The Sandpipers

The Sandpipers

1966 publicity photo.
L-R Mike Piano, Richard Shoff, Jim Brady
Background information
Origin California
Genres Folk rock
Years active 1966–1975
Labels A&M
Past members Jim Brady
Mike Piano
Richard Shoff
Pamela Ramcier
Ralph Nichols
Gary Duckworth

The Sandpipers were an American easy listening trio who carved a niche in 1960s folk rock with their vocal harmonies and innovative arrangements of international ballads and pop standards.[1] They are best remembered for their cover version of "Guantanamera", which became a transatlantic Top 10 hit in 1966, and their Top 20 hit "Come Saturday Morning" from the soundtrack of the film The Sterile Cuckoo in 1970.

Career

Founding members Jim Brady (born August 24, 1944, Los Angeles), Mike Piano (born October 26, 1944, Rochester, New York) and Richard Shoff (born April 30, 1944, Seattle) first performed together in the Mitchell Boys Choir, before forming the Four Seasons with friend Nick Cahuernga. Due to the rising popularity of a group with that name from New Jersey, they changed their name to the Grads and continued as a trio.[1][2][3]

Although the Grads did not enter the charts with their early recordings, they performed well enough to secure a residency at Harrah's Lake Club (now Harveys Lake Tahoe) where a friend brought them to the attention of Herb Alpert of A&M Records.[1][4] Alpert was impressed with the Grads, but after one single without success the group agreed to a name change, choosing the Sandpipers out of a dictionary.[5] After the name change, their producer, Tommy LiPuma, recommended they record the Cuban anthem "Guantanamera" and they had their first hit.[1] The use of a female singer (Robie Lester, uncredited)[6] to add background vocals on "Guantanamera" established a trend that the Sandpipers would incorporate in multiple future studio recordings and live shows.

Along with the name change came a fourth member. Although consigned to the shadows behind the original trio for live performances, Pamela Ramcier had now become an integral part of the group. Her lyricless vocals were used much like second strings, adding an ethereal quality to the Sandpipers' sound.[1][7]

For the Sandpipers' first live show in San Diego, their management hired two females, the well-known folk singer Penny Nichols and Pat Woolley. Early pressings of the Guantanamera LP showed a five person group -- two females with Piano, Shoff, and Brady -- on the back cover while later pressings had just the male trio. Subsequent albums depicted only the original trio. Other backup singers followed including Diane Jordan and Kathy Westmoreland in 1969.[8] Some pressings of the 1970 Come Saturday Morning LP credit "solo voices" Patrice Holloway, Carolyn Willis, and Susan Tallman.

"Guantanamera" charted in the United States in September 1966, and in the United Kingdom the following month, and remains the group's biggest hit. Nevertheless, they had many lesser chart entries including cover versions of "Louie Louie", "The French Song" (Quand Le Soleil Dit Bonjour Aux Montagnes), and songs from the movies The Sterile Cuckoo and Beyond the Valley of the Dolls.[1]

The record sleeve for their 1966 album Guantanamera was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Recording Package. Dolores Erickson was featured as part of the front cover artwork.

In 1967 they recorded a cover version of The Lovin' Spoonful's "Daydream" for their album Misty Roses. Their 1971 album A Gift of Song contained multiple covers including "It's Too Late", "An Old Fashioned Love Song", "Never Can Say Goodbye" and "Never My Love".

In 1968 they participated at the Festival di Sanremo in Italy, a highlight on the Italian music calendar. They were, as then usual, alongside Anna Identici one of the two performers of the song "Quando M'Innamoro," which attained sixth place. The song would become more popular in the interpretation by Gigliola Cinquetti. The English version by British pop singer Engelbert Humperdinck, "A Man Without Love", became a global hit.

Singing in English, Spanish, French, Italian, Portuguese, and Tagalog, the Sandpipers had seven separate album entries in the Billboard 200[9] from 1966-1970, and over a dozen charted singles. In the mid-1970s, Ralph Nichols (later with The Lettermen) replaced Mike Piano. Gary Duckworth joined Brady and Shoff for the final album, Overdue, in 1977. The final 1979 single, "Singapore Girl", featured only Shoff and Brady.

