Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular Music

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

NEW CHRISTY MINSTRELS

Large commercial folk group formed '61 NYC by Randy Sparks (b 29 July '33, Leavenworth KS), named after the mid-19th-century Christy Minstrels. They were successful because their big sound was refreshing at the time and because members contributed original material, such as their biggest hit 'Green Green' (no. 14 '63), by Sparks and Barry McGuire. Their only other top 40 hits were 'Saturday Night' and 'Today' '63--4 (the latter from the comedy western Advance To The Rear '64 for which Sparks wrote the music) but they had nine hit LPs '62--5, of which Ramblin' (incl. 'Green Green') and Today '63--4 were the biggest. They played at the White House and had a TV show mid-'64; Sparks sold them to a management group and continued as manager for a while; they continued touring and recording for some years. Mike Settle was mus. dir. mid-'60s until he left, taking others incl. Kenny Rogers to form the First Edition. Sparks also formed the Back Porch Majority, did studio work, wrote special material for Burl Ives, John Denver etc; became a rancher '70s and toured as Randy Sparks and the Patch Family.