Eddie Rambeau
Encyclopedia
Eddie Rambeau is an American
singer, songwriter
, and actor
.
musical
he had written, Rambeau met songwriter and musician
Bud Rehak, who went on to become his manager
. With Rehak playing the piano
, Rambeau sang at record hops
and the like, where he impressed deejays
with his talent. One of the deejays, Jim Ward from Plymouth, Pennsylvania
, set up an audition
for Rambeau at Swan Records
. He was signed to the label
and released his first single
, "Skin Divin'," under his new name, Eddie Rambeau, on graduation day in June 1961. Now eighteen, Rambeau moved to Philadelphia, where Swan Records was based.
The following year, 1962, Rambeau recorded
two more singles, "My Four Leaf Clover Love" and "Summertime Guy
." Just minutes before he was about to debut "Summertime Guy" on a television
variety show
in Chicago
, Illinois
, he was informed by deejay Dick Biondi
that, due to a potential conflict of interest
, he would have to perform the B side
of the record
instead. "Summertime Guy" was written by Chuck Barris
, who had also composed "Palisades Park
" for Freddy Cannon
earlier in the year. Since Chuck Barris was employed by ABC
, and the TV show aired on a network
affiliate
, it was felt that Rambeau's performance of the song
might create problems with the FCC
. On top of this, the song was pulled from all ABC affiliates nationwide, both radio
and television. (Barris would later revamp the song as an instrumental
to use for his television show The Newlywed Game
.) In December 1962, "The Push and Kick," written by Eddie with Frank Slay, Jr. and Bud Rehak, became a Top Forty
hit for Mark Valentino.
During 1963, Rambeau began writing songs with Bob Crewe
, who was also affiliated with Swan Records. Late in the year, Crewe needed a fourth song for a recording session he had scheduled with a new female singer he had recently discovered, Diane Renay
. "Navy Blue
," which was written by Rambeau, Rehak, and Crewe, became Renay's first and biggest hit record early in 1964, hitting the Top Ten on the U.S. charts
. A few months later, Rambeau and Rehak composed her followup single, "Kiss Me, Sailor," which made the Top 40. Rambeau relocated from Pennsylvania
to New York City
that year, to work with Crewe's organization as a staff songwriter and singer.
In addition to Mark Valentino and Diane Renay, other artists
who have recorded songs written by Rambeau include Shirley Matthews ("Stop the Clock"), Dee Dee Sharp
("Push and Kick"), The Four Seasons
("Only Yesterday"), Engelbert Humperdinck
("If I Were You"), Shepherd Sisters ("If I Were You"), and Frank Sinatra
("Shadows on a Foggy Day").
In 1965, Rambeau heard a demo
that Bob Crewe had brought back from a visit to the UK
, where it had been recorded by members of a group
called Unit 4 + 2
. The song was called "Concrete and Clay
", and its composers, Tommy Moeller and Brian Parker, were the singers heard on the demo. Rambeau recorded the song on DynoVoice Records
, and his cover version
came out about a week before the demo was released as a single by another label. Both versions of "Concrete and Clay" made the U.S. Top 40, running about neck and neck as they jockeyed for position on the charts. Rambeau subsequently released an LP
entitled Eddie Rambeau Sings Concrete and Clay, and he appeared on several musical variety shows that year, most notably Shindig!
(twice), American Bandstand
, and Where The Action Is
. His followup singles, "My Name is Mud" and "The Train," did not match the national success of "Concrete and Clay," which remains his biggest hit.
Rambeau recorded a few more singles for DynoVoice, including "Good Morning, Starshine," in 1968 which was released under the name Eddie Hazelton (as a nod to Rambeau's hometown of Hazleton). Coincidentally, a few years later Rambeau would appear in the Broadway
production of Hair
, the musical which spawned "Starshine" among other songs that went on to become hit records. By the early 1970s, Rambeau had turned his attention to acting
, and in addition to Hair, he was also a cast member of Jesus Christ, Superstar and Heathen. He also made a guest appearance on the television show The Secret Storm
. In 1976, Rambeau produced
the single "The Big Hurt
" by The Front Runners, on Tom Cat Records.
