AboutJohn Spence Expertise I can answer most questions regarding 1950s Black Vocal Group music, called Doo Wop (Do Wop). Having lived in the era & grew up with the sounds of the early 50s.
Experience Extensive research into 1950s doo wop and have resoures at hand to draw from..
Organizations United Group Harmony Association, Doowop Society, Doowop Corner, etc..
Expert: John Spence Date: 7/19/2008 Subject: oldies but goodies
Question when and why was oldies but goodies changed to doowop?
Answer Hi Loretta,
You will get varying opinons about this, but I think mine will be the most accurate, since I was there from the beginning.
There were 4 & 5 men, black signing groups that started out singing pop songs in the 40s (Ink Spots/Mills Bros/etc) & then in the early 50s new groups came along singing R&B songs (Clovers/Dominoes/etc), most of the singers were young grown men.
Then in 1952 a group of teenagers got together & start singing what we called at the time DO WOP (correct spelling), the group was the Five Sharps & the song was the old standard 'Stormy Weather'.
Us teenages loved & embraced this new Do Wop sound by & for teens & hundreds of similar groups begin cutting records (Spaniels/El Dorados/etc). 90% of the groups were black,(Elegants/Mellokings were white.
This lasted until about 1958 & then the larger record companies, seeing the popularity of the music, being signing the artist & changed the sound by adding string instruments & chorus in the background.
In the 60s when LPs became popular, some of the radio DJs & companies put out compilation of these do wop songs & they called them 'oldies but goodies'.
In the 70s my generation wanted to hear & see our favorite 50s Do Wop groups, so they begin to appear on record tours & shows & some of the producers mistakenly begin calling the music Doo Wop, instead of the original name, Do Wop.
Some of the original do wop 45s command as much as $10,000, since there are so scarce, but luckily a few enterprising individuals re-issued or bootlegged most of the 45s, which can now be bought for as little as $5 & of course most all our great music is on cd.
Hope you are a fan & it so "Do Wop Til You Drop" !!
John
mr.dowop
