LITTLE JOE (COOK)
AND THE THRILLERS
The fabulous Philadelphia
girl group The Sherrys was
girl group The Sherrys was
formed in 1961 by R&B
veteran Little Joe Cook,
lead singer of Little Joe
& The Thrillers, a group
that scored a hit in 1957
with "Peanuts," covered
by Rick & The Keens
and The Four Seasons.
veteran Little Joe Cook,
lead singer of Little Joe
& The Thrillers, a group
that scored a hit in 1957
with "Peanuts," covered
by Rick & The Keens
and The Four Seasons.
"Peanuts" -
Little Joe & The Thrillers
Little Joe & The Thrillers
(Nov. 1957, highest chart
position #23 Hot 100,
#32 Cash Box)
position #23 Hot 100,
#32 Cash Box)
THE SHERRYS
The Sherrys consisted of Little Joe Cook's daughters Delphine
and Dinell Cook, their cousin Charlotte Butler and their friend
Delores "Honey" Wiley. Early on, The Sherrys lineup also
included Tammi Montgomery who went on to Motown
stardom using the stage name Tammi Terrell.
and Dinell Cook, their cousin Charlotte Butler and their friend
Delores "Honey" Wiley. Early on, The Sherrys lineup also
included Tammi Montgomery who went on to Motown
stardom using the stage name Tammi Terrell.
The Sherrys started as background
singers for teen idol Bobby Rydell.
When New Orleans gave birth to
a dance craze called the Popeye
singers for teen idol Bobby Rydell.
When New Orleans gave birth to
a dance craze called the Popeye
and Chubby Checker scored a
Halloween hit in 1962 with
"Popeye (The Hitchhiker),"
The Sherrys recorded their
own Popeye record entitled
"Pop Pop Pop-Pie," written and
produced by Madara & White.
"Pop Pop Pop-Pie" reached the
top 40 on the pop chart and top
30 on the R&B Singles survey.
Halloween hit in 1962 with
"Popeye (The Hitchhiker),"
The Sherrys recorded their
own Popeye record entitled
"Pop Pop Pop-Pie," written and
produced by Madara & White.
"Pop Pop Pop-Pie" reached the
top 40 on the pop chart and top
30 on the R&B Singles survey.
"Pop Pop Pop-Pie" - The Sherrys
(Nov. 1962, highest cht. pos. #35
Hot 100, #40 C-Box, #25 R&B)
The success of "Pop Pop Pop-Pie" landed The Sherrys a gig on Bandstand,
but it turned out to be the high water mark of their career. Their follow-up
single, "Slop Time," a cover of "Let's Do The Slop," papa Joe's regional hit
of the 50s, lasted only one week on the chart at #97 before vanishing!
but it turned out to be the high water mark of their career. Their follow-up
single, "Slop Time," a cover of "Let's Do The Slop," papa Joe's regional hit
of the 50s, lasted only one week on the chart at #97 before vanishing!
"Slop Time" - The Sherrys
(Jan. 1963, highest chart pos. #97)
Simply put, The Sherrys were a great girl group and deserved more hits.
Need additional proof? Listen to this album track. It's a
buzzworthy cover of Chubby Checker's big hit-- "The Fly!"
buzzworthy cover of Chubby Checker's big hit-- "The Fly!"
"The Fly" - The Sherrys
(from 1963 album At the Hop)
That Sherrys album also includes a nifty cover of
Danny & the Juniors' rock 'n roll classic "At the Hop."
Danny & the Juniors' rock 'n roll classic "At the Hop."
"At the Hop" - The Sherrys
(from 1963 album At the Hop)
"Dance" is another great song from the album that had
hit potential, yet it was never released as a single!
hit potential, yet it was never released as a single!
"Dance" - The Sherrys
(from 1963 album At the Hop)
Here's another dance ditty that coulda been, woulda been and
shoulda been a hit single. "Double Order Mashed Potatoes"
reminds me of James Brown's "Night Train."
shoulda been a hit single. "Double Order Mashed Potatoes"
reminds me of James Brown's "Night Train."
"Double Order Mashed Potatoes"
The Sherrys (from 1963 album At the Hop)
The Sherrys (from 1963 album At the Hop)
I hope you enjoyed learning about Little Joe Cook
and his family girl group The Sherrys...
cookin'
Philly style from the late 50s through early 60s.