During the 1980s and 1990s, Rambeau (now going by the name Ed Rambeau) broadened his repertoire to include the easy-listening genre and Broadway show tunes, and he resumed his live performing, mainly on cruises
. In recent years, he also added photography
and painting
to his artistic portfolio. In the early 1990s he began recording and marketing his own album
s on cassette
and CD
. Today Rambeau continues to record and to keep in contact with his fan
base by way of personal appearances, interviews, and the Internet
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
singer, songwriter
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
, and actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
.
Career
While performing in a high-schoolHigh school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
musical
Musical theatre
Musical theatre is a form of theatre combining songs, spoken dialogue, acting, and dance. The emotional content of the piece – humor, pathos, love, anger – as well as the story itself, is communicated through the words, music, movement and technical aspects of the entertainment as an...
he had written, Rambeau met songwriter and musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
Bud Rehak, who went on to become his manager
Management
Management in all business and organizational activities is the act of getting people together to accomplish desired goals and objectives using available resources efficiently and effectively...
. With Rehak playing the piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
, Rambeau sang at record hops
Sock Hop
The sock hop was an informal sponsored dance at American high schools, typically held in the high school's own gym or cafeteria. The term sock hop came about because dancers were required to remove their shoes to protect the varnished floor of the gymnasium. These hops were a cultural feature of...
and the like, where he impressed deejays
Disc jockey
A disc jockey, also known as DJ, is a person who selects and plays recorded music for an audience. Originally, "disc" referred to phonograph records, not the later Compact Discs. Today, the term includes all forms of music playback, no matter the medium.There are several types of disc jockeys...
with his talent. One of the deejays, Jim Ward from Plymouth, Pennsylvania
Plymouth, Pennsylvania
Plymouth is an incorporated borough in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, United States 4 miles west of Wilkes Barre, on the Susquehanna River. Prior to its incorporation in 1866, it was part of Plymouth Township, established in 1769 by the Susquehanna Company and claimed by Connecticut based on...
, set up an audition
Audition
An audition is a sample performance by an actor, singer, musician, dancer or other performing artist.Audition may also refer to:* The sense of hearing* Adobe Audition, audio editing software...
for Rambeau at Swan Records
Swan Records
Swan Records was a mid-20th century United States based record label, founded in 1957, based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It had a subsidiary label called Lawn Records....
. He was signed to the label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
and released his first single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
, "Skin Divin'," under his new name, Eddie Rambeau, on graduation day in June 1961. Now eighteen, Rambeau moved to Philadelphia, where Swan Records was based.
The following year, 1962, Rambeau recorded
Sound recording and reproduction
Sound recording and reproduction is an electrical or mechanical inscription and re-creation of sound waves, such as spoken voice, singing, instrumental music, or sound effects. The two main classes of sound recording technology are analog recording and digital recording...
two more singles, "My Four Leaf Clover Love" and "Summertime Guy
Summertime Guy
Summertime Guy is a song by Eddie Rambeau issued by Swan Records, written by game show pioneer Chuck Barris. Rambeau was to originally debut the song on American Bandstand in 1962, but mere minutes before Rambeau was to perform, he was told the song couldn't be sung, due to Barris being an ABC...
." Just minutes before he was about to debut "Summertime Guy" on a television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
variety show
Variety show
A variety show, also known as variety arts or variety entertainment, is an entertainment made up of a variety of acts, especially musical performances and sketch comedy, and normally introduced by a compère or host. Other types of acts include magic, animal and circus acts, acrobatics, juggling...
in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, he was informed by deejay Dick Biondi
Dick Biondi
Dick Biondi is an American Top 40 and Oldies disc jockey. Calling himself "The Wild I-tralian", he was one of the original "screamers," known for his screaming delivery as well as his wild antics on the air and off. In a 1988 interview, Biondi related he had been fired 23 times; both fits of...
that, due to a potential conflict of interest
Conflict of interest
A conflict of interest occurs when an individual or organization is involved in multiple interests, one of which could possibly corrupt the motivation for an act in the other....
