A trip back in time: Joe and Eddie
I was having trouble with my iPod the other day, and while trying to troubleshoot it (it’s fixed now) I came across an entry in my iTunes library that was part of a reel-to-reel tape I had originally made in the early 1960s and recently duplicated for a friend. It featured some ancient tape recordings of phonograph records and from the radio—mostly the latter, because (like many teenagers back then) I’d owned very few records.
One recording was of a duo called Joe and Eddie, whom I had completely forgotten. Going to YouTube, looking at them and listening to them now, I still think they were fabulous. The sort of non-ironic and non-sexual (except that they’re very attractive, charismatic and accomplished guys) performance they specialized in wouldn’t wash anymore in the mainstream music business, although they might find a niche in the subset known as Christian music.
Joe and Eddie failed to achieve huge fame in part because Joe died tragically young in a car accident. Their glorious harmonies are of the Everly Brothers genre, but different (and they weren’t brothers). The tradition is gospel, with a smoky depth and richness to both their voices.
Here’s a video of their big 1962 hit. The audience (the show was reportedly “Hootenanny”) is a hoot. But Joe and Eddie are superlative:
Her dress looks interesting, the announcer’s. Reminds me of the vest in certain high school uniforms.
It took me a long time to find the CD of the Best of Joe & Eddie but it’s was worth the effort. I first heard them in the 1960s, and I have a few of the 45s, and they were so memorable that I went out of my way to track down a CD version.
I highly recommend them!
I remember them. They were good.
One of my long time favorites as well. One of the best duets ever, too bad they didn’t get better known. There’s also a YouTube clip of them singing, “That’s the Way It’s Going to Be” that I like a lot.
I don’t remember them at all. I don’t know how I missed them. They do have great voices. And they wear ties. Talk about the good old days.
The clip comes from an old movie called “Hootenanny Hoot.” I recall seeing it on Turner Classic a year or two ago. According to IMDb, also appearing in the film were Johnny Cash and Sheb Wooley.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0057153/?ref_=fn_tt_tt_2
How lovely – I had never heard of them before this! (And me the former AFRTS DJ – I thought I had heard EVERYONE!) They do sing in close-harmony like the Everly Brothers. Reminds me a bit o the early Sam Cook, also.
Yes – neckties. Good old days and all that. I rather miss this, in the era of openly salacious lyrics and Miley Cyrus twerking all over stage. Not the color bar, just the general gentility.
You kids – get (insert some serious military profanity here) off my lawn!
Expat and Sgt. Mom, according to Wiki, Joe & Eddie peaked in 1964, and Joe was killed in an auto accident in 1966. That may explain why you hadn’t heard of them.
I became aware of them in ’64-’65.
Sgt. Mom They mentioned twerking a few months ago to me concerning Miley. I had to look that term up first.
I ordered a white tie on line, which came today, to wear on Easter, because white is the liturgical color for Easter and Christmas. However, Sgt. Mom, this is Texas, and no ties after Pentecost. (Red, of course, thank you for asking)
Complicated arrangement. Sounded as if there were more than two voices.
Have to look them up.
Check out the audience in youtube Brothers Four–the originals–at UCLA.
May as well be on a different planet.
I don’t recall ever hearing them, either, which probably means they didn’t get radio play in my area (and not because they were black–we heard all the black rock-and-roll greats). Remarkable vocals.
I can always depend on your eclectic musical taste to lead me into wasting an hour on YouTube.