Query: Why did Guyden
let so many great Sherrys
recordings go to waste un-
released when they could
have issued them on 45s
and scored lots of hits?
recordings go to waste un-
released when they could
have issued them on 45s
and scored lots of hits?
Eve, make a few calls and
see what you can find out.
And bring me a cup of coffee!
Hi Shady!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the walk down Memory Lane! I used to love dancing to "At the Hop" when I was a little girl. Between school dances, father/daughter dances, or gym classes, I remember "At the Hop" was on top of the playlist.
I wasn't too familiar with the other Sherry songs, but I loved their style and sound. I might have to YouTube more songs. Thank you for these gems, dear friend.
Have a great Sunday!
Hi, Jessica Marie!
DeleteCongratulations on claiming the early bird title this time around, dear friend!
I'm glad you remember Danny And The Juniors and their monster hit "At The Hop" and happy that you enjoyed this introduction to the Sherrys family girl group who covered that song and others so well. The Sherrys' early 60s recordings formed the roots of Philly Soul and what would become known as The Sound of Philadelphia, a style that was a major force in popular music from the late 60s through the 70s.
Thanks again for coming, dear friend JM, and have a super week!
Hi Shady,
DeleteNow that Halloween is rolling around, I might have to resurrect these old playlists. :) I think I might have to find a Halloween party to crash.
Have a great week too, dear friend.
Hi again, JM!
DeleteI've had this post finished for a few years now and kept bumping it. I wanted to run it during Halloween month because "Pop Pop Pop-Pie," The Sherrys' first single and biggest hit, was inspired by Chubby Checker's hit "Popeye (The Hitchhiker)." Both records were climbing the chart in October 1962. For some reason all of The Sherrys' recordings remind me of Halloween season and they would make an excellent play list while you decorate and sip cider.
Have a great week, dear friend JM!
Hi Shady,
DeleteThat's interesting to know. I can see it! Now, I sort of want to plan a Halloween party. LOL. I'm thinking of going to the Academy of Natural Sciences that night, and maybe they'll surprise me by playing the Sherrys. :) I can have my own Halloween party in my mind.
If you have a chance to read tonight, #NewInk2019. I hope the week has been treating you well. Have a great week ahead yourself!
Thank you, Jessica Marie!
DeleteBelieve it or not, Mrs. Shady and I are getting ready to hit the road again and I might not have access to the internet for a while. It should be interesting spending H-ween at the Academy of Natural Sciences. Maybe it will be bug eating night. :)
Enjoy the rest of your week, dear friend JM!
Safe travels, dear friend.
DeleteI'll have to fill you in on some things when you get back...
Hi, Jessica Marie!
DeleteThanks dear friend. We drove through very heavy rain most of the way but made it across the state AOK. We had no internet until last evening. It's good to be up and running again, but today is yet another travel day and my blogging time will be limited. This pattern will continue in the coming weeks and months.
Happy Thankful Thursday to you, dear friend JM!
Hi Shady,
DeleteI'm glad that you made it safely. I hope that your travels remain safe and that you can rest a little.
See you when you get back!
Rest seems to be a thing of the past, dear friend. :)
DeleteObviously, not a group I know. They do have a good sound - the right sound for the time. It's a shame they didn't make it big.
ReplyDeleteHi, Kelly!
DeleteHow are you, dear friend? Thanks a lot for coming over early on a Sunday to meet "Little Joe" (Cook, not Cartwright) and his soulful Philadelphia based family girl group The Sherrys!
It doesn't surprise me that both groups are new to your eyes and ears. I grew up a stone's throw from Philly and I don't remember The Sherrys. It was only recently that I discovered them on a various artists girl groups CD that I purchased. I agree they had greater talent than their chart performance indicates.
Thanks again for coming, dear friend Kelly, and have a super week!
Hosting your own show today, eh Shady! I let out a squeal at the end of your post for Raymond Burr-my all time favorite sleuth/attorney! He always makes my day, and my heart smile!
