David and the Giants
Encyclopedia
David and the Giants began as a rock band in Laurel, Mississippi
; with the Huff brothers: David, Clay, and Ray—with Jerry Parker on drums, touring the Southeast during the 1960s. In 1977 they switched to a Christian rock
format. They continued to sing and record together through 1999. Recording and performing together for almost 40 years, the band released 17 albums. Though the band's style has been compared to that of Mylon LeFevre
and Broken Heart, their most commercially successful work came in the 1960s with a sound, augmented by The Muscle Shoals Horns, that closely resembled that of Jay & the Techniques
.
" around 1964, under the name of Little David & the Giants. In 1969, Keith Thibodeaux
(best known as "Little Ricky" from I Love Lucy
) joined the band. His arrival marked the beginning of the band's most commercially successful era. Although band members often described their sound as having its roots in Southern rock
, the band's most successful recordings became popular in England in the 1970s and 80s as Northern soul
- songs that featured a mixture of a Top 40 sound with horns and strings.
In 1969 they achieved regional success in the southeastern US with singles of that genre entitled Super Love and Ten Miles High. Their work of that era was distributed in both the United States and in Great Britain. Super Love, Ten Miles High and some of the band's other late sixties singles have appeared on various genre compilations. In the early 1970s, the band performed in concert with such notable acts as Styxx, Black Oak Arkansas, Cheech and Chong, and Chuck Berry. David Huff was in the studio with The Rolling Stones when they recorded the song, "Brown Sugar", and also spent some time in the studio with artists such as Stevie Wonder and Rod Stewart.
. The first release, entitled simply David and The Giants was widely distributed and sold well. The band's next album, Riders in the Sky, contained concert staples like "Step by Step", "King of the Jews", and "Look at the People." The band released another album, called Inhabitants of the Rock, which though not commercially successful, contained the radio releases "I Can Depend on You" and "I Am Persuaded." It went out-of-print in the early 1990s. Two more albums followed, Under Control and Magnificat. Both were well-accepted by fans. The band concluded the 1980s with Strangers to the Night and R U Gonna Stand Up.
The Huff brothers occasionally perform together as David and The Giants. On December 9, 2007 they joined former drummer Keith Thibodeaux for a reunion concert at Emmanuel Praise Church in Monroe, Georgia
.
Laurel, Mississippi
Laurel is a city located in Jones County in Mississippi, a state of the United States of America. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 18,393 although a significant population increase has been reported following Hurricane Katrina. Located in southeast Mississippi, southeast of...
; with the Huff brothers: David, Clay, and Ray—with Jerry Parker on drums, touring the Southeast during the 1960s. In 1977 they switched to a Christian rock
Christian rock
Christian rock is a form of rock music played by individuals and bands whose members are Christians and who often focus the lyrics on matters concerned with the Christian faith. The extent to which their lyrics are explicitly Christian varies between bands...
format. They continued to sing and record together through 1999. Recording and performing together for almost 40 years, the band released 17 albums. Though the band's style has been compared to that of Mylon LeFevre
Mylon LeFevre
Mylon LeFevre is an American Christian music singer, who was the leader of the Grammy Award-winning band Mylon and Broken Heart. He is a member of the Gospel Music Association Hall of Fame. He currently travels around the United States, ministering, teaching and singing...
and Broken Heart, their most commercially successful work came in the 1960s with a sound, augmented by The Muscle Shoals Horns, that closely resembled that of Jay & the Techniques
Jay & The Techniques
Jay & the Techniques was an inter-racial pop group, which was formed in Allentown, Pennsylvania during the mid 1960s. A group whose sound and songs were more pop than soul, Jay & the Techniques earned some points for the playful, joyous "Apples, Peaches, Pumpkin Pie," which was their lone Top 10...
.
Beginning at the beginning
The band released its first single, a cover version of "Rockin' RobinRockin' Robin (song)
This article is about the song. For the wrestler, see Rockin' Robin ."Rockin' Robin" is a song written by Leon René under the pseudonym Jimmie Thomas and recorded by Bobby Day in 1958. It was Day's only hit single, becoming a number-two hit on the Billboard Hot 100...
" around 1964, under the name of Little David & the Giants. In 1969, Keith Thibodeaux
Keith Thibodeaux
Keith Thibodeaux is a former child actor and musician, best known for playing "Little Ricky" in the I Love Lucy and The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour television shows.-Career:He is credited for those series as Richard Keith...
(best known as "Little Ricky" from I Love Lucy
I Love Lucy
I Love Lucy is an American television sitcom starring Lucille Ball, Desi Arnaz, Vivian Vance, and William Frawley. The black-and-white series originally ran from October 15, 1951, to May 6, 1957, on the Columbia Broadcasting System...
) joined the band. His arrival marked the beginning of the band's most commercially successful era. Although band members often described their sound as having its roots in Southern rock
Southern rock
Southern rock is a subgenre of rock music, and genre of Americana. It developed in the Southern United States from rock and roll, country music, and blues, and is focused generally on electric guitar and vocals...
, the band's most successful recordings became popular in England in the 1970s and 80s as Northern soul
Northern soul
Northern soul is a music and dance movement that emerged from the British mod scene, initially in northern England in the late 1960s. Northern soul mainly consists of a particular style of black American soul music based on the heavy beat and fast tempo of the mid-1960s Tamla Motown sound...
- songs that featured a mixture of a Top 40 sound with horns and strings.
