The Vogues

The Vogues are an American singing quartet from Turtle Creek, Pennsylvania, U.S., a Pittsburgh suburb. They consisted of Bill Burkette (lead baritone), Don Miller (baritone), Hugh Geyer (first tenor) and Chuck Blasko (second tenor).^[1]

Career

Originally, the group was called The Val-Airs.^[1] Their first and only record under this moniker was "Launie, My Love". It was first released under local record label Willett Records (owned by the group's manager, Elmer Willett), then distributed nationally on Coral Records. Soon after its release, they adopted the name The Vogues, derived from Vogue Terrace, a popular teenage dance hall (which also housed Willett Records) in North Versailles, near the group's hometown. They soon signed a recording contract with the small Pittsburgh based Co & Ce Records label, run by Herb Cohen and Nick Cenci. The song, "You're The One", rose to #4 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and was followed by "Five O'Clock World," which reached the same #4 level. Two more hits, "Magic Town" and "The Land of Milk and Honey," did not reach the same heights, but still made Billboard's Top 40 in 1966.

As their sound was not in step with the trend in rock and roll, their fortunes dwindled, but in 1968 they signed with Reprise Records and had a string of cover versions: Glen Campbell's "Turn Around, Look at Me," which reached #7 on the Billboard chart and sold one million copies,^[1] Bobby Helms' "My Special Angel" (matching Helms' #7 peak); "Till" (previously recorded by Roger Williams, Percy Faith, and The Angels), The Four Lads' "No, Not Much," The Penguins' "Earth Angel (Will You Be Mine)," The Four Lads' "Moments To Remember," and The Brothers Four's "Greenfields" (retitled "Green Fields").

The group lost favor in the 1970s, but various groupings of singers using the name The Vogues continued to sing into the 2000s. Subsequent business moves allowed the new owner of their trademark name to later assign it to another group of all new artists. Blasko, then performing with other artists as "Chuck Blasko's Five O'clock World Reunion," lobbied Congress to make changes in trademark laws to prevent others from misrepresenting themselves as being original artists.^[2]

As of March 2007, Geyer, who had briefly toured with Blasko's group the year before, is now touring the country with the 'trademark' Vogues. Blasko continues to perform as Chuck Blasko & The Vogues in the 14 Western Pennsylvania counties that were awarded to him by the courts. Today, both groups contain original members of The Vogues.

As of May 2008 original lead vocalist Burkette has joined Geyer touring the country with the 'trademark' Vogues.^[3] Current performing members include Burkette, Geyer, Jim Campagna, Stan Elich, and Troy Elich on vocals. The group is rounded out with Tom Lamb (Guitar and Musical Director), Artie Delonardis (Drums), Dean Mastrangelo (Keyboards) and Rich Gooch (Bass).

The original group was inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2001.^[4]

Studio albums

• Meet the Vogues (1965)
• Five O'Clock World (1966)
• Turn Around, Look at Me (1968)
• Till (1969)
• Memories (1969)
• The Vogues' Greatest Hits (1970)
• The Vogues Sing the Good Old Songs (1970)

Singles

References

External links

• 'The Vogues' Vocal Group Hall of Fame Page
• 'The Vogues' Home Page
• 'The Vogues' Yahoo Fan Club
• 'The Vogues' MySpace Blog