Jay & the Techniques
Jay & the Techniques was a pop group that originated in Allentown, Pennsylvania during the mid-1960s. A group whose sound and songs were more pop than soul, Jay & the Techniques earned some points for the playful, joyous "Apples, Peaches, Pumpkin Pie," which was their lone Top 10 R&B and pop hit, released in 1967 on the Smash label.[1]
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Career [edit]
The band was best known for its Top 10 debut single, "Apples, Peaches, Pumpkin Pie", which was released in 1967 and reached #6 in the Billboard Hot 100 chart.[2] The track was arranged by Joe Renzetti, and written by Maurice Irby, Jr. It sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc.[3] Although this song served as the band's primary hit, the group also captured various chart positions with "Keep the Ball Rollin'" (#14) and "Strawberry Shortcake". "Keep the Ball Rollin'" also notched up sales in excess of a million copies, to secure a second gold disc for this group.[3] However, its position on the 1960s pop charts declined after "Baby Make Your Own Sweet Music" was released. Jay & the Techniques made their final effort with its R&B hit, "Number Onderful", but after that, the group disbanded.
"Apples, Peaches, Pumpkin Pie" and "Baby Make Your Own Sweet Music'"were both released in the UK by Mercury Records and whilst neither song charted in Great Britain, in the early 1970s both songs became disco/dance favourites of the British Northern Soul music scene.
In 1996, Mercury Records released a compilation album of the band's hits entitled The Best of Jay & the Techniques.
Original band members [edit]
- Jay Proctor: Lead vocalist and primary founder of the group
- George "Lucky" Lloyd: Second vocalist
- Dante Dancho: Lead guitar
- Chuck Crowl: Bass guitar
- Karl Landis (Lippowitsch): Drums (was replaced by Paul Coles, Jr.)
- Ronnie Goosley: Saxophone
- Jon Walsh: Trumpet (was replaced by Danny Altieri)
Nick Ashford, Valerie Simpson and Melba Moore often served as backing vocalists.[citation needed]
Chart hits [edit]
Albums [edit]
Singles [edit]
- "Apples, Peaches, Pumpkin Pie" (1967) - U.S. Pop #6; R&B #8
- "Keep the Ball Rollin'" (1967) - U.S. Pop #14
- "Baby Make Your Own Sweet Music" (1968) - U.S Pop #64
- "Strawberry Shortcake (1968) - U.S. Pop #39
- "I Feel Love Comin' On" (1974) - U.S. Disco #6[2]
Other versions [edit]
- The track "Keep the Ball Rollin'" was used in instrumental form, as recorded by Al Hirt, on the television program, Bowling for Dollars. Cory Daye, the vocalist from Dr. Buzzard's Savannah Band, also recorded a cover version of the song on her first solo album, "Cory and Me" on RCA.
- "Apples, Peaches, Pumpkin Pie" was covered by The Fourmost in 1968.
See also [edit]
References [edit]
- ^ Allmusic.com biography by Ron Wynn
- ^ a b c Allmusic.com - chart & awards
- ^ a b Murrells, Joseph (1978). The Book of Golden Discs (2nd ed.). London: Barrie and Jenkins Ltd. p. 224. ISBN 0-214-20512-6.
