Kirby Stone Four

The Kirby Stone Four were an American vocal ensemble popular in the 1950s and early 1960s.

Kirby Stone founded the group in the years after World War II and began playing clubs in the New York area. They won slots on local television, including The Ed Sullivan Show, and soon after signed to Columbia Records. Several LPs followed, including Baubles, Bangles and Beads; their version of the song "Baubles, Bangles and Beads" became a hit in the U.S. in 1958, reaching #25 on the Billboard Hot 100.^[1] The song was also nominated for a Grammy award.^[2] On the strength of the single, the album reached #13 on the Billboard 200.^[3]

Among the backing musicians that played on Kirby Stone Four albums were Jimmy Carroll's orchestra, the Kai Winding Quartet, Alvino Rey, Shelly Manne, and Al Klink. Their style, which melded swing jazz, vocalese, and early rock and roll was referred to as "The Go Sound".^[2] They made many appearances on U.S. television shows such as The Judy Garland Show and The Dean Martin Show into the mid-1960s. By that time their sound had faded from popularity, and in 1966 they recorded a rock & roll album with the Tokens as the United States Double Quartet. During this time Stone directed several TV variety shows.

Some of their output has been re-released on CD by Collectables Records.

Members

• Kirby Stone (born April 27, 1918, New York, died July 13, 1981)
• Eddie Hall
• Mike Gardner
• Larry Foster

Discography

• Man, I Flipped When I Heard the Kirby Stone Four (Cadence Records, 1958)
• Baubles, Bangles and Beads (Columbia, 1958)
• The Go Sound
• The Kirby Stone Touch
• My Fair Lady
• Things Are Swinging
• Rippin' n' Soarin' (Coronet Records, 1963)
• Wow! (Warner Bros. Records, 1963)
• Whooping It Up
• Get That Ball
• Show Time!
• Kirby Stone Four Singalong
• Kirby Stone Four & The Tokens: Life Is Groovy
• Guys And Dolls

References