The Three Suns
The Three Suns | |
---|---|
Background information | |
Origin | United States |
Genres | Pop |
Years active | 1939 | –1966
Past members |
|
The Three Suns were an American pop group, most popular during the 1940s and 1950s.
Career history
The group was formed in 1939 by brothers
A review in Billboard in 1942 addressed the group's potential. Referring to a December 13, 1941, remote broadcast from New York's Hotel Piccadilly on NBC Red, Dick Carter wrote: "Here was something out of the ordinary, and very welcome, too. The Three Suns are an electric organ, an accordion and guitar, and they produce some sensational musical effects."[1]
In 1944, the Three Suns scored their first
This was followed by "Peg o' My Heart", which was one of the biggest hits of 1947 in the United States. The group was featured in the Alfred Hitchcock film Rope (1948) performing an off-screen "radio sequence", and in Two Gals and a Guy (1951). The band is also notable in that they were reputed to have been the favorite musical group of former First Lady Mamie Eisenhower.[4]
During the 1950s, the group continued to make live appearances with the same personnel, but their
Founding member Al Nevins was also co-founder of Aldon Music, a Brill Building songwriting company.[3]
Members
- Founding members
- Artie Dunn — vocals, organ (died January 15, 1996, age 73)[5]
- Al Nevins — guitar (died January 25, 1965, age 49)[5]
- Morty Nevins — accordion (died July 23, 1990, age 73)[5]
- Later members
- George Barnes - guitar
- Johnny Buck (Bucky Pizzarelli) — guitar
- Joe Negri — guitar
- Joe Vento — accordion, piano
- Johnny Romano — guitar
- Tony Lovello — accordion
- Del Casher (Del Kacher) — guitar
- Vincent Bell- guitar
- Fred Mendelsohn - organ
- Eddie Layton - organ
Discography
The first records released by the Three Suns, during the 1940s and 1950s, were
The Three Suns recorded a number of sides for V-Disc in the 1940s, which were only issued by the US Government to the USO units overseas. These sides were reissued on a two-CD set in 1997 by IMC Licensing. Most of the titles were not sequenced on the CD as they appeared on the original 78s.
- Albums
- Twilight Time (Majestic, M2, 1944) (10 inch)
- Beyond the Blue Horizon (Fox Trot Vocal Chorus by Artie Dunn) / Crazy Rhythm (Instrumental Fox Trot) - (DECCA, 69638 & 69636, 1947) (10 inch)
- Twilight Time (Varsity, 6001, 1950) (10 inch)
- Midnight Time (Varsity, 6048, 1950) (10 inch)
- You and the Night and the Music (RCA Victor, 47-4202A, 1951) (7 INCH 45 RPM)
- Yours is My Heart Alone (RCA Victor, 47-4202B, 1951) (7 INCH 45 RPM)
- Twilight Time (Royale, 1, 1951) (10 inch)
- Midnight Time (Royale, 29, 1951) (10 inch)
- Three Quarter Time (RCA Victor, LPM-3, 1951) (10 inch)
- Hands Across the Table (RCA Victor, LPM-28, 1951)(10 inch)
- Twilight Moods (RCA Victor, LPM-3012, 1952) (10 inch)
- The Three Suns Present (RCA Victor, LPM-3034, 1952) (10 inch)
- Busy Fingers (RCA Victor, LPM-3040, 1952)
- Christmas Party (RCA Victor, LPM-3056, 1952) (10 inch)[6]