, he would have to perform the B side
A-side and B-side
A-side and B-side originally referred to the two sides of gramophone records on which singles were released beginning in the 1950s. The terms have come to refer to the types of song conventionally placed on each side of the record, with the A-side being the featured song , while the B-side, or...
of the record
Gramophone record
A gramophone record, commonly known as a phonograph record , vinyl record , or colloquially, a record, is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove...
instead. "Summertime Guy" was written by Chuck Barris
Chuck Barris
Charles Hirsch "Chuck" Barris is an American game show producer, film director and presenter best known for hosting The Gong Show and creating The Dating Game. Barris, a survivor of lung cancer, is also an author and claims to have worked for the CIA.-Early career:Barris was born in Oakland, New...
, who had also composed "Palisades Park
Palisades Park (song)
"Palisades Park" is a song written by Chuck Barris and recorded by Freddy Cannon. A tribute to New Jersey's Palisades Amusement Park, the song is an up-tempo tune led by a distinctive organ part. It also incorporates amusement park sound effects....
" for Freddy Cannon
Freddy Cannon
Frederick Anthony Picariello Jr. , known as Freddy Cannon, is an American rock and roll singer, whose biggest international hits included "Tallahassee Lassie", "Way Down Yonder In New Orleans", and "Palisades Park".-Biography:...
earlier in the year. Since Chuck Barris was employed by ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
, and the TV show aired on a network
Television network
A television network is a telecommunications network for distribution of television program content, whereby a central operation provides programming to many television stations or pay TV providers. Until the mid-1980s, television programming in most countries of the world was dominated by a small...
affiliate
Affiliate
An affiliate is a commercial entity with a relationship with a peer or a larger entity.- Corporate structure :A corporation may be referred to as an affiliate of another when it is related to it but not strictly controlled by it, as with a subsidiary relationship, or when it is desired to avoid...
, it was felt that Rambeau's performance of the song
Song
In music, a song is a composition for voice or voices, performed by singing.A song may be accompanied by musical instruments, or it may be unaccompanied, as in the case of a cappella songs...
might create problems with the FCC
Federal Communications Commission
The Federal Communications Commission is an independent agency of the United States government, created, Congressional statute , and with the majority of its commissioners appointed by the current President. The FCC works towards six goals in the areas of broadband, competition, the spectrum, the...
. On top of this, the song was pulled from all ABC affiliates nationwide, both radio
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
and television. (Barris would later revamp the song as an instrumental
Instrumental
An instrumental is a musical composition or recording without lyrics or singing, although it might include some non-articulate vocal input; the music is primarily or exclusively produced by musical instruments....
to use for his television show The Newlywed Game
The Newlywed Game
The Newlywed Game is an American television game show that pits newly married couples against each other in a series of revealing question rounds to determine how well the spouses know each other. The program, originally created by Nick Nicholson and E. Roger Muir The Newlywed Game is an American...
.) In December 1962, "The Push and Kick," written by Eddie with Frank Slay, Jr. and Bud Rehak, became a Top Forty
Top Forty
The Top Forty or Top 40 is a music industry shorthand for the currently most-popular songs in a particular genre. When used without qualification, it typically refers to the best-selling or most frequently broadcast popular music songs of the previous week...
hit for Mark Valentino.
During 1963, Rambeau began writing songs with Bob Crewe
Bob Crewe
Bob Crewe is an American songwriter, dancer, singer, manager, record producer and fine artist. He is known for producing, and co-writing with Bob Gaudio, a string of Top 10 singles for The Four Seasons...
, who was also affiliated with Swan Records. Late in the year, Crewe needed a fourth song for a recording session he had scheduled with a new female singer he had recently discovered, Diane Renay
Diane Renay
Diane Renay , born Renee Diane Kushner, is an American pop singer, best known for her 1964 hit song, "Navy Blue".-Career:...
