The Hollywood Flames
Encyclopedia
The Hollywood Flames were an American
R&B
vocal
group in the 1950s, best known for their hit
, "Buzz Buzz Buzz".
They formed as The Flames in 1949, in Watts
, Los Angeles
, at a talent show where members of various high school
groups got together. The original members were Bobby Byrd
(lead), David Ford, Curlee Dinkins and Willie Ray Rockwell. Rockwell was sometimes replaced by Clyde Tillis, and Ford sometimes sang lead. Their first paying gig
was at Johnny Otis
's Barrelhouse Club. They first recorded
in 1950 for the Selective label
, and the following year, billed as The Hollywood Four Flames, released "Tabarin", a song
written
by Murry Wilson
(father of The Beach Boys
). They later recorded another Wilson song, "I'll Hide My Tears".
Over the years the group, under various names, is believed to have recorded for about nineteen different record labels, including Aladdin
and Specialty
. Although they had no big hits for several years, they were a successful local act in the Los Angeles area. The group also had a series of personnel changes, with Rockwell being replaced by Gaynel Hodge, and for a short while Dinkins being replaced by Curtis Williams. Hodge and Williams, with Jesse Belvin
, were co-writers of The Penguins
' "Earth Angel
".
By 1954, the group were usually billed as The Hollywood Flames, but also recorded as The Turks, The Jets, and The Sounds. David Ford and Gaynel Hodge recorded with Jesse Belvin and Hodge's brother Alex, as The Tangiers, before Hodge left The Hollywood Flames in 1955 to form a new version of The Turks. He was replaced by Earl Nelson, who had previously recorded with Byrd as The Voices, and with Byrd later formed the duo Bob & Earl
.
In 1957, the group - Byrd, Ford, Dinkins and Nelson - signed with Class Records, where Byrd was renamed "Bobby Day". The group recorded as The Hollywood Flames, as Bobby Day & the Satellites, and as Earl Nelson & the Pelicans. In July 1957, Bobby Day & the Satellites recorded "Little Bitty Pretty One", which was covered
more successfully by Thurston Harris
. Later that year, The Hollywood Flames - with Nelson singing lead - released "Buzz Buzz Buzz", co-written by Byrd, which reached #5 on the R&B chart and #11 on the pop
chart
.
Byrd (alias Day) then left The Hollywood Flames, but continued to release singles
, at first as Bobby Day & the Satellites, and then as a solo
performer. His greatest success came in 1958 with "Rockin' Robin". On August 4, 1958 the Hollywood Flames appeared at the Apollo, as part of a Dr. Jive show. Others on the show were Larry Williams, the Cadillacs, Little Anthony & the Imperials, the Skyliners, Frankie Lymon, the Clintonian Cubs, and Eugene Church.
After this, Curtis Williams quit. The new members were tenor Eddie Williams (former lead of the Aladdins) and baritone Ray Brewster who joined in 1958. (Ray had been in the Penguins in 1956 and both Eddie and Ray had been in the later Colts/Fortunes with Don Wyatt.) Then, the whole group picked up and moved to New York, after securing a contract with Atlantic Records' Atco subsidiary.
In December 1959, they had their first Atco release: "Every Day, Every Way" (led by Earl Nelson) b/w "If I Thought You Needed Me" (fronted by Eddie Williams). Atco arranged for them to appear at the Apollo Theater to push the record (the week of December 25). Others on the show were: Lloyd Price, Tarheel Slim & Little Ann, and the 5 Keys.
They were back at the Apollo on February 19, 1960 for another Dr. Jive show. This time they shared the stage with Johnny Nash, the Flamingos, Nappy Brown, Tiny Topsy, the Centurians, Eugene Church, Barrett Strong, Jean Sampson, and the Fidelitys.
April 1960 Atco released "Ball And Chain" led by Earl Nelson. "I Found A Boy" was sung by Eddie Williams and an unknown female vocalist who recorded this one record with the Hollywood Flames. At the same session with Atco Ray and the Flames also recorded "Devil Or Angel" and "Do You Ever Think of Me".
The Hollywood Flames made one record for Chess out of their Chicago studio "Gee" and "Yes They Do" Released in March of 1961. In 1962 Ray left the Flames and became lead vocalist of The New York based Cadillacs.
The Hollywood Flames continued to record for several more years, with a fluctuating line-up, the only constant being David Ford. The last version of the group split up around 1967. Earl Nelson also known as Jackie Lee died on July 12, 2008.