ReplyDeleteI agree, with all of their recordings, why weren't The Sherrys taken to higher levels? I especially like the "slop time" song. It tells a story about the dance, which I don't know how the dance went-I will look on you tube to see if I can find "slop time" dance! They mention the cities the dance is moving through, Detroit, NY, Boston, and of course, Philly! And, what energy! You can feel their vibes and attitudes without even seeing them perform. All of the songs you presented are great, "At The Hop" and "Dance" were my other favorites. "Pop Pop Pop-Pie" is a cute song. These girls voices were great together blending really well. It demonstrates hard work and fun on their part, and you are right-they deserved more recognition!
Great job, Shady! Hope you are doing well on this "muggy-in-Texas" Sunday! I feel so fortunate to have my AC still keeping us comfy! Scootie is out of school for a couple of days, and has projects to work on, but he's chilling out for now.
Thank you for a fun post-just shows how much talent was out there back in the day! And, I mean REAL talent! Have a great week, dear friend! ♫
Hi, Suzanne!
DeleteThanks for coming to this week's platter party, dear friend!
I just realized that you are correct. With so many other personalities coming out of the woodwork and serving as guest hosts and Shady Bunch deejays, it is becoming rare for grandmaster emcee Shady Del Knight to host a post. :)
I'm thrilled that you like the soulful girl group sound of The Sherrys. Along with Maureen Gray, a fine solo artist I have featured over the years, The Sherrys are unsung sirens of early 60s Philly soul. I think it's interesting that they started out as backing singers for teenage idol Bobby Rydell and that the group initially included future Motown star Tammi Terrell. You can hear the Chubby Checker influence on their recordings, too.
You also made a good point. The Sherry's first single, "Pop Pop Pop-Pie," is a cute song and it was by far their biggest hit, but they recorded other songs that I (and, I believe you) like even more. Why then (as Ironside asks) did Guyden Records allow all those other songs to go to waste w/o releasing them as singles? Most of the recordings made by The Sherrys involved various dance crazes of the period including "Pop Pop Pop-Pie," "Slop Time," "The Fly" "Double Order Mashed Potatoes," "Let's Stomp Again," "The New Cha-Cha-Cha," "Slow Jerk," "Dancin' The Strand" (a song also recorded by Maureen Gray), "Ooh-La-La-Limbo," "Bristol Twistin' Danny" (an answer song to The Dovells' "Bristol Twistin' Annie," "Now It's Twining Time" and this one that I thought you might enjoy: "Monk, Monk, Monkey":
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=luJ2oFjjEtw
It was common for recording artists to cast a wide net by recording songs that listed the names of major cities across the U.S.A., figuring it would boost sales in all those cities resulting in a hit. The gimmick didn't work as often as one would think. One notable exception is The Vandellas' monster hit "Dancing In The Street." James Brown's "Night Train" is another example of a successful single that rattles off the names of cities in different regions of the country. The Pixies Three tried the method with "It's Summer Time U.S.A.," a wonderful girl group record that was big in the east but unfortunately failed to catch on across America.
We're still roasting over here, too, Suzanne, but I'll gladly endure the heat and humidity as long as the hurricanes stay away. I hope you and Scootie are enjoying your weekend.
Thanks again for joining the fun, dear friend Suzanne, and look for my next post next weekend, Saturday to be exact. Until then have a wonderful week!
Hi Again. From your last post, I remembered "Season of the Witch" and went to you tube to see Donavan's video in black and white! What a cool song! I also took in Vanilla Fudge's version which is over 7 minutes long! I also remember my brother having their album-that's how I heard of them before I saw them. I have no idea what may have happened to my brother's albums after he passed away. We just started getting some rain, Shady! It was supposed to rain on Friday, but didn't. It's about time, our creek is dry! Hope it lasts a while. Have a great evening and week, dear friend!
DeleteHi again, Suzanne!
DeleteHow nice of you to return to chat. Thank you! I'm glad you listened to both versions of "Season Of The Witch." It's an epic song for sure. Most Vanilla Fudge tracks are extra long workouts. I just examined the running times of the songs on their eponymous 1967 debut album, the one your brother probably owned. Their cover of "Ticket To Ride" runs 5:40. "People Get Ready" runs 6:30. "You Keep Me Hangin' On" runs 7:20 and "Eleanor Rigby" runs 8:24! On their second album, Renaissance, "Season Of The Witch" has a running time of 8:40. On their 4th album, Near The Beginning, "Shotgun" runs 6:10, "Some Velvet Morning" runs 7:34 and "Break Song" runs 23:27! I'm sure you also remember Rare Earth's cover of The Temptations song "Get Ready" which runs 21:30.
