The Casinos

The Casinos was a nine-member doo-wop group from Cincinnati, Ohio, led by Gene Hughes included Bob Armstrong, Ray White, and Pete Bolton. Ken Brady performed with The Casinos, taking over for Gene Hughes from 1962 through 1965 as the lead singer. Pete Bolton was replaced at the time by Jerry Baker. Ken Brady left the group to perform as a solo artist and Gene Hughes returned and the group became a nine piece group. They are best known for their John D. Loudermilk-penned song "Then You Can Tell Me Goodbye," which hit number 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1967, well after the end of the doo-wop era.[1]

The Casinos were playing in a Cincinnati club where WSAI disc jockey Tom Dooley liked to visit. Dooley had a song he wanted to record but needed a band to provide the music. The Casinos had been getting great reaction to "Then You Can Tell Me Goodbye" at the club and they wanted to record it. Dooley offered to pay for studio time at Cincinnati's King Records Studio for the Casinos to record their song if they would back up Dooley on his song. While Dooley's song didn't see success beyond WSAI the Casino's tune quickly became a national hit.

The group was based around Hughes and his brothers Glenn and Norman, and they signed a deal with Fraternity Records. "Then You Can Tell Me Goodbye" was their first single. The track reached number 28 in the UK Singles Chart in March 1967.[2] They tried to follow it up with a Don Everly penned song, "It's All Over Now," but that only hit U.S. number 65.

After his time with the Casinos was over, Gene Hughes became a country music promoter, but he died on 3 February 2004, at the age of 67, from complications following a car accident. There are other groups that call themselves "The Casinos". However, they are not and have not ever been affiliated with the original Casinos who had the hit record 'Then You Can Tell Me Goodbye' in 1967.

The original voices of 'Then You Can Tell Me Goodbye', Ray White, Bobby Armstrong, and Mickey Denton, want you to know that The Casinos Then You Can Tell Me Goodbye are still performing, still making the great music that vaulted them to fame in 1967.

Ken Brady and Bobby Armstrong Jr are not the original voices you hear on the Fraternity Label recordings. Ken sang with The Casinos from 1962 -1965, He has since re-joined with the original group members, Ray White, Bobby Armstrong, Sr. and Mickey Denton. Bobby Armstrong Jr. has also joined his father in sharing the wonderful music of The Casinos.

Thomas Robert "Bob" Armstrong Jr., led the installation of the lights on multiple suspension bridges including the John A. Roebling Suspension Bridge in Cincinnati, Ohio and the Memphis & Arkansas Bridge in Memphis, Tennessee. He also worked as the business manager of the St. Bernadette Church[3] in Amelia, Ohio, and continued playing with the Casinos until his death on 27 December 2011, of cancer at the age of 67.The Casinos continued to perform for several years when Gene Hughes left to become a country music promoter, but he died on February 3, 2004 at the age of 67 from complications following a car accident. Ken Brady then returned to The Casinos as their lead singer of the Casinos and performs along with current members consisting of Charlie Cintron, Billy Rodriguez, Claire Bruscino and Jim Helwig. They are based central Florida. Ken Brady and The Casinos. You can join The Casinos on their website.[4]

References

  1. Unterberger, Richie. "The Casinos biography". Allmusic. Retrieved 22 August 2011.
  2. Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 97. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  3. "> Parish > Home". St. Bernadette Amelia. Retrieved 2012-10-18.
  4. http://theoriginalcasinos.com/