Other Sandpipers

  1. In 1965-66 an American girl group from Pensacola, Florida briefly toured and recorded as the Sandpipers, backed by an early Gregg and Duane Allman band called the Allman Joys. After "Guantanamera" was released they became the Daisies.[10]
  2. There was a South African folk rock group active in the 1960s also named the Sandpipers.[11]
  3. Another group known as the Sandpipers (or sometimes the Golden Sandpipers) sang for Golden Records, most notably the theme to Mighty Mouse, the version that is now the best known and perhaps the original.[12]
  4. A New York group released one single as the Sandpipers in 1966 on the Kismet label.[13]
  5. A Detroit group released one single as the Sandpipers in the mid-60s on the Giant label.
  6. A Miami trio released one LP, The Singin', Swingin' Sandpipers, in 1965 on the Art label.[14]
  7. A Malaysian group released two EPs as the Sandpipers in the 1960s: "Hey Tak Malu" on the Maria label and "Nyatakan Lah Pada Ku" on the Playboy label.
  8. The psychedelic rock group The Lemon Pipers overlapped the Sandpipers' years of success in the late 1960s and the two groups were frequently confused.[15]

Discography

Albums

U.S. releases on A&M Records unless otherwise noted. Some releases in U.K. and other countries had different titles, alternate covers, and variations in track lists.[9]