I hope you can find your brother's album someday. It would make a wonderful keepsake and bring back memories.
After a long dry spell we finally got some rain yesterday and today, a welcome relief.
Thank you again for being a great friend and connecting with me. Enjoy the week ahead, dear Suzanne!
Thank you for presenting yet another show from another time and place, friend Shady. Much appreciated :) Love, cat.
ReplyDeleteHi, cat!
DeleteHow are you, dear friend? How's my buddy Theo? Thanks for coming down to experience a blend of early 60s up tempo doo-wop/R&B and Philly soul rendered to wax by Joe Cook's clan The Sherrys. Seems like you enjoyed listening and learning and that makes me smile.
Take care and have a safe and happy week ahead, dear friend cat!
Theo Thunderbutt reverted to his original name Theo … as the dreaded thunder storm season is over :) c.
DeleteI hope Theo likes the snow. :)
DeleteHi Shady! Happy Fall to you and I'm sorry I'm a bit late...working like crazy this past week and weekend..yuck! Anyway, this post had me toe tapping and enjoying this cool group of talented ladies. Maybe they were drowned out by the British invasion? Too bad they didn't get more recognition. When I saw the group around the jukebox I thought of a young Shady standing there with a big smile on his face listening to this song! Or maybe getting ready to spin out with a cool chick? Anyway, thanks for a good post and some tunes to get me ready to head off to bed! Take care my friend and I hope it's a fabulous week for you!
ReplyDeleteHi, YaYa!
DeleteThank you very much for dropping in, dear friend!
As I mentioned in another reply, I never even heard of the Sherrys until recent years when I found their lone hit on a various artists girl group compilation. If their records were played on the Dell jukebox, they came and went before I started going there. Your theory about their lack of success has merit. The group was just beginning to catch on when the Beatles landed and the British Invasion changed the pop music landscape. Genres once popular in America were rendered obsolete by the dynamic long haired bands from overseas. Between 1964 and 1966, The Sherrys released four singles. None made the chart. Their last single to make any dent at all was "Saturday Night" released in March 1963. It merely Bubbled Under at #116 in May of that year.
I'm happy to know Little Joe and The Sherrys got your toes tapping. Thanks again for your visit and comment and have a great week, dear friend YaYa!
Tom,
ReplyDeleteThe Sherrys are new to me and not one single song by them, other than 'The Hop' cover rings a bell with me. I don't understand why a group this good went unnoticed. Oh, wait you said their songs weren't released, right? That's just crazy. The songs were bubbly and made me want to dance. I'm sure the kids from the early 60s would've gotten into the groove when they were heard these tunes. WOW, it just seems like a waste and it's rather sad. Thanks for the introduction! Hopefully things are cooling off in the Sunshine state. We're getting some relief at last. Have a rockin' good week, my friend!
Hi, Cathy!
DeleteThanks for coming, dear friend! I'm glad you enjoyed the sounds of the great yet underrated Philadelphia based family girl group The Sherrys. The group released eight singles, an EP and one album. I found that I liked many of the songs on that album and that's why I posted them and suggested it is a mystery they were not issued on 45 rpm. In particular I got a kick out of their cover of the Chubby Checker hit "The Fly" and their sizzling dance ditty "Double Order Mashed Potatoes."
The Sherrys could be thought of as the missing links between 50s vocal group R&B and the more polished Philly soul of the late 60s the evolved into the enormously popular TSOP in the 70s.
It is only slightly cooler down here, Cathy. We got some rain over the last couple of days to ease the drought and lower the temp a couple of degrees. Fall still seems a long way off. I'm happy to know the weather in East Tennessee is becoming refreshingly cooler in October.
Thanks again for joining the fun, dear friend Cathy, and have a tunetastic week!
Tom,
DeleteI'm sorry for not making it over to visit with you in the last few days. I've been so out of sorts with this head stuff but even worse the effects of OTC meds like Mucienx DM had on me. Ugh! You know, I don't drink and I never have been high so when meds make me loopy then it only strengthens my desire to never have anything to do with such chemicals. I really dislike that being out of control feeling. Last night, I didn't take anything and feel almost normal again. I told DH this morning that I will not take that stuff again unless I absolutely have no choice.
