Freddie Bell and the Bellboys
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Freddie Bell and the Bellboys were an American group influential in the development of rock and roll in the 1950s.
Freddie Belo was born on 29 September 1931 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to Italian American parents. He became an enthusiastic trombonist, bassist, drummer and singer, playing in various bands including that of Ernie Ventura. In 1952 he formed his own group, the Bellboys, with Jack Kane (saxophone), Frankie Brent (bass / guitar), Russ Conti (piano), Chick Keeney (drums) and Jerry Mayo (trumpet). They were one of the first white groups to play the R&B hits of the day, and honed their act in the Midwest before landing a booking at the Sands Hotel in Las Vegas.
In 1955, they made their first recordings for the Teen label, including a version of Leiber and Stoller's "Hound Dog" (first recorded by Big Mama Thornton). When performing the song in Las Vegas, they were seen by Elvis Presley, who was impressed and decided to record the song himself.
The group were signed to Mercury in 1956, and were also spotted by film producer Sam Katzman. He offered them a part in "Rock Around the Clock", the first rock and roll movie, starring Bill Haley. The first single for their new label, "Giddy Up A Ding Dong", was featured in the movie and became an international success reaching the top ten in the UK. The group also appeared in the 1956 film "Rumble on the Docks".[1] In 1957 they became one of the first American rock and roll acts to tour England.
However, their international tours did little to enlarge the popularity of the group in America, where they had no hit records. They continued to do well for some years in Las Vegas, thanks to their energetic stage shows.