. "Navy Blue
Navy Blue (song)
"Navy Blue" is the name of a song written by Bob Crewe, Bud Rehak and Eddie Rambeau. The song tells the story of a girl who was lonely for her steady boyfriend while he was away from home in the U.S...
," which was written by Rambeau, Rehak, and Crewe, became Renay's first and biggest hit record early in 1964, hitting the Top Ten on the U.S. charts
Record chart
A record chart is a ranking of recorded music according to popularity during a given period of time. Examples of music charts are the Hit parade, Hot 100 or Top 40....
. A few months later, Rambeau and Rehak composed her followup single, "Kiss Me, Sailor," which made the Top 40. Rambeau relocated from Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
that year, to work with Crewe's organization as a staff songwriter and singer.
In addition to Mark Valentino and Diane Renay, other artists
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
who have recorded songs written by Rambeau include Shirley Matthews ("Stop the Clock"), Dee Dee Sharp
Dee Dee Sharp
Dee Dee Sharp is an American R&B singer, who began her career recording as a backing vocalist in 1961.-Career:...
("Push and Kick"), The Four Seasons
The Four Seasons (group)
The Four Seasons are an American rock and pop band who became internationally successful in the mid-1960s. The Vocal Group Hall of Fame has stated that the group was the most popular rock band before The Beatles...
("Only Yesterday"), Engelbert Humperdinck
Engelbert Humperdinck (singer)
Engelbert Humperdinck is a British pop singer, best known for his hits including "Release Me " and "After the Lovin'" as well as "The Last Waltz" .-Early life:...
("If I Were You"), Shepherd Sisters ("If I Were You"), and Frank Sinatra
Frank Sinatra
Francis Albert "Frank" Sinatra was an American singer and actor.Beginning his musical career in the swing era with Harry James and Tommy Dorsey, Sinatra became an unprecedentedly successful solo artist in the early to mid-1940s, after being signed to Columbia Records in 1943. Being the idol of the...
("Shadows on a Foggy Day").
In 1965, Rambeau heard a demo
Demo (music)
A demo version or demo of a song is one recorded for reference rather than for release. A demo is a way for a musician to approximate their ideas on tape or disc, and provide an example of those ideas to record labels, producers or other artists...
that Bob Crewe had brought back from a visit to the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, where it had been recorded by members of a group
Rock Band
Rock Band is a music video game developed by Harmonix Music Systems, published by MTV Games and Electronic Arts. It is the first title in the Rock Band series. The PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions were released in the United States on November 20, 2007, while the PlayStation 2 version was...
called Unit 4 + 2
Unit 4 + 2
Unit 4 + 2 were a British pop band, who had a number one hit in the UK Singles Chart in 1965 with the song "Concrete and Clay". The track topped the UK chart for one week.-Early days:...
. The song was called "Concrete and Clay
Concrete and Clay
"Concrete and Clay" is the title of a 1965 #1 hit single recorded by the UK pop group Unit 4 + 2: the song was written by group membersTommy Moeller and Brian Parker....
", and its composers, Tommy Moeller and Brian Parker, were the singers heard on the demo. Rambeau recorded the song on DynoVoice Records
DynoVoice Records
DynoVoice Records was an American record label, founded in 1965 by songwriter/producer Bob Crewe. DynoVoice, along with its NewVoice Records subsidiary, was originally distributed by Bell Records, and later by Dot Records. The label existed until 1969 when it was merged into the Crewe Group of...
, and his cover version
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
came out about a week before the demo was released as a single by another label. Both versions of "Concrete and Clay" made the U.S. Top 40, running about neck and neck as they jockeyed for position on the charts. Rambeau subsequently released an LP
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
entitled Eddie Rambeau Sings Concrete and Clay, and he appeared on several musical variety shows that year, most notably Shindig!
Shindig!