The song, "Buzz Buzz Buzz", was featured in the 2001 film "Blow
".
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
R&B
Rhythm and blues
Rhythm and blues, often abbreviated to R&B, is a genre of popular African American music that originated in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly to urban African Americans, at a time when "urbane, rocking, jazz based music with a...
vocal
Human voice
The human voice consists of sound made by a human being using the vocal folds for talking, singing, laughing, crying, screaming, etc. Its frequency ranges from about 60 to 7000 Hz. The human voice is specifically that part of human sound production in which the vocal folds are the primary...
group in the 1950s, best known for their hit
Hit record
A hit record is a sound recording, usually in the form of a single or album, that sells a large number of copies or otherwise becomes broadly popular or well-known, through airplay, club play, inclusion in a film or stage play soundtrack, causing it to have "hit" one of the popular chart listings...
, "Buzz Buzz Buzz".
They formed as The Flames in 1949, in Watts
Watts, Los Angeles, California
Watts is a mostly residential neighborhood in South Los Angeles, California.-History:The area now known as Watts is located on the Rancho La Tajauta Mexican land grant...
, Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, at a talent show where members of various high school
High 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....
groups got together. The original members were Bobby Byrd
Bobby Day
Bobby Day , was an early African American rock and roll and R&B musician.Born Robert James Byrd, , in Fort Worth, Texas, he moved to Los Angeles, California, at the age of 15...
(lead), David Ford, Curlee Dinkins and Willie Ray Rockwell. Rockwell was sometimes replaced by Clyde Tillis, and Ford sometimes sang lead. Their first paying gig
Concert
A concert is a live performance before an audience. The performance may be by a single musician, sometimes then called a recital, or by a musical ensemble, such as an orchestra, a choir, or a musical band...
was at Johnny Otis
Johnny Otis
Johnny Otis is an American singer, musician, talent scout, disc jockey, composer, arranger, recording artist, record producer, vibraphonist, drummer, percussionist, bandleader, and impresario.He is commonly referred to as The Godfather Of Rhythm And Blues.-Personal life:Otis, the son of Alexander...
's Barrelhouse Club. They first 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...
in 1950 for the Selective 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 the following year, billed as The Hollywood Four Flames, released "Tabarin", a 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...
written
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...
by Murry Wilson
Murry Wilson
Murry Gage Wilson was an American musician and record producer, best remembered as the father of The Beach Boys members Brian Wilson, Dennis Wilson, and Carl Wilson, uncle of bandmate Mike Love, and the husband of Audree Wilson...
(father of The Beach Boys
The Beach Boys
The Beach Boys are an American rock band, formed in 1961 in Hawthorne, California. The group was initially composed of brothers Brian, Dennis and Carl Wilson, their cousin Mike Love, and friend Al Jardine. Managed by the Wilsons' father Murry, The Beach Boys signed to Capitol Records in 1962...
). They later recorded another Wilson song, "I'll Hide My Tears".
Over the years the group, under various names, is believed to have recorded for about nineteen different record labels, including Aladdin
Aladdin Records
Aladdin Records was a post-World War II United States record label, with headquarters in Hollywood, California. The label was founded in 1945 by brothers Eddie, Leo, and Ira Mesner and was originally called Philo Records, before changing to its better-known name in April 1946.Aladdin Records...
and Specialty
Specialty Records
Specialty Records was an American record label based in Los Angeles. It was originally launched as Juke Box Records in 1946, but later renamed by its owner Art Rupe when he parted company with a couple of his original partners...
. Although they had no big hits for several years, they were a successful local act in the Los Angeles area. The group also had a series of personnel changes, with Rockwell being replaced by Gaynel Hodge, and for a short while Dinkins being replaced by Curtis Williams. Hodge and Williams, with Jesse Belvin
Jesse Belvin
Jesse Lorenzo Belvin was an American R&B singer, pianist and songwriter popular in the 1950s, whose success was cut short by his death in a car crash aged 27.-Career:...
, were co-writers of The Penguins
The Penguins
The Penguins were an American doo-wop group of the 1950s and early 1960s, best remembered for their only Top 40 hit, "Earth Angel ", which was one of the first rhythm and blues hits to cross over to the pop charts...
