old St. Nicholas/Up On Top Of The House, Christmas Morning, Medley: O Come All Ye Faithful/ Joy To The World/Hark, The Herald Angels Sing, Away In A Manger, Silent Night, Mary's Boy Child, The Little Drummer Boy, One Solitary Life, O, Holy Night, It Feels Like Christmas, The Christmas Song, The Twelve Days Of Christmas, White Christmas

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