Post by Scott Lakefield on Jul 26, 2008 11:35:03 GMT -5
by ROB DURKEE
Earl Lee Nelson, who sang on the hit songs "Buzz-Buzz-Buzz," "Harlem Shuffle" and "The Duck" under three different stage names, died July 12, 2008, at his Los Angeles Home. He'd have turned 80 on September 8. According to the eldest of his 11 children, Toni Abdul-Hasan, Nelson had been suffering from Alzheimer's Disease.
Nelson sang lead on the hit, "Buzz Buzz Buzz," which reached #18 on the Cash Box pop chart in early 1958. The group had formed in 1949 and had 10-15 lead singers. With so many group members, the Hollywood Flames would record under at least seven other group names on at least nineteen different record labels. The Flames may have had another Top 40 in 1960. However, it's very questionable because "Devil Or Angel" is credited as reaching #18 despite spending only one week on the Cash Box chart.
Bobby Byrd, who later in 1958 would have a #4 hit with "Rockin' Robin" under the name Bobby Day, co-wrote "Buzz-Buzz-Buzz. " The latter song was written in 15 minutes and recorded in a garage the next night. Day's followup to "Rockin' Robin" was "Over and Over," a song whose melody was very similar to that of "Buzz-Buzz-Buzz."
The Hollywood Flames would be part of Casey Kasem's favorite special show, the top 40 Disappearing Acts of all time. On both shows, one in July, 1973, and the other in April, 1975, the Hollywood Flames were ranked #24.
Nelson joined the Hollywood Flames in 1954 but by late 1963 he would join Bobby Relf to become Bob and Earl. The duo reached #36 on the Cash Box chart with their only Top 40 hit, "The Harlem Shuffle". A then-19-year-old Barry White arranged "Harlem Shuffle," which the Rolling Stones would take to #5 as a remake 23 years later in 1986. "Harlem Shuffle" was based on the song "Slauson Shuffletime," which was recorded by Round Robin of Los Angeles. In 1969, Bob and Earl's only top 40 hit became a top 10 hit in England as a reissue. The beginning of the original "Harlem Shuffle" would be sampled by the rap group House Of Pain on the 1992 Top 40 hit, "Jump Around."
By late 1965, Nelson went solo under the name Jackie Lee. He reached #13 with "The Duck" and #76 with "Your P-E-R-S-O-N-A-L-I-T-Y."
Relf and Nelson continued to perform as Bob and Earl into the early 1970s. Relf diedon November 20, 2007.
Earl Lee Nelson, who sang on the hit songs "Buzz-Buzz-Buzz," "Harlem Shuffle" and "The Duck" under three different stage names, died July 12, 2008, at his Los Angeles Home. He'd have turned 80 on September 8. According to the eldest of his 11 children, Toni Abdul-Hasan, Nelson had been suffering from Alzheimer's Disease.
Nelson sang lead on the hit, "Buzz Buzz Buzz," which reached #18 on the Cash Box pop chart in early 1958. The group had formed in 1949 and had 10-15 lead singers. With so many group members, the Hollywood Flames would record under at least seven other group names on at least nineteen different record labels. The Flames may have had another Top 40 in 1960. However, it's very questionable because "Devil Or Angel" is credited as reaching #18 despite spending only one week on the Cash Box chart.
Bobby Byrd, who later in 1958 would have a #4 hit with "Rockin' Robin" under the name Bobby Day, co-wrote "Buzz-Buzz-Buzz. " The latter song was written in 15 minutes and recorded in a garage the next night. Day's followup to "Rockin' Robin" was "Over and Over," a song whose melody was very similar to that of "Buzz-Buzz-Buzz."
The Hollywood Flames would be part of Casey Kasem's favorite special show, the top 40 Disappearing Acts of all time. On both shows, one in July, 1973, and the other in April, 1975, the Hollywood Flames were ranked #24.
Nelson joined the Hollywood Flames in 1954 but by late 1963 he would join Bobby Relf to become Bob and Earl. The duo reached #36 on the Cash Box chart with their only Top 40 hit, "The Harlem Shuffle". A then-19-year-old Barry White arranged "Harlem Shuffle," which the Rolling Stones would take to #5 as a remake 23 years later in 1986. "Harlem Shuffle" was based on the song "Slauson Shuffletime," which was recorded by Round Robin of Los Angeles. In 1969, Bob and Earl's only top 40 hit became a top 10 hit in England as a reissue. The beginning of the original "Harlem Shuffle" would be sampled by the rap group House Of Pain on the 1992 Top 40 hit, "Jump Around."
By late 1965, Nelson went solo under the name Jackie Lee. He reached #13 with "The Duck" and #76 with "Your P-E-R-S-O-N-A-L-I-T-Y."
Relf and Nelson continued to perform as Bob and Earl into the early 1970s. Relf diedon November 20, 2007.