*Mono

EPs

Compilations

Appearances

Singles

Year A/B-side Songs[16]
(Songwriters)		 U.S. Hot 100[17] U.S. AC UK Singles Chart[18] CAN CAN AC Label & Cat #
1962 "Once Again" / "White Steeple" (as The Grads)
(DeVorzon-Chandler) / (Chandler-McKendry)		 - - - - - Valiant 6023
1964 "It Happened Once Before" / "Their Hearts Were Full Of Spring" (as The Grads)
(Troup) / (Troup)		 - - - - - MGM K13216
"The Wild One" / "The Cool One" (as The Grads)
(Usher-Christian) / (Mike Curb)		 - - - - - Mercury 72346
1966 "Everything In The Garden" / "Stage Door" (as The Grads)
(Greenaway) / (Goffin-King)		 - - - - - A&M 797
"Guantanamera" / "What Makes You Dream, Pretty Girl?"[Note 18]
(Joseíto Fernández)[Note 19] / (J. Wilson-M. Garson)		 9 3 7 10 - A&M 806
"Louie Louie" / "Things We Said Today"[Note 20]
(Richard Berry)[Note 21] / (Lennon-McCartney)		 30 24 - 31 - A&M 819
1967 "For Baby" / "La Bamba"
(John Denver)[Note 22] / (Traditional)[Note 23]		 - 31 - - - A&M 835
"Glass" / "It's Over"
(Sheldon-Marks) / (Jimmie Rodgers)		 112 - - - - A&M 851
"The French Song" / "Bon Soir Dame"[Note 24]
(Pease-Vincent) / (Bud Dashiell)		 - 20 - - - A&M 861
"Cuando Salí de Cuba" / "Softly As I Leave You"
(Luis Aguilé)[Note 25] / (G. Calabrese/H. Shaper/A. De Vita)		 - 3 - - - A&M 880
1968 "Quando M'Innamoro (A Man Without Love)" / "Wooden Heart"[Note 26]
(Livraghi, Mason, Pace, Panzeri) / (Wise, Weisman, Twomey, Kaempfert)		 124 16 33 - - A&M 939
"Softly" / "Cancion De Amor (Wanderlove)"
(Gordon Lightfoot) / (M. Williams-C. Mapel)		 - 39 - - - A&M 968
"Let Go!" / "Suzanne"
(Powell, Gimbel, DeMoraes) / (Leonard Cohen)		 - 36 - - - A&M 997
1969 "The Wonder Of You" / "That Night"
(Baker Knight) / (Norman Gimbel-Lalo Schifrin)		 - - - - - A&M 1044
"Temptation" / "Wave"
(Arthur Freed-Nacio Herb Brown) / (Antonio Carlos Jobim)		 - - - - - A&M 1085
"Kumbaya" / "Yellow Days"[Note 27]
(Traditional)[Note 28] / (A. Bernstein-A. Carrillo)		 - - 38 - - A&M 1116
"Come Saturday Morning" / "Pretty Flamingo"
(Fred Karlin/Dory Previn) / (Mark Barkan)		 17 8 - 30 13 A&M 1134
1970 "Come Saturday Morning" / "To Put Up With You"[Note 29]
(Fred Karlin/Dory Previn) / (Paul Williams-Roger Nichols)		 - - - - - A&M 1185
2nd release; alt B-side
"Beyond The Valley Of The Dolls" / "Santo Domingo"[Note 30]
(Stu Phillips-Bob Stone) / (Rudy Lindt-Peter Poll-Michael Piano)		 - 17 - - 1 A&M 1208
"Free To Carry On" / "(He's Got The) Whole World In His Hands"
(Dale Bobbitt, Jim Brady) / (Traditional)[Note 31]		 94 11 - - - A&M 1227
1971 "The Sound of Love" / "The Drifter"
(B. Gibb, R. Gibb, M. Gibb) / (Paul Williams-Roger Nichols)		 - - - - 13 A&M 1249
"Free To Carry On" / "Chotto Matte Kudasai (Never Say Goodbye)"[Note 32]
(Jim Brady-Dale Bobbitt) / (Loyal E. Garner-Jeanne Nakashima)		 - - - - - A&M 1280
2nd release; alt B-side
"Never My Love" / "Leland Loftis"
(Donald and Richard Addrisi) / (D. Bobbitt-J. Brady)		 - - - - - A&M 1306
"Gift of Song" / "Never My Love"
(Patty Ingalls) / (Donald and Richard Addrisi)		 - - - - - A&M 1314
1972 "Never Can Say Goodbye" / "An Old Fashioned Love Song"
(Clifton Davis) / (Paul Williams)		 - - - - - A&M 1372
"The World Is A Circle"[Note 33] / "(Baby I Could Be) So Good At Lovin' You"
(Bacharach-David) / (Buz Clifford)		 - - - - 13 A&M 1388
1976 "For The Last Time" / "Down By The River"
(J. Brady) / (Neil Young)		 - - - - - Satril 111
UK release
"Guantanamera" / "Leland Loftis"
(Joseíto Fernández)[Note 34] / (D. Bobbitt-J. Brady)		 - - - - - A&M 7244
UK release
"Hang On Sloopy" / "Skidrow Joe"[Note 35]
(Wes Farrell, Bert Russell / (Brady-Bobbitt)		 - - 32 - - Satril 114
UK release
1977 "Life Is A Song Worth Singing" / "Island (Without A Name)"
(Bell-Creed) / (Brady-Bobbitt)		 - - - - - Satril 118
UK release
"Broken Slumber" / "Living Is A Lovin' Thing"
(Brady-Seeburg) / (J. Duncan)		 - - - - - Satril 119
UK release
1978 "It Should Have Lasted Forever" / "Darling I Apologise"
(Benson-Clarke-Hyams) / (Lane-Roberts)		 - - - - - Satril 127
UK release
1979 "You're A Great Way To Fly - Singapore Girl" / same (instrumental)
(Bobby Hart-Fred Bongusto) / (Fred Bongusto)		 - - - - - Singapore
Airlines SIA-3
Reissues "Guantanamera" / "Cuando Salí De Cuba" - - - - - A&M 8526
