The Serendipity Singers
Encyclopedia
The Serendipity Singers were a 1960s American folk
group, similar to The New Christy Minstrels.
This nine-member folk-oriented group started at the University of Colorado
with seven original members of a group called the Newport Singers. Those members; Bryan Sennett, Brooks Hatch, Mike Brovsky, John Madden, Jon Arbenz, Bob Young and Lynne Weintraub had, with the exception of Weintraub, all previously worked together in various trios before coming together to form the Newport Singers.
In 1963, after working extensively in the Rocky Mountain Denver-Boulder Front Range region
, the Newport Singers moved to New York City based on a telegram offering a record contract from a William Morris agent
. Fred Weintraub, then-owner of the Bitter End
in Greenwich Village
agreed to manage the group. Weintraub, also at the time the talent co-coordinator for the popular ABC
Hootenanny television series, felt the group needed two more people to round out the sound. He invited Tom Tiemann and Diane Decker, two University of Texas students whom he had heard, to New York for an audition. It was Weintraub who proposed the name change from the Newport Singers to Serendipity. After some considerable discussion the compromise became the Serendipity Singers.
After several months of rehearsal and work with Bob Bowers who became the group’s musical director, the Serendipity Singers opened at Weintraub's Bitter End café. They played in Greenwich Village
and landed spots on the weekly Hootenanny show.
Philips Records
signed them in 1964 and released their debut album
to considerable sales success. The debut single "Don't Let the Rain Come Down (Crooked Little Man)
" hit #2 on the U.S. Adult Contemporary chart and #6 on the Billboard Hot 100
in May 1964 (and even managed to top the 17 April 1964 WLS Silver Dollar Survey, right in the middle of Beatlemania
); the follow-up, "Beans in My Ears
", hit #5 on the AC chart and #30 on the Hot 100 a few months later. They also released a French language album which met with moderate success in France. Their initial success, however, was dampened by the continuing impact of the British Invasion
, and within a few years the group's sound seemed dated to younger audiences. They released five albums on the Philips label before the end of 1965; United Artists
released one LP in 1967, which was the group's final. All of the initial members had left the group by 1970, but modified versions of the group have continued touring into the 2000s. In 1999, eight of the original nine members united for a concert.
The Serendipity Singers' novelty material continues to be played on the Dr. Demento
radio show such as "Beans In My Ears" and the Shel Silverstein
song "Plastic."
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
group, similar to The New Christy Minstrels.
This nine-member folk-oriented group started at the University of Colorado
University of Colorado
The University of Colorado system is a system of public universities in Colorado consisting of three universities in four campuses: University of Colorado Boulder, University of Colorado Colorado Springs, and University of Colorado Denver in downtown Denver and at the Anschutz Medical Campus in...
with seven original members of a group called the Newport Singers. Those members; Bryan Sennett, Brooks Hatch, Mike Brovsky, John Madden, Jon Arbenz, Bob Young and Lynne Weintraub had, with the exception of Weintraub, all previously worked together in various trios before coming together to form the Newport Singers.
In 1963, after working extensively in the Rocky Mountain Denver-Boulder Front Range region
Front Range Urban Corridor
The Front Range Urban Corridor is an oblong region of urban population located along the eastern face of the Southern Rocky Mountains in the U.S. states of Colorado and Wyoming. The corridor derives its name from the Front Range, the mountain range that defines the west central boundary of the...
, the Newport Singers moved to New York City based on a telegram offering a record contract from a William Morris agent
William Morris Endeavor
WME is the largest talent agency in the world, with offices in Beverly Hills, New York City, Nashville, London, and Miami. WME represents elite artists from all facets of the entertainment industry, including motion pictures, television, music, theatre, publishing, and physical production...
. Fred Weintraub, then-owner of the Bitter End
The Bitter End
The Bitter End is a nightclub in New York City's Greenwich Village. It opened its doors in 1961 at 147 Bleecker Street under the auspices of owner Fred Weintraub. The club changed its name to The Other End during the 1970s...
in Greenwich Village
Greenwich Village
Greenwich Village, , , , .in New York often simply called "the Village", is a largely residential neighborhood on the west side of Lower Manhattan in New York City. A large majority of the district is home to upper middle class families...
agreed to manage the group. Weintraub, also at the time the talent co-coordinator for the popular 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...
