The Hi-Lo's

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The Hi-Lo's
Genres	A cappella
Years active	1953–present
Website	http://www.thehi-los.com

Past members	Gene Puerling Bob Strasen Bob Morse Clark Burroughs Don Shelton

The Hi-Lo's were an a cappella quartet formed in 1953, who achieved their greatest fame in the late 1950s and 1960s. The group's name is reportedly a reference to their extreme vocal and physical ranges (Bob Strasen and Bob Morse were tall, Gene Puerling and Clark Burroughs were short).

History

The group consisted of Gene Puerling (bass-baritone or 4th voice, arranger and leader), Bob Strasen (baritone or 3rd voice), Bob Morse (baritone or 2nd voice and occasional soloist) and Clark Burroughs (tenor or 1st voice/lead). In 1959, Don Shelton replaced Strasen.

They were occasionally supported by Frank Sinatra. Clare Fischer was their pianist for years and wrote some of their arrangements.

The Hi-Lo's recorded the theme song to the 1956 television series Noah's Ark. They were also featured on the soundtrack of the motion picture Everything's Ducky (1961), contributing three songs: "Everything's Ducky," "Moonlight Music" and "The Scuttlebutt Walk."

Individual group members

Puerling and Shelton, together with Bonnie Herman and Len Dressler, later formed another vocal group, The Singers Unlimited. This group gave a wide range for Puerling's arrangements,for the four singers multi-tracked as many as 16 voices. For that reason The Singers Unlimited were exclusively a recording group.

Bob Strasen died February 28, 1994, and Bob Morse on April 27, 2001. Afterward, Puerling, Shelton and Burroughs still appeared very occasionally as the Hi-Lo's in and around Southern California. Shelton is an accomplished reed player and has played in Clare Fischer's bands. Clark Burroughs is semi-retired and can sometimes be heard on film soundtracks.

On March 25, 2008, Gene Puerling died just shy of his 79th birthday.

Legacy

The Hi-Lo's, and especially their innovative use of vocal harmony, were an influence on the groups and musicians Take 6,^[1] The King's Singers, The Manhattan Transfer, Chanticleer, The Free Design and Brian Wilson.^[2]

Discography

Albums

Listen To The Hi-Lo's! (1954)
The Hi-Lo's I Presume (1955)
Under Glass (1955)
Noah's Ark television series theme song (1956–1957)
Now Hear This (1957)
Ring Around Rosie (1957) with Rosemary Clooney
Suddenly It's The Hi-Lo's (1957)
The Hi-Lo's And The Jerry Fielding Orchestra (1957)
Love Nest (1958)
Reflection In Rhythm With The Hi-Lo's (1958)
Featuring The Hi-Lo's (1958)
The Hi-Lo's And All That Jazz (1958)
All Over The Place (1960)
Broadway Playbill (1960)
Die 4 Hi-Lo's (1960)
Dansez Avec (1961)
This Time It's Love (1962)
The Hi-Lo's Happen To Bossa Nova (1963)
The Hi-Lo's Happen To Folk Songs (1963)
Attention! (1968)
But Beautiful (1970)
More Than You Know (1970)
Back Again (1979)
Now (1980)
Harmony In Jazz (1980)
The Hi-Lo's Collection (1982)
Cherries And Other Delights (1994)
Nice Work If You Can Get It... (1996)
Clap Yo' Hands (1999)
Suddenly It's The Hi-Lo's / Harmony In Jazz (1999)
Under Glass / I Presume (1999)
Now Hear This / Broadway Playbill (2000)
Love Nest, All Over The Place (2001)
Happen To Bossa Nova / Happen to Folk Songs (2002)
Ring Around Rosie: Hi-Lo's with Rosemary Clooney (2005 CD reissue)
A Musical Thrill (2006)

References

↑ Feather, Leonard. "The Miracle Mix of Take 6 : Vocal group rates a 10 on the success scale". The Los Angeles Times. January 29, 1989. Retrieved 2013-03-12.
↑ Dellar, Fred. "Review: The Hi-Los - Nice Work If You Can Get It...". Q (EMAP Metro Ltd) (Q118, July 1996): 138–139.

External links

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