"Quando M'Innamoro" / "La Bamba" - - - - - A&M 8527
"Come Saturday Morning" / "The Wonder Of You" - - - - - A&M 8544
Discography Notes
  1. ↑ Released in Mexico as Lo Maravilloso De Ti with song titles translated into Spanish (and in many cases differently from the translations for the same songs for the Spanish Album).
  2. ↑ All songs in Tagalog language. LP cover has text "The First Tagalog Album From An International Group".
  3. ↑ Released in Japan as Singapore Girl (Satril YX-7145-SR) with different track order. Released in Spain on cassette in 1984 (Satril 50.271). Not released in U.S.
  4. ↑ U.S. jukebox EP tracks: "Cuando Salí de Cuba", "And I Love Her", "Fly Me to the Moon", "Strange Song", "Misty Roses", "Daydream".
  5. ↑ International EP releases:
    • Australia
    A&M AMX 11,218 ("Guantanamera", "What Makes You Dream, Pretty Girl", "La Bamba", "La Mer (Beyond The Sea)"), 1966
    A&M AMX 11,231 ("Louie Louie", "Things We Said Today", "For The Last Time", "Angelica"), 1966
    A&M AMX 11,398 ("The French Song", "Bon Soir Dame", "Rain, Rain Go Away", "Yesterday")
    A&M AMX 11,714 ("Come Saturday Morning", "Carmen", "The Windmills Of Your Mind", "The More I Love You"), 1970
    • Brazil
    A&M/Fermata ("Guantanamera", "Cast Your Fate to the Wind", "La Bamba", "For Baby")
    A&M/Odeon ("Angelique", "Softly As I Leave You", "Quando M'Innamoro", "Cuando Salí de Cuba")
    A&M 7AMD-10014 (Himno Á Alegria (Song Of Joy)", "The Wonder Of You", "Come Saturday Morning", "The Long And Winding Road")
    • France
    Columbia ESRF 1802 ("Guantanamera", "What Makes You Dream, Pretty Girl", "Everything In The Garden", "Stage Door"), 1966
    Columbia ESRF 1826 ("Louie Louie", "Things We Said Today", "La Bamba", "Angelica"), 1966
    • Germany
    Star SL 101 ("Guantanamera", "To Sir With Love", "San Francisco", "Let's Pretend"), 1967
    • Japan
    A&M LS 158 ("Quando M'Innamoro", "Louie Louie", "Cuando Salí De Cuba", "Guantanamera"), 1968
    A&M AMS-13 ("Stasera (sic) Gli Angeli Non Volano (For The Last Time)", "The Long And Winding Road", "A Song Of Joy (Himno A La Alegria)", "Come Saturday Morning"), 1970
    A&M AMS-25 ("Today", "Santo Domingo", "Cuando Salí De Cuba", "Ayer")
    Paramount SJET-546 ("Come Saturday Morning" (Sandpipers), "Jerry", "Pookie Adams", "End Walk" (Sandpipers))
    • Mexico
    Tizoc ED-221 ("Guantanamera", "Extranos En La Noche" (Stangers In The Night), "Enamorado", "Lanza Tus Penas Al Viento (Cast Your Fate To The Wind)"), 1966
    Tizoc ED-270 ("Cuando Me Enamoro", "Viento Primaveral", "Extraña Melodia", "Corazon De Madera"), 1968
    A&M AME-10 ("Guantanamera", "Llevame A La Luna", "Cuando Salí De Cuba", "Ojos Españoles), 1968
    A&M AME-46 ("Ven El Sabado En La Mañana", "Santo Domingo", "Himno A La Alegria")
    • New Zealand
    A&M 11218 ("Guantanamera", "What Makes You Dream, Pretty Girl", "La Bamba", "La Mer (Beyond The Sea)"), 1966
    A&M 11231 ("Louie Louie", "Things We Said Today", "For The Last Time", "Angelica"), 1966
    A&M 11398 ("The French Song", "Bon Soir Dame", "Rain, Rain Go Away", "Yesterday")
    • Portugal
    A&M/Alvorada EP-25-1 ("Guantanamera", "Cast Your Fate to the Wind", "Enamorado", "Strangers in the Night")
    A&M/Alvorada EP-25-2 ("For Baby", "Michelle", "Bon Soir Dame", "Ayer (Yesterday)")
    A&M/Alvorada EP-25-9 ("The French Song", "Inch Worm", "It's Over", "Glass")
    A&M/Alvorada EP-25-10 ("Rain, Rain Go Away", "Try To Remember", "I'll Remember You", "Softly As I Leave You")
    A&M/Alvorada EP-25-13 ("Cuando Salí De Cuba", "Wooden Heart", "Misty Roses", "Daydream")
    A&M/Alvorada EP-25-20 ("Softly", "Wanderlove", "Quando M'Innamoro", "Fly Me To The Moon")
    A&M/Alvorada EP-25-21 ("Strange Song", "The Honeywind Blows", "Today", "And I Love Her")
    A&M/Alvorada EP-25-25 ("Kum-Ba-Yah", "La Bamba", "Canto de Ossanha", "I Believed It All")
    A&M/Alvorada EP-25-28 ("The Wonder of You", "If I Were A Man (sic)", "That Night", "The Windmills of Your Mind")
    • Spain
    A&M/Hispavox 377-11 ("Guantanamera", "Enamorado", "Mi Destino Al Viento", "Extranos En La Noche"), 1967
