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March 6, 2020 2:05 pm  #1


Oldies Artists Who Never Should Have Gotten In Front Of A Microphone

I just heard “Johnny Angel,” a huge hit by Shelley Fabares, on one of our local oldies stations. It triggered a memory of a comment she made many years ago in which she was asked about her brief recording career and her all time Top 10 hit. Her response essentially was that the producers of The Donna Reed Show were anxious to take advantage of a teenage trend to put anyone of a certain age who appeared on a hit TV show on vinyl. But she admitted in an interview, “I can’t sing. I literally cannot sing,” and that they’d been forced to overdub it with a huge group of background singers to cover for her.
 
And after that one hit and one album, she never put out anything again. (Her story about the day she was lip synching live to the tune on a TV dance show and the record started skipping is incredible.)
 
Which brings up the topic of artists who probably should never really have been on record in the first place. Most were only there because of their TV exposure.  
 
Paul Petersen, one of Fabares’ co-stars, had a few hits, including the touching “My Dad” and the novelty-like “She Can’t Find Her Keys.” But he likely would never have been considered for a record of any kind if it weren’t for his appearance on the show.
 
Patty Duke was another actress who was a reluctant artist. I really like “Don’t Just Stand There,” but she often admitted she couldn’t really sing and they made her put out those songs.
 
It didn’t always work. Dwayne Hickman, the star of “The Many Loves Of Dobie Gillis,” performed a few tunes on the show and even put out an LP. But despite all that exposure, he never had a hit.
 
And it wasn’t just the early 60s. I’m not sure if David Soul would ever have hit the charts with “Don’t Give Up On Us,” if he hadn’t been on Starsky and Hutch.
 
Amazing how many of these examples start with the word “Don’t.” Maybe they were trying to tell us something! (The funny thing is, I actually like a lot of these songs, but the performers didn't!)
 
Another David, Hasselhoff, was a huge singing sensation in Europe but never made a dent in North America.
 
Those are the only ones I can think of but I’m pretty sure there are a lot more.

Last edited by aflem (March 6, 2020 2:13 pm)

 

March 6, 2020 3:33 pm  #2


Re: Oldies Artists Who Never Should Have Gotten In Front Of A Microphone

There was this truck driver from the little town of Tupelo, Miss., and he.......   Oh, wait a minute... that was someone else.  Nevermind.

 

March 6, 2020 3:50 pm  #3


Re: Oldies Artists Who Never Should Have Gotten In Front Of A Microphone

John Travolta had a top ten song "Let Her In" during his "Welcome Back Kotter" years.

 

 

March 6, 2020 4:10 pm  #4


Re: Oldies Artists Who Never Should Have Gotten In Front Of A Microphone

It's me Karen wrote:

John Travolta had a top ten song "Let Her In" during his "Welcome Back Kotter" years. 

Another one who got his chance because of a TV show (Kotter, as you noted.) But I think Travolta showed he could adequately carry a tune when he starred in Grease and hit with "You're The One That I Want" and "Summer Nights" alongside Olivia Newton-John - who really could sing! 

Still, without the TV fame, you're right - you have to wonder if he ever would have had a single hit of his own. 

Last edited by aflem (March 6, 2020 4:55 pm)

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March 7, 2020 12:22 am  #5


Re: Oldies Artists Who Never Should Have Gotten In Front Of A Microphone

Guy Mitchell, Gale Storm, Tab Hunter, Richard Chamberlain - but the other guy, the one who played Ben Casey - he could really sing. 

 

March 7, 2020 3:59 am  #6


Re: Oldies Artists Who Never Should Have Gotten In Front Of A Microphone

I will agree on the artists mentioned above, except for Guy Mitchell.  He had 13 Top 20 hits between 1950 and 1959 including 4 "gold" singles.  I mentioned them before, but the absolute worse concert I ever attended was Zager and Evans of "In The Year 2525" fame.  They didn't sound anything like their #1 hit.

 

March 7, 2020 8:40 am  #7


Re: Oldies Artists Who Never Should Have Gotten In Front Of A Microphone

How about Richard Harris?

 

March 7, 2020 6:05 pm  #8


Re: Oldies Artists Who Never Should Have Gotten In Front Of A Microphone

Fabian... who had to record Tiger one line at a time over 40+ takes...


Tom Diehl
 

March 8, 2020 8:53 am  #9


Re: Oldies Artists Who Never Should Have Gotten In Front Of A Microphone

I'm not sure she should have never gotten in front of a microphone, not knowing what kind of help she got in the studio but:

"Felicidad" by Sally Field

 

March 8, 2020 11:42 am  #10


Re: Oldies Artists Who Never Should Have Gotten In Front Of A Microphone

Not really a Top 40 artist, but really - anything by William Shatner. 

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