In 1969 they achieved regional success in the southeastern US with singles of that genre entitled Super Love and Ten Miles High. Their work of that era was distributed in both the United States and in Great Britain. Super Love, Ten Miles High and some of the band's other late sixties singles have appeared on various genre compilations. In the early 1970s, the band performed in concert with such notable acts as Styxx, Black Oak Arkansas, Cheech and Chong, and Chuck Berry. David Huff was in the studio with The Rolling Stones when they recorded the song, "Brown Sugar", and also spent some time in the studio with artists such as Stevie Wonder and Rod Stewart.
Going it alone
In 1977, the band members converted to Christianity. That same year they released their first Christian album, Song of Songs. Released without label support, it contained ballads and a mixture of pop rock. Their second album, This One's For You had a similar sound. Two years later, the band recorded Step in My Shoes. Devoid of up-tempo songs, the album was not commercially successful. For their fourth album, the band returned to a sound much closer to their musical roots. Almost Midnight, a rock album, was more successful than the first three. They continued with that sound for their fifth attempt, entitled Heaven or Hell.Back in the public eye
In the 1980s, the band signed with Priority RecordsPriority Records
Priority Records is an American record label, owned and operated by EMI, which has made a name for itself dealing primarily in hip hop, pop and world...
. The first release, entitled simply David and The Giants was widely distributed and sold well. The band's next album, Riders in the Sky, contained concert staples like "Step by Step", "King of the Jews", and "Look at the People." The band released another album, called Inhabitants of the Rock, which though not commercially successful, contained the radio releases "I Can Depend on You" and "I Am Persuaded." It went out-of-print in the early 1990s. Two more albums followed, Under Control and Magnificat. Both were well-accepted by fans. The band concluded the 1980s with Strangers to the Night and R U Gonna Stand Up.
Time to do something else
In the 1990s, the band was not commercially successful. Though they had three hits from their albums, "Stumbling Block To A Stepping Stone", "I'm Still Rocking", and "Always On My Mind," their most successful album had been Angels Unaware. By 1997 the band had been on the road for almost 30 years and decided it was time to do something else. At the end of the year, the band ceased to record and perform together.And life goes on
David Huff continues to perform as a solo act and operates a recording studio near Atlanta, Georgia. He has released a series of solo albums, Really in 2000 and Proclaim in 2003, which was re-released by Christian Records in 2004, then Let My Guitar Talk, an instrumental album in 2008, and Do You Know What I Mean in August 2008.The Huff brothers occasionally perform together as David and The Giants. On December 9, 2007 they joined former drummer Keith Thibodeaux for a reunion concert at Emmanuel Praise Church in Monroe, Georgia
Monroe, Georgia
Monroe is a city in Walton County, Georgia, United States. The population was 13,381 at the 2008 census. The city is the county seat of Walton County, Georgia.-Geography:Monroe is located at ....
.
Singles (secular)
- 1963-4: “Rockin' Robin”
- 1967: “On Bended Knee” (Amy)
- 1968: “Ten Miles High” (Capitol)
- 1968: “Super Love” (Crazy Horse)
- 1968: “Love 'em and Leave 'Em” (CapitolCapitol RecordsCapitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine...
) - 1970: "Super Good Feeling" / "Letter To Josephine" (Fame Records)
Albums
- 1977: Song of Songs (Song of Songs)
- 1978: ‘’This Ones for You (Song of Songs)
- 1979: Step In My Shoes (Song of Songs)
- 1980: Almost Midnight (Song of Songs)
- 1981: Heaven or Hell (Song of Songs)
- 1982: David and the Giants (Priority)
- 1983: Riders in the Sky (Priority)
- 1984: Inhabitants of the Rock (MyrrhMyrrh RecordsMyrrh Records, also known as Myrrh Worship, is a Christian music record label. According to Encyclopedia of American Gospel Music, the label was instrumental in developing a popular following for Contemporary Christian music as the label that first published music by Barry McGuire, 2nd Chapter of...
) - 1985: Under Control (Myrrh)
- 1987: Magnificat (Myrrh)
- 1988: Strangers to the Night (Giant)
- 1989: R U Gonna Stand Up (Giant)
- 1990: Distant Journey (Giant)
- 1992: Long Time Coming (Giant)
- 1993: Giant Hits (Giant)
- 1995: Angels UnawareAngels Unaware (album)- Track Listing :# "Can't Stop The Music" – 5:05# "Light The Fire" – 4:40# "Somebody Tell Me" – 5:26# "Writing On The Wall" – 4:26...
(Giant/Benson) - 1996: Dream (Giant)
David Huff solo albums
- 2000 - Really (Giant)
- 2004 - Proclaim (Giant)
- 2008 - Let My Guitar Talk (Giant)
- 2008 - Do You Know What I Mean (Giant)
Members
- 1963–1999 David W. Huff – guitar, vocals
- 1963–1999 Clayborn Huff – bass guitar
- 1963–199– Rayborn Huff – keyboards
- 1969 Greg Crowe – drums
- 1973–1974 Ray Hair – drums
- 1977–1979 Gerald Hagan – piano
- 1977–1979 Owen Hale – drums
- 1977–’76, 1979–’89 Keith ThibodeauxKeith ThibodeauxKeith Thibodeaux is a former child actor and musician, best known for playing "Little Ricky" in the I Love Lucy and The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour television shows.-Career:He is credited for those series as Richard Keith...
– drums - 1989–1999 Lance Huff – drums
- 1994–1999 Dennon Dearman – bass guitar