    A&M/Hispavox 377-13 ("Michelle", "Ayer", "Para Baby", "Bon Soir Dame"), 1967
    • UK
    Pye International NEP 44081 ("Guantanamera", "Things We Said Today", "Louie Louie", "What Makes You Dream, Pretty Girl"), 1966
    Pye International NEP 44085 ("Angelica", "Enamorado", "Strangers In The Night", "Carmen"), 1967
    A&M AME 801 ("Cast Your Fate To The Wind", "La Mer (Beyond The Sea)", "La Bamba", "Strasera Gli Angeli Non Volano (For The Last Time)")
  6. ↑ Ten songs from first four albums. Released in UK (A&M AMLS 940) with different cover.
  7. ↑ Fourteen songs from five previous albums.
  8. ↑ Eleven songs from The Sandpipers and Softly albums.
  9. ↑ Twelve songs from five previous albums.
  10. ↑ Double LP manufactured by King Record Co.
  11. ↑ Double LP with 24 tracks from previous albums. Group poster included.
  12. ↑ Double LP with 20 tracks from all seven previous studio albums.
  13. ↑ Double LP with 30 tracks including all 24 songs from Spanish Album and Second Spanish Album plus "Strasera Gli Angeli Non Volvano (For The Last Time)", "Chotto Matte Kudasai (Never Say Goodbye)", "Kumbaya", and "Santo Domingo".
  14. ↑ Released in Australia as The 16 Greats (A&M/Summit SRA250-012) with different cover.
  15. ↑ Released in UK in 1970 as Tribute To Burt Bacharach (A&M AMLB 1018) with different cover.
  16. ↑ Sandpipers song appears twice as the first and last track on the LP. Multiple CD reissues.
  17. ↑ Re-recorded version by Jim Brady.
  18. ↑ Guantanamera earned the group Grammy Award nominations for Best Performance by a Vocal Group and Best Contemporary Group Performance. The album cover also earned a nomination for Best Album Cover - Photography. International releases included Australia (Festival FK-1426), Belgium (London 5.571), Brazil (Fermata 33177), Canada (A&M 082X), Congo (London 55.71), France (Columbia SCRF 964), Germany (London DL 20 953 & A&M 210 005), India (A&M 806), Iran (Merica 2027), Ireland (Pye International 7N.25380), Italy (Derby DB 5167, B-side "Angelica), Kenya (Pye 7N.25380), Netherlands (London DL 20953), New Zealand (Festival FK-1426), Rhodesia (A&M AM-504), South Africa (A&M AM-504), Spain (A&M/Hispavox H-125, B-side "Louie Louie), UK (Pye International 7N.25380), Yugoslavia (A&M S-53510).
  19. ↑ Label credits "Marti-Angulo-Seeger" based on earlier versions and arrangements.
  20. ↑ International releases: Australia (A&M AMK-1548), Canada (A&M 819X), France (London 5.587), Germany (London DL 20 957), Japan (London TOP.1104), Mexico (Tizoc 259 X 45, B-side "Enamorado"), Netherlands (London FLX 3174), Spain (A&M/Hispavox, A-side "Guantanamera"), UK (Pye International 7N.25396).
  21. ↑ Label also has "Spanish lyric by C. Ortega & N. De Caro" in addition to "R. Barry" (sic) songwriter credit.
  22. ↑ Label credits "H. J. Dutschendorf (sic), Jr.". John Denver's birth name was Henry John Deutschendorf, Jr.
  23. ↑ Label also has "Adapted by Garson-LiPuma".
  24. ↑ Also released with alternate B-side "Rain, Rain Go Away" (Kuiokalani Lee).
  25. ↑ LP label credits "Kusik-Snyder" for English narration.
  26. ↑ UK release (A&M 723, 1968) has "I'll Remember You" (Kuiokalani Lee) as B-side.
  27. ↑ UK release (A&M 744, 1969) has "Lo Mucho Que Te Quiero" (Ibarra-Ornelos-Herrera) as B-side.
  28. ↑ Label credits "A. Lawton".
  29. ↑ UK release (A&M 730, 1968) has "Reason to Believe" (Tim Hardin) as A-side.
  30. ↑ "Santo Domingo" released in UK (A&M 814, 1970) as an A-side with "The Drifter" B-side.
  31. ↑ Label has "Negro Spiritual - Arr. & adapted by Bob Alcivar".
  32. ↑ Also released in Japan as A&M AM-97 in 1971. Other Japanese singles:
    A&M AM-33, 1969 ("Stasera (sic) Gli Angeli Non Volano (For The Last Time)"/"The Windmills of Your Mind")
    A&M AM-48, 1970 ("Beyond The Valley Of The Dolls"/"Santo Domingo")
    A&M AM-49, 1970 ("A Song Of Joy"/"The Long And Winding Road")
    A&M AM-68, 1970 ("Today"/"Free To Carry On")
  33. ↑ With the Mitchell Singing Boys. Song is from the film Lost Horizon.
  34. ↑ Label has "Trad. arr. J. Marti-H. Angulo-P. Seeger".
  35. ↑ Both tracks reissued on 12" vinyl in 1977 by Disques Direction Records (DD-8003, Canada) with 5:08 disco mix of "Hang On Sloopy" on flip.

