The Three Suns
The Three Suns was an American instrumental pop group, popular in the 1940s and 1950s.
Career history
The group was formed in 1939 by Al Nevins (guitar) and Morty Nevins (accordion) and Artie Dunn (vocals, electronic organ). They later signed with RCA Victor.
In 1944, their first hit record was "Twilight Time", written by the band along with Buck Ram.[1] "Twilight Time" sold over four million copies and was awarded a gold disc.[2]
This was followed by "Peg o' My Heart", which was one of the best-selling records of 1947 in the United States. The group was featured in Alfred Hitchcock's Rope (1948) performing an off-screen "radio sequence", and in Two Gals and a Guy (1951).
The group underwent several lineup changes in the 1950s, and broke up briefly in the middle of the decade before Dunn resurrected the name with a new lineup. The group's popularity waned and its historical significance was essentially forgotten in the wake of rock and roll, but interest in the ensemble was renewed in the 1990s by fans of lounge music and exotica.[1] The band is also notable in that they were reputed to have been the favorite musical group of former First Lady Mamie Eisenhower.[3]
Founding member Al Nevins was also co-founder of Aldon Music, a Brill Building songwriting company.[2]
Members
- Founding members
- Artie Dunn - vocals, organ (died January 15, 1996, age 73)[4]
- Al Nevins - guitar (died January 25, 1965, age 48)[4]
- Morty Nevins - accordion (died July 23, 1990, age 63)[4]
- Later members
- Johnny Buck (Bucky Pizzarelli) - guitar
- Joe Negri - guitar
- Joe Vento - accordion, piano
- Johnny Romano - guitar
- Tony Lovello - accordion
- Del Casher (Del Kacher) - guitar
Discography
The first records released by The Three Suns, during the 1940s and 1950s, were 78 rpm. In 1949 RCA Victor released their first 10 inch LP. Between 1950-1954, 10-inch albums were released. In 1955 The Three Suns released their first 12 inch lp "Soft & Sweet" and in 1958 released their first stereo LP. In 1956 RCA started recording in stereo. From 1958 until 1969 RCA Victor mixed two versions for each LP release with the prefixes "LPM" for mono and "LSP" for stereo; however there are some stereo releases with mono counterparts that were released before 1958. There may be double entries in the following list for that reason. RCA changed their prefix to reflect the discontinuation of mono in the early 1970s.
- Albums
- Twilight Time (Varsity, 6001, 1950) (10 inch)
- Midnight Time (Varsity, 6048, 1950) (10 inch)
- You and the night and the Music (RCA Victor, 47-4202A, 1951) (7 INCH 45 RPM)
- Your's is my heart alone (RCA Victor, 47-4202B, 1951) (7 INCH 45 RPM)
- Twilight Time (Royale, 1, 1951) (10 inch)
- Midnight Time (Royale, 29, 1951) (10 inch)
- Three Quarter Time (RCA Victor, LPM-3, 1951) (10 inch)
- Hands Across The Table (RCA Victor, lpm-28, 1951)(10 inch)
- Twilight Moods (RCA Victor, LPM-3012, 1952) (10 inch)
- The Three Suns Present (RCA Victor, LPM-3034, 1952) (10 inch)
- Busy Fingers (RCA Victor, LPM-3040, 1952)
- Christmas Party (RCA Victor, LPM-3056, 1952) (10 inch)[5]
- Soft and Sweet (RCA Victor, 1955) U.S. #13[5]
- Sounds of Christmas (RCA Victor, LPM-1132, 1955)
- Twilight Time (RCA Victor, LPM-1171, 1956)
- My Reverie (RCA Victor, LPM-1173, 1956)
- Slumber Time (RCA Victor, LPM-1219, 1956)
- High Fi and Wide (RCA Victor, 1956) U.S. #19[5]
- Easy Listening (RCA Victor LPM-1316, 1956)
- Midnight for Two (RCA Victor, 1957) U.S. #16[5]
- malaguena (RCA Victor lpm-1220, 1956)
- Things I Love In Hi-Fi (RCA Victor, LPM/LSP-1543, 1958)
- Let's Dance With The Three Suns (RCA Victor, LPM/LSP-1578, 1958)
- Happy Go Lucky Sound (RCA Victor, 1958)
- My Reverie (RCA Victor, LSP-1173, 1958)
- Love in the Afternoon (RCA Victor, LPM/LSP-1669, 1959)
- Having A Ball with The Three Suns (RCA Victor, LPM/LSP-1734, 1959)
- Swingin' On A Star (RCA Victor, LPM/LSP-1964, 1959)
- A Ding Dong Dandy Christmas (RCA Victor, LPM/LSP-2054, 1959)
- At the Candlelight Cafe (RCA Camden, 1959)
- Twilight Memories" (RCA Victor, LPM/LSP-2120, 1960)
- On a Magic Carpet (RCA Victor, LPM/LSP-2235, 1960)
- Dancing On A Cloud (RCA Victor, LPM/LSP-2307, 1961)
- Fever & Smoke (RCA Victor LPM/LSP-2310, 1961)
- In Orbit (Rondo, 1962)
- Movin' 'N' Groovin' (RCA Victor LPM/LSP-2532, 1962)
- Warm and Tender (RCA Victor LPM/LSP-2617, 1962)
- Everything Under the Sun (RCA Victor, LPM/LSP-2715, 1963)
- One Enchanted Evening (RCA Victor LPM/LSP-2904, 1963)
- A Swinging Thing (RCA Victor LPM/LSP-2963)
- Country Music SHINDIG (RCA Victor LPM/LSP-3354)
- Fun In The Sun (RCA Victor LPM/LSP-2437)
- Continental Affair (RCA Camden CAL 573)
- The Best Of The Three Suns (RCA Victor LPM/LSP-3447(e), 1966)
- This Is The Three Suns (RCA Victor VPS-6075, 1971)
Filmography
References
External links