Book The Marcels

The Marcels are an American doo-wop group formed in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 1959, celebrated for turning standards into rock and roll. Named for the marcel wave hairstyle, the founding lineup, with Cornelius Harp singing lead and Fred Johnson on bass alongside Ron Mundy, Richard Knauss and Gene Bricker, signed with Colpix Records. In 1961 they reinvented the ballad "Blue Moon," opening with Johnson's unforgettable "bomp-baba-bomp" bass line, and the record went all the way to number one on the Billboard Hot 100. The group cut the song in just two takes, and Colpix's Stu Phillips grafted its famous intro from the group's version of the Cadillacs' "Zoom." The track was later named among the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll. The Marcels followed with "Heartaches," which reached number seven on the Hot 100, and "My Melancholy Baby," and their album Blue Moon (1961) gathered their signature sound. In 2002 the group was inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame. Their performances celebrate classic doo-wop with playful bass vocals, tight harmonies and the timeless joy of early rock and roll.