Big Dee Irwin

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Big Dee Irwin (July 8, 1932 — 27 August 1995)[1] first came to prominence in the Pastels, a group that sang doo-wop during the 1950s. He later had a low key solo career, and is best known as a one-hit wonder.

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[edit] Career

The New York City native, whose real name was DiFosco T. Ervin Jr, joined forces with three other young men to form the group in 1954 when all were stationed at a United States Air Force base in Greenland. Lead singer Irwin joined a talent competition held for servicemen, along with baritone Jimmy Willingham, first tenor Richard Travis, and second tenor Tony Thomas. When all four singers received orders that took them to Washington, D.C., Irwin and the Pastels began to entertain at nightclubs that catered to servicemen, as well as at functions hosted by the USO. In 1957, after receiving a warm and encouraging response for their performance in an annual Air Force competition called Tops in Blue that was staged on the grounds of Mitchell Air Force Base in New York, Irwin and the others set out to land a recording contract. That summer they almost landed a deal with Central Records. Some sources say that Irwin and the Pastels actually did snag a long-term contract, but the group never made a record for the label. Instead, the Pastels landed on the doorstep of Hull Records. The four singers belted out "Been So Long," which Irwin had penned. With a few changes and some fine-tuning of the arrangement, the song was put out late in 1957 by Mascot, a division of Hull. "My One and Only Dream" landed on the flip side.

Irwin received his military discharge papers the following year. By that time, his fellow group members also had been released from duty, and "Been So Long" was doing extremely well on the charts. It reached the Top Five in R&B and crossed over to pop, where it landed at number 24. Irwin and the others embarked on a tour of the Southern United States, including stops in Florida and Louisiana. By then, Chess Records had reissued the record on the Argo label. Irwin led the group through a succession of live shows around the country. Several were staged at the Apollo Theater in Harlem, where they shared the stage with The Deltones, Little Willie John, and others. At the Uptown Theater in Philadelphia, they were part of the Georgie Woods Show along with Chuck Berry, The Chantels, Little Joe & the Thrillers, among others. They also appeared in the line-up for concerts staged by rock and roll showman Alan Freed across the U.S., alongside such acts as Buddy Holly & the Crickets, Jerry Lee Lewis, Screamin' Jay Hawkins, The Diamonds, and Frankie Lymon. Irwin sang lead on the Pastels' next record, "You Don't Love Me Anymore," which was issued in 1958, as well as "So Far Away" six months later. Irwin and the Pastels returned to the Apollo for a week's worth of gigs that same year, the first on Halloween night. When the Pastels fell apart the following year, Irwin remained in New York City to try for a solo career.

Things started to click for him in 1963 when he recorded a cover of "Swinging on a Star" and headed to the UK for an extended tour. The refurbished Bing Crosby hit from nineteen years earlier also featured sometimes uncredited vocals from Little Eva. She again joined the heavyset singer on "Happy Being Fat".

Irwin continued to record as a solo artist for the remainder of the decade. In addition, he penned numbers for Isaac Hayes, Ray Charles, Bobby Womack, and The Hollies, who included his "What Kind of Boy" on their first full-length release. By the mid 1970s, he had reinvented himself as DiFosco, and was recording disco for the Roxbury label.

[edit] Death

Heart failure claimed his life in 1994. His son, David Ervin, went on to play piano professionally and was a prominent west coast studio player in the 1980s and 1990s.

[edit] Discography

Hull Records - (as Dee Erwin)

  • "I Can't Help It (I'm Falling In Love)" / "Rubin Rubin" — 1959
  • "Let's Try Again" /"'Tis Farewell" — 1960

Bliss Records (as Dee Erwin)

  • "Someday You'll Understand Why" / "Anytime" — 1961

Dimension Records (as Big Dee Irwin; * with Little Eva)

  • "Everybody's Got A Dance But Me" / "And Heaven Was Here" — 1962
  • "Swinging On A Star" * / "Another Night With The Boys" — 1963 - U.S. #38 [2]; UK #7 [3]
  • "Happy Being Fat" * / "Soul Waltzin'" — 1963
  • "Skeeter" / "You're My Inspiration" — 1963
  • "The Christmas Song" * / "I Wish You A Merry Christmas" * — 1963
  • "Heigh Ho" */ "I Want So Much To Know You" — 1964

20th Century Fox (as Big Dee Irwin)

  • "Donkey Walk" / "Someday You'll Understand Why" — 1963

Roulette Records (as Dee Erwin)

  • "Discotheque" / "The Sun's Gonna Shine Tomorrow" — 1965

Rotate Records (as Big Dee Irwin)

  • "I Wanna Stay Right Here With You" / "You Satisfy My Needs" — 1965
  • "Follow My Heart" / "Stop Heart" — 1965

Fairmont Records (as Big Dee Irwin)

  • "Sweet Young Thing Like You" / "You Really Are Together" — 1966

Astra Records (as Dee Irwin)

  • "I Can't Help It" / "My One And Only Dream" — 1966

Phil-La Records (as Big Dee Irwin)

  • "Better To Have Loved And Lost" / "Linda" — 1967

Polydor Records (as Big Dee Irwin and Suzie [Maria Pereboom])

  • "Ain't That Loving You Baby" / "I Can't Get Over You" — 1968

Imperial Records (as Dee Irwin)

  • "I Only Get This Feeling" / "Wrong Direction" — 1968
  • "I Can't Stand The Pain" / "My Hope To Die Girl" — 1968

Imperial Records (as Big Dee Irwin and Mamie Galore)

Earthquake Records (as DiFosco)

  • "Sunshine Love" / "You Saved Me From Destruction" — 1971

Signpost Records (as Dee Ervin)

  • "Darling, Please Take Me Back" (Stereo) / "Darling, Please Take Me Back" (Mono) — 1972

Roxbury Records

  • "You Broke My Face" / "Face To Face" — 1976 (as DiFosco)
  • "You Broke My Face" / "Face To Face" — 1976 (as Dee Ervin)
  • "The I Love You Song" / "I Can't Get You Off My Mind" — 1976 (as Dee Ervin)

20th Century Fox (as Dee Erwin)

  • "The I Love You Song" / "Ship Of Love" - 1978

[4]

[edit] External links