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Biography by Stephen Thomas Erlewine". Allmusic.com. Retrieved September 27, 2009.
  2. ↑ Malagaris, Topy (November 26, 1967). "The Sound: Music and radio for young listeners". The Chicago Tribune. Retrieved February 17, 2015.
  3. ↑ Deck, Carol (December 31, 1966). "The Sandpipers Are Following Herb Alpert's Good Example" (PDF). KRLA Beat. p. 10. Retrieved February 17, 2015.
  4. ↑ Sleeve notes by Derek Taylor - The Wonder Of You LP, 1969
  5. ↑ Campell, Mary (December 26, 1968). "Sandpipers Cultivating Smooth Sound". The Gettysburg Times. Retrieved February 19, 2015.
  6. ↑ Tim Hollis and Greg Ehrbar (2006). Mouse Tracks: The Story of Walt Disney Records. Oxford, Mississippi: University Press of Mississippi. p. 95. ISBN 1-57806-848-7.
  7. ↑ Lanza, Joseph (2004). Elevator Music: A Surreal History of Muzak, Easy-Listening, and Other Moodsong. Ann Arbor, MI: The University of Michigan Press. p. 118. ISBN 0-472-08942-0.
  8. ↑ Fox, Bill (February 18, 1969). "Sandpipers get along just fine without teenage audience hysteria". The Ottawa Citizen. Retrieved February 17, 2015.
  9. 1 2 "The Sandpipers > Charts & Awards > Billboard Albums at allmusic.com".
  10. ↑ Florida Sandpipers at spectropop.com
  11. ↑ South African Rock Encyclopedia - Sandpipers
  12. ↑ Golden Sandpipers discography at www.discogs.com
  13. ↑ NY Sandpipers label scan at www.45cat.com
  14. ↑ Art label discography
  15. ↑ Lemon Pipers Biography at oldies.com
  16. ↑ Label scans of Grads and Sandpipers singles at 45cat.com
  17. ↑ "The Sandpipers > Charts & Awards > Billboard Singles at allmusic.com".
  18. ↑ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 481. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
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