I'm going to give you the heads up now, starting tomorrow evening I will be away from Blogosphere. DH needs to take some vacation days to use, so we're going to use the time to enjoy places in our area. This will be a great time to get outdoors with the cooler temps returning again. Maybe, we'll even see some fall colors in the mountains when we visit. I don't expect them leaves to be at their peak but it'll be nice all the same. I'll return to my normal blogging schedule on Oct. 22nd bright and early. I do have post scheduled since I did them before I knew of our plans but I won't be ontop of responding to comments, etc as usual.
Thanks for being such a good friend. Have a good week!
Hi, Cathy!
DeleteThanks for letting me know what's going on with you. Seems to me that you are part of a rare and vanishing breed of people who don't take a pill (or multiple pills) for every little sniffle. I think you are much better off in the long run allowing your own immune system to fight off illness. Too many meds only make you weaker. I'm a lot like you. I hate the feeling of not being mentally alert and in full control of my faculties. That's why I gave up drinking, smoking and drugging more than 27 years ago. It is a rare day that I take a Tylenol. However I needed to do so last night along with Ibuprofen because Mrs. S and I got double shots at the pharmacy yesterday - Shingles and influenza high dose - and we are both feeling considerable pain in our shoulders where they stuck us. We also have flu-like symptoms. Let's all feel better soon, okay?
Thanks for letting me know you will be M.I.A. from blogland for a while. I will, too, because we are hitting the road again this morning to help family and work on home improvements in another city. I will be busy and might not even have internet for a couple of days.
I hope you and DH enjoy getting out and about and that your adventures include spotting pretty autumn leaves. Please snap some pictures of them to put on CAAC.
Take care, dear friend Cathy!
I don't know this group but it was fun listening to them. They all had good voices and they should be more noteworthy. Maybe they needed to sleep with Barry Gordy..did I say that out loud?? What happened to them afterwards? I hope they had nice lives and did not go down the addiction route
ReplyDeleteHi, Birgit!
DeleteThanks for coming to see and hear The Sherrys, dear friend! Yessum, the girls had ample talent and potential but their records didn't make much of a splash in the U.S. It was a different story across the pond. Bruce Eder of the All Music Guide, wrote the following: "Ironically, while the Sherrys' moment in the sun in the U.S.A. proved to be both brief and over, their records were extremely popular and enduring in Europe, where audiences devoured their authentic soul-dance sound. The quartet ended up touring overseas twice, with great success."
As for "where are they now" I do not know. Members of obscure groups like this one are difficult to track. Let's hope they are all alive and well and happy to know that they are getting their props in the 21st century to a greater extent than they did in the early and mid 60s. Their daddy, Little Joe Cook, lived to the ripe old age of 91 and passed away in 2014.
Thanks again for dropping by, dear friend BB!
I never heard of this act, but then I sometimes haven't heard of acts you've played that you tell me were successful! They're very good, and it's a shame they didn't make it. Maybe there was just too big a glut of girl groups at the time.
ReplyDeleteI've been looking at pictures of Tammi Terrell trying to figure out which of those four girls are her. Lower left hand corner on the "Do the Popeye" picture maybe?
Hi, Kirk!
DeleteThanks for coming by for a look and a listen, good buddy! It doesn't shock me that you didn't know about The Sherrys. I don't know the exact reasons why they never fully caught on stateside while becoming red hot in Europe. I do know that independent record labels like Jamie/Guyden struggled to stay afloat after the Beatles and other mop top bands from abroad set the music world on fire. Philadelphia's Sherrys and York County's Pixies Three were sweet, wholesome girl groups that sounded like cheerleaders singing at a high school pep rally. That innocent style faded in popularity in the mid 60s when acts like the street wise, drama-dripping girl group The Shangri-las and the tough, bold, sexy solo artist Nancy Sinatra with her hit "These Boots" grabbed media attention.
I studied the few pix of The Sherrys that I could find and could not make a positive I.D. on Tammi. If I had to guess, I'd pick the same girl you selected, the very pretty one in the lower left of that record sleeve.
Thanks again for coming to the party and cookin' Philly style with the Sherrys, good buddy Kirk!
Tom,
ReplyDeleteThanks for being such an understanding friend! :)