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The Four Freshmen

The Four Freshman were one of the top vocal groups of the 1950's and formed the bridge between 40's ensembles and harmony-based rock 'n roll

Booking Fee: Contact us below Artist Location: United States Wikipedia

The Four Freshmen's Bio: One of the most influential vocal groups of the 1950s, The Four Freshmen pioneered a revolutionary new style of close-harmony vocals that set the stage for bands like the Beach Boys, Spanky & Our Gang, the Hi-Lo's, the Manhattan Transfer and countless othe rs. In 1948, brothers Ross and Don Barbour formed a barbershop quartet called Hal's Harmonizers at Butler University's Arthur Jordan Conservatory in Indiana. The band also featured Marvin Pruitt and Hal Kratzch. Later that year the group switched to a more jaz z-oriented repertoire, and the quartet was renamed the Toppers. Pruitt soon left the group and was replaced with Ross and Don's cousin Bob Flanigan.

Early on the group was influenced by Mel Torme's Mel-Tones, but began to show signs of their own unique style of free improvisational vocal harmony. By September of 1948, the quartet went on the road as the Four Freshmen. The group was highly touted by jazz legends like Dizzy Gillespie and Woody Herman. In 1950, the Four Freshmen got their big break when bandleader St an Kenton heard the quartet in Dayton, Ohio. He called his label Capitol Records and arranged an audition. The group was signed later that year. In 1952, the band released their first hit single "It's a Blue World," which brought them instant recogni tion among mainstream audiences. Kratzsch was replaced by Ken Errair in 1953, but the group never lost its stride. Their subsequent releases of "Mood Indigo" in 1954, "Day by Day" in 1955 and "Graduation Day" in 1956 showed that t he Four Freshmen were more than just a one-hit wonder sensation.

The group remained popular throughout the 50s and early 60s, releasing a wide array of successful albums, movie and television appearances and performing countless sold-out concerts. The band e ventually lost mainstream attention with the emergence of the British pop bands of the 60s. Though, they managed to stay together even after the retirement of final original member Bob Flanigan in 1992. New lineups of the Four Freshmen have continued the legen dary vocal tradition of the original band, while adding new touches. In 2000 the group won Downbeat Magazine's reader's poll award for Vocal Group of the Year, proving the quartet's timeless appeal and securing their role as one of the most important vocal gro ups in jazz history. … Read more

Booking info for The Four Freshmen

The Four Freshman were one of the top vocal groups from the 1950's and formed the bridge between 40's ensembles and harmony-based rock 'n roll. The Four Freshman are available for live performances, private parties and corporate events.

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