' "Earth Angel
Earth Angel
"Earth Angel " is an American doo-wop song, originally released by The Penguins in 1954 on the Dootone label , as the B-side to "Hey Señorita." The song became a major hit for The Crew-Cuts in 1955, reaching the Billboard charts on January 29, 1955. It peaked at #3 on the Disk Jockey chart, #8 on...
".
By 1954, the group were usually billed as The Hollywood Flames, but also recorded as The Turks, The Jets, and The Sounds. David Ford and Gaynel Hodge recorded with Jesse Belvin and Hodge's brother Alex, as The Tangiers, before Hodge left The Hollywood Flames in 1955 to form a new version of The Turks. He was replaced by Earl Nelson, who had previously recorded with Byrd as The Voices, and with Byrd later formed the duo Bob & Earl
Bob & Earl
Bob & Earl were an American soul music singing duo in the 1960s, best known for writing and recording the original version of "Harlem Shuffle".-Career:...
.
In 1957, the group - Byrd, Ford, Dinkins and Nelson - signed with Class Records, where Byrd was renamed "Bobby Day". The group recorded as The Hollywood Flames, as Bobby Day & the Satellites, and as Earl Nelson & the Pelicans. In July 1957, Bobby Day & the Satellites recorded "Little Bitty Pretty One", which was covered
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...
more successfully by Thurston Harris
Thurston Harris
Thurston Harris was a male American singer, briefly popular in the early to mid 1950s.-Career:Harris first appeared on record as the featured vocalist recording with the Lamplighters in 1953 one of the many groups on the early R&B scene in South Central Los Angeles, during that time. The group...
. Later that year, The Hollywood Flames - with Nelson singing lead - released "Buzz Buzz Buzz", co-written by Byrd, which reached #5 on the R&B chart and #11 on the pop
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
chart
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....
.
Byrd (alias Day) then left The Hollywood Flames, but continued to release singles
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...
, at first as Bobby Day & the Satellites, and then as a solo
Solo (music)
In music, a solo is a piece or a section of a piece played or sung by a single performer...
performer. His greatest success came in 1958 with "Rockin' Robin". On August 4, 1958 the Hollywood Flames appeared at the Apollo, as part of a Dr. Jive show. Others on the show were Larry Williams, the Cadillacs, Little Anthony & the Imperials, the Skyliners, Frankie Lymon, the Clintonian Cubs, and Eugene Church.
After this, Curtis Williams quit. The new members were tenor Eddie Williams (former lead of the Aladdins) and baritone Ray Brewster who joined in 1958. (Ray had been in the Penguins in 1956 and both Eddie and Ray had been in the later Colts/Fortunes with Don Wyatt.) Then, the whole group picked up and moved to New York, after securing a contract with Atlantic Records' Atco subsidiary.
In December 1959, they had their first Atco release: "Every Day, Every Way" (led by Earl Nelson) b/w "If I Thought You Needed Me" (fronted by Eddie Williams). Atco arranged for them to appear at the Apollo Theater to push the record (the week of December 25). Others on the show were: Lloyd Price, Tarheel Slim & Little Ann, and the 5 Keys.
They were back at the Apollo on February 19, 1960 for another Dr. Jive show. This time they shared the stage with Johnny Nash, the Flamingos, Nappy Brown, Tiny Topsy, the Centurians, Eugene Church, Barrett Strong, Jean Sampson, and the Fidelitys.
April 1960 Atco released "Ball And Chain" led by Earl Nelson. "I Found A Boy" was sung by Eddie Williams and an unknown female vocalist who recorded this one record with the Hollywood Flames. At the same session with Atco Ray and the Flames also recorded "Devil Or Angel" and "Do You Ever Think of Me".
The Hollywood Flames made one record for Chess out of their Chicago studio "Gee" and "Yes They Do" Released in March of 1961. In 1962 Ray left the Flames and became lead vocalist of The New York based Cadillacs.
The Hollywood Flames continued to record for several more years, with a fluctuating line-up, the only constant being David Ford. The last version of the group split up around 1967. Earl Nelson also known as Jackie Lee died on July 12, 2008.
The song, "Buzz Buzz Buzz", was featured in the 2001 film "Blow
Blow (film)
Blow is a 2001 biopic about the American cocaine smuggler George Jung, directed by Ted Demme. David McKenna and Nick Cassavetes adapted Bruce Porter's 1993 book Blow: How a Small Town Boy Made $100 Million with the Medellín Cocaine Cartel and Lost It All for the screenplay. It is based on the real...
".