Shindig! was an American musical variety series which aired on ABC from September 16, 1964 to January 8, 1966. The show was hosted by Jimmy O'Neill, a disc jockey in Los Angeles at the time who also created the show along with his wife Sharon Sheeley and production executive Art Stolnitz....
(twice), American Bandstand
American Bandstand
American Bandstand is an American music-performance show that aired in various versions from 1952 to 1989 and was hosted from 1956 until its final season by Dick Clark, who also served as producer...
, and Where The Action Is
Where the Action Is
Where the Action Is or ' was a music-based television variety show in the United States from 1965–67. It was carried by the ABC network and aired each weekday afternoon...
. His followup singles, "My Name is Mud" and "The Train," did not match the national success of "Concrete and Clay," which remains his biggest hit.
Rambeau recorded a few more singles for DynoVoice, including "Good Morning, Starshine," in 1968 which was released under the name Eddie Hazelton (as a nod to Rambeau's hometown of Hazleton). Coincidentally, a few years later Rambeau would appear in the Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
production of Hair
Hair (musical)
Hair: The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical is a rock musical with a book and lyrics by James Rado and Gerome Ragni and music by Galt MacDermot. A product of the hippie counter-culture and sexual revolution of the 1960s, several of its songs became anthems of the anti-Vietnam War peace movement...
, the musical which spawned "Starshine" among other songs that went on to become hit records. By the early 1970s, Rambeau had turned his attention to acting
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
, and in addition to Hair, he was also a cast member of Jesus Christ, Superstar and Heathen. He also made a guest appearance on the television show The Secret Storm
The Secret Storm
The Secret Storm is a soap opera which ran on CBS from February 1, 1954 to February 8, 1974. The series was created by Roy Winsor, who also created the long-running soap operas Search for Tomorrow and Love of Life...
. In 1976, Rambeau produced
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
the single "The Big Hurt
The Big Hurt (song)
"The Big Hurt" is a pop song, that was a hit Toni Fisher in 1959. The song was written by her husband, Wayne Shanklin. The song went to No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 music chart in the United States...
" by The Front Runners, on Tom Cat Records.
During the 1980s and 1990s, Rambeau (now going by the name Ed Rambeau) broadened his repertoire to include the easy-listening genre and Broadway show tunes, and he resumed his live performing, mainly on cruises
Cruising (maritime)
Cruising by boat is a lifestyle that involves living for extended time on a boat while traveling from place to place for pleasure. Cruising generally refers to trips of a few days or more, and can extend to round-the-world voyages.- History :...
. In recent years, he also added photography
Photography
Photography is the art, science and practice of creating durable images by recording light or other electromagnetic radiation, either electronically by means of an image sensor or chemically by means of a light-sensitive material such as photographic film...
and painting
Painting
Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a surface . The application of the medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush but other objects can be used. In art, the term painting describes both the act and the result of the action. However, painting is...
to his artistic portfolio. In the early 1990s he began recording and marketing his own album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
s on cassette
Compact Cassette
The Compact Cassette, often referred to as audio cassette, cassette tape, cassette, or simply tape, is a magnetic tape sound recording format. It was designed originally for dictation, but improvements in fidelity led the Compact Cassette to supplant the Stereo 8-track cartridge and reel-to-reel...
and CD
Compact Disc
The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
. Today Rambeau continues to record and to keep in contact with his fan
Fan (person)
A Fan, sometimes also called aficionado or supporter, is a person with a liking and enthusiasm for something, such as a band or a sports team. Fans of a particular thing or person constitute its fanbase or fandom...
base by way of personal appearances, interviews, and the Internet
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
.
External links
- Ed Rambeau - Official site
- Ed Rambeau - mySpace
- [ Eddie Rambeau biography] at Allmusic websiteWebsiteA website, also written as Web site, web site, or simply site, is a collection of related web pages containing images, videos or other digital assets. A website is hosted on at least one web server, accessible via a network such as the Internet or a private local area network through an Internet...