Hootenanny television series, felt the group needed two more people to round out the sound. He invited Tom Tiemann and Diane Decker, two University of Texas students whom he had heard, to New York for an audition. It was Weintraub who proposed the name change from the Newport Singers to Serendipity. After some considerable discussion the compromise became the Serendipity Singers.
After several months of rehearsal and work with Bob Bowers who became the group’s musical director, the Serendipity Singers opened at Weintraub's Bitter End café. They played in Greenwich Village
Greenwich Village
Greenwich Village, , , , .in New York often simply called "the Village", is a largely residential neighborhood on the west side of Lower Manhattan in New York City. A large majority of the district is home to upper middle class families...
and landed spots on the weekly Hootenanny show.
Philips Records
Philips Records
Philips Records is a record label that was founded by Dutch electronics company Philips. It was started by "Philips Phonographische Industrie" in 1950. Recordings were made with popular artists of various nationalities and also with classical artists from Germany, France and Holland. Philips also...
signed them in 1964 and released their debut 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...
to considerable sales success. The debut single "Don't Let the Rain Come Down (Crooked Little Man)
Don't Let the Rain Come Down (Crooked Little Man)
"Don't Let the Rain Come Down " was a folk music single, the debut recording by the Serendipity Singers in 1964. The song was written by rockabilly singer songwriter Ersel Hickey. The lyrics were based on the English nursery rhyme There Was A Crooked Man, with a calypso music based melody. It...
" hit #2 on the U.S. Adult Contemporary chart and #6 on the Billboard Hot 100
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...
in May 1964 (and even managed to top the 17 April 1964 WLS Silver Dollar Survey, right in the middle of Beatlemania
Beatlemania
Beatlemania is a term that originated during the 1960s to describe the intense fan frenzy directed toward The Beatles during the early years of their success...
); the follow-up, "Beans in My Ears
Beans in My Ears
Beans in My Ears is a song created and sung by protest singer, Len Chandler. It became a hit single when covered by The Serendipity Singers, reaching #30 in June, 1964. Doctors protested that many children were actually putting beans in their ears and so it was banned in some places such as Boston...
", hit #5 on the AC chart and #30 on the Hot 100 a few months later. They also released a French language album which met with moderate success in France. Their initial success, however, was dampened by the continuing impact of the British Invasion
British Invasion
The British Invasion is a term used to describe the large number of rock and roll, beat, rock, and pop performers from the United Kingdom who became popular in the United States during the time period from 1964 through 1966.- Background :...
, and within a few years the group's sound seemed dated to younger audiences. They released five albums on the Philips label before the end of 1965; United Artists
United Artists
United Artists Corporation is an American film studio. The original studio of that name was founded in 1919 by D. W. Griffith, Charles Chaplin, Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks....
released one LP in 1967, which was the group's final. All of the initial members had left the group by 1970, but modified versions of the group have continued touring into the 2000s. In 1999, eight of the original nine members united for a concert.
The Serendipity Singers' novelty material continues to be played on the Dr. Demento
Dr. Demento
Barret Eugene Hansen , better known as Dr. Demento, is a radio broadcaster and record collector specializing in novelty songs, comedy, and strange or unusual recordings dating from the early days of phonograph records to the present....
radio show such as "Beans In My Ears" and the Shel Silverstein
Shel Silverstein
Sheldon Allan "Shel" Silverstein , was an American poet, singer-songwriter, musician, composer, cartoonist, screenwriter and author of children's books. He styled himself as Uncle Shelby in his children's books...
song "Plastic."
Discography
- The Serendipity Singers (PhilipsPhilips RecordsPhilips Records is a record label that was founded by Dutch electronics company Philips. It was started by "Philips Phonographische Industrie" in 1950. Recordings were made with popular artists of various nationalities and also with classical artists from Germany, France and Holland. Philips also...
, 1964) U.S. #11 - The Many Sides of the Serendipity Singers (Philips, 1964) U.S. #68
- Take Your Shoes Off with the Serendipity Singers (Philips, 1965) U.S. #149
- We Belong Together (Philips, 1965)
- The Serendipity Singers Sing of Love, Lies, and Flying Festoons (Philips, 1965)
- Love Is a State of Mind (United ArtistsUnited ArtistsUnited Artists Corporation is an American film studio. The original studio of that name was founded in 1919 by D. W. Griffith, Charles Chaplin, Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks....
, 1967)