|
Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular MusicA B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y ZDELL-VIKINGS, TheRacially integrated vocal group formed at the Air Force Serviceman's Club in Pittsburgh '55: Clarence Quick, Norman Wright, Corinthian 'Kripp' Johnson, Donald 'Gus' Backus and David Lerchey (d 29 Jan. 2005 aged 67, in a VA hospital in Hallandale FL). Gus and David were white. Quick wrote 'Come Go With Me'; they recorded it for FeeBee Records, it was picked up by Dot and became one of the most delightful pop records of the decade in early '57, no. 2 in the black chart, 4 in pop. When they left the Air Force Gus went to Mercury and formed the Del Vikings; Johnson stayed with Dot and re-formed with Chuck Jackson; the split and the name confusion probably hurt them, but nobody who was a teenager in the '50s will ever forget the sweetly swinging 'Come Go With Me'; there was a Best Of CD on Collectables. Jackson later had 23 hits of his own in the black chart, the biggest 'I Don't Want To Cry' and 'Any Day Now (My Wild Beautiful Bird)' '61-2 on Wand; duets with Maxine Brown included 'Something You Got' '65. |