DUBS Could This Be Magic

The Dubs

Don't Laugh At Me

It looked like The Dubs were through when they went their separate ways in late 1958. The New York group had established itself the previous year with two solid hits, both gorgeous ballads: Don't Ask Me (To Be Lonely) and Could This Be Magic for George Goldner's Gone label (the latter is aboard our '57 disc). Lead tenor Richard Blandon joined a reformed group of Vocaleers, recording a 1959 single for Old Town's Paradise logo but not singing lead on either side.

But The Dubs reformed in the autumn of '59, Blandon restored to the lead position and three of his old pals back too: tenor Billy Carlisle, baritone James Miller, and bass Tommy Grate (Cordell Brown came in as first tenor). They landed at ABC-Paramount, issuing No One b/w Early In The Evening on ABC that fall. 

On January 19, 1960, they did another session for ABC, which assigned Sid Feller as their arranger/conductor (he would serve in similar capacities at the major label for Lloyd Price and Ray Charles). Two of its ballads, the Blandon-penned Don't Laugh At Me and You'll Never Belong To Me, came out back-to-back that March. Feller invited a full string section in for the occasion, adding to the thoroughly classy ambiance that The Dubs' harmonies and Blandon's leads always imparted (the harmonized acappella "ha-ha-ha" ending was an especially nice touch).

Despite three more ABC singles (For The First Time b/w a rocking Ain't That So, If I Only Had Magic b/w Joogie Boogie, and Down, Down, Down I Go b/w Lullaby) that stretched into 1961 (original member Cleveland Still came back for the last one), The Dubs never scored another pop charter after Chapel Of Dreams for Gone in '59. They cut one-offs for End and Gone (thus reuniting with Goldner) as well as Wilshire and Josie. Blandon and Still kept The Dubs going through the '70s, then Still split off to form a competing group. Blandon died December 30, 1991.

Various - Street Corner Symphonies 1960 Vol.12

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