- Soft and Sweet (RCA Victor, LPM-1041, 1955) U.S. #13[6]
- Sounds of Christmas (RCA Victor, LPM-1132, 1955)
- Twilight Time (RCA Victor, LPM-1171, 1956)
- My Reverie (RCA Victor, LPM-1173, 1956)
- Slumber Time (RCA Victor, LPM-1219, 1956)
- High Fi and Wide (RCA Victor, LPM-1249, 1956) U.S. #19[6]
- Easy Listening (RCA Victor LPM-1316, 1956)
- Midnight for Two (RCA Victor, LPM-1333, 1957) U.S. #16[6]
- Malaguena (RCA Victor LPM-1220, 1956)
- Things I Love in Hi-Fi (RCA Victor, LPM/LSP-1543, 1958)
- Let's Dance with the Three Suns (RCA Victor, LPM/LSP-1578, 1958)
- Happy Go Lucky Sound (RCA Camden, CAL-454, 1958)
- My Reverie (RCA Victor, LSP-1173, 1958)
- Love in the Afternoon (RCA Victor, LSP-1669, 1959)
- Having a Ball with the Three Suns (RCA Victor, LSP-1734, 1958)
- Swingin' on a Star (RCA Victor, LPM/LSP-1964, 1959)
- A Ding Dong Dandy Christmas! (RCA Victor, LPM/LSP-2054, 1959)
- At the Candlelight Cafe (RCA Camden, CAL-513, 1959)
- Twilight Memories (RCA Victor, LPM/LSP-2120, 1960)
- On a Magic Carpet (RCA Victor, LPM/LSP-2235, 1960)
- Twilight Time (RCA Victor, LPC-110, 1961) (COMPACT 33 DOUBLE)
- Dancing on a Cloud (RCA Victor, LPM/LSP-2307, 1961)
- Fever & Smoke (RCA Victor LPM/LSP-2310, 1961)
- In Orbit (Tops, 9756, 1962)
- Fun in the Sun (RCA Victor LPM/LSP-2437)
- Movin' 'N' Groovin' (RCA Victor LPM/LSP-2532, 1962)
- Warm and Tender (RCA Victor LPM/LSP-2617, 1962)
- Everything Under the Sun (RCA Victor, LPM/LSP-2715, 1963)
- One Enchanted Evening (RCA Victor LPM/LSP-2904, 1964)
- A Swinging Thing (RCA Victor LPM/LSP-2963, 1964)
- Country Music Shindig (RCA Victor LPM/LSP-3354, 1965)
- Continental Affair (RCA Camden CAL 573)
- The Best of the Three Suns (RCA Victor LPM/LSP-3447(e), 1966)
- 16 Greatest Hits (Musicor, MM2090/MS3090, 1966)
- This Is the Three Suns (RCA Victor VPS-6075, 1971)
- Pure Gold - The Three Suns (RCA ANL1-1779(e), 1976)
Filmography
- Nine Soundiesmusicals (1944)
- Rope (1948) directed by Alfred Hitchcock; offscreen performers in radio sequence
- Two Gals and a Guy (1951)
Television
- Cavalcade of Stars(1950) episode 1.65
- The Ed Sullivan Show (1950) episodes 3.38 and 3.39
- The Kate Smith Hour (1953) December 29, 1953 episode,[7] which mentions them as having appeared on previous episodes
- Captain Chesapeake (1971 to 1990) The theme song was the Bob Crosby tune "Stumbling" by The Three Suns. This theme was played from a 33 rpm at 45 rpm speed.[citation needed]
Other media
- "Worry Worry Worry" released by The Three Suns in 1948 was featured in the role-playing videogame Fallout 4 by Bethesda Game Studios in-game radio.[citation needed]
References
- ^ Carter, Dick (January 3, 1942). "On the Air: The Three Suns" (PDF). Billboard. p. 14. Retrieved 26 February 2015.
- ^ Allmusic
- ^ ISBN 0-214-20512-6.
- ^ "The Three Suns". Spaceagepop.com. Retrieved 17 August 2015.
- ^ a b c Joel Whitburn, The Billboard Albums, 6th edn (2006), p. 1052.
- ^ Allmusic
- ^ "The Kate Smith Hour - December 29, 1953 : Free Download & Streaming : Internet Archive". Retrieved 17 August 2015.