Freddie Bell & The Bellboys
Biography
Freddie Bell and the Bellboys were an American vocal group, influential in the development of rock and roll in the 1950s.
The group, formed in 1952, comprised of Freddie Bello (who had performed in various bands as a trombonist, bassist, drummer and singer), Jack Kane (saxophone), Frankie Brent (bass / guitar), Russ Conti (piano), Chick Keeney (drums) and Jerry Mayo (trumpet).
Read full biography ↓
They were one of the first Caucasian groups to perform the R and B hits that were popular during that time and succeeded in booking a gig at the Sands Hotel in Las Vegas. It was during a performance in which they covered the Leiber and Stoller song "Hound Dog" that Elvis Presley decided to record the song himself.
Gaining most of their popularity in the UK, they are most well-known for their 1956 single "Giddy Up A Ding Dong," which was featured in the first rock and roll movie Rock Around the Clock.
After touring internationally and failing to become a hit in America, they returned to their Las Vegas act in the early 1960s, where they continued to do well for some years, thanks to their energetic stage shows. The exact date of their disband is unknown.
Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.
Biography text from Last.fm, available under CC BY-SA.