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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 ZFOUR FRESHMEN, TheVocal group formed in 1948 while attending music school in Indianapolis IN as the Toppers. First lineup: lead singer Bob Flanigan (b 22 August 1926; d 15 May 2011, Las Vegas), second voice Don Barbour (b 19 April 1929), third (brother) Ross Barbour (b 31 December 1928; d 20 August 2011, Simi Valley CA), all from Indiana; bass Hal Kratzch, replaced '53 by Ken Errair (b 23 January 1930). They also played several instruments, making club work easier. They turned pro and were discovered in 1950 in Dayton Ohio by Stan Kenton, who helped get a recording contract; they appeared in film Rich, Young And Pretty '51; Capitol was about to drop them when 'It's A Blue World' was a no. 30 hit single '52. There were no more top 40 hits, but good singing and modern harmonies sold albums: more than 30 on Capitol helped keep group the together for years. Errair was replaced by Ken Albers '56; Don Barbour by Bill Comstock '60, who was replaced by Ray Brown '73. Chart LPs included Voices In Modern '54; Freshmen Favorites and Four Freshmen And Five Trombones '56; And Five Trumpets and And Five Saxes '57; In Person and Voices In Love '68; And Five Guitars '60. Their vocal style was jazz-oriented, but they were a big influence on rock groups like the Beach Boys. In December 2010 a group was still performing: the lineup at the Raritan Valley Community College in North Branch NJ was Bob Ferreira, drums; Brian Eichenberger, guitar; Vince Johnson, bass; and Curtis Calderon, trumpet and flugelhorn. Joe Lang wrote in the journal of the New Jersey Jazz Society that they were carrying on 'to the high bar of excellence' set by the founders over 60 years earlier. |