Joe and Eddie
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Joe and Eddie was an American gospel folk group, whose vocal career peaked in 1964. Composed of two African Americans, Joe Gilbert and Eddie Brown, in their career, they toured the United States and Canada, appeared on over 20 major television shows and recorded eight albums.[1][2]
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[edit] Style
The two's focus was creating harmony with Joe Gilbert singing tenor and Eddie Brown singing baritone. Their style incorporated gospel, folk tunes, with blues with a little jazz flavor. Songs contained little background instrumentals, since the "main objective was to focus on Joe & Eddie's singing..."[1] This duo was known for their rapid-fire delivery and vocal improvisations, as can be heard in the songs "Green Grass" and "Children Go".
[edit] Career
Both from being raised in the South and being born in 1941, Joe Gilbert and Eddie Brown had a lot in common before even meeting. Gilbert was raised in New Orleans, Louisiana while Brown grew up in Norfolk, Virginia. Around the same time, the two boys migrated to Berkeley, California with their respective families, and met in the mid 1950s at Willard High School in the a capella choir. Their first performance together was in the Berkeley High School Talent Show, where they sang a duet and won first place.
With the help of their high school choir professor, Earl Blakeslee, the two boys formed a partnership and strove to go professional. Their first gigs were held at college fraternity and sorority parties, where they performed a variety of numbers. Blakeslee advised them to audition for the Don Sherwood Show, which originated in San Francisco. They earned their spot, and were asked back to the show several times afterwards.
Through their television appearance, Joe and Eddie were introduced to Gene Norman, president of GNP Crescendo Record Co., and then co-owner of the Crescendo and Interlude nightclubs, who assisted in launching their career. It was through Norman that the two recorded their first single and, by 1962, recorded their first album, Exciting Folk Duo: Joe & Eddie (re-released after Gilbert's death as Down to Earth).
After the release of their first album, Joe and Eddie appeared on more television shows, including The Tonight Show, The Lively Ones, Hootenanny, and The Jackie Gleason Show. During this time, they recorded their second album, There is a Meeting Here Tonight, and adapted that song as their signature tune. They performed this song in the film, Hootenanny Hoot.
They began touring and for four years continued to record more albums with GNP/Crescendo Records. Along with recording their harmonies, the two took turns in recording solos ("The Work Song," and "The Things I've Saved"). Bill Munday accompanied them on his guitar, while in other songs, the Les Baxter Chorus sang back up.
[edit] End of the duo
On August 6, 1966, Gilbert was killed in an automobile accident, while driving home after a performance in the Cosmos Club in Seal Beach, California. Gilbert's death marked the sudden end of the Joe and Eddie partnership (he was survived by a wife, Judy, and two sons). Brown continued to record as a solo act. As of 2007, Brown was continuing to work as a record producer and music arranger, most recently with the musical group, Gravity.[3]
[edit] Discography
- Exciting Folk Duo: Joe & Eddie (1962) (reissued after Gilbert's death on Sunset Records as Down to Earth)
- There's A Meetin' Here Tonight (1963)
- Coast to Coast (Joe and Eddie) (1964)
- Volume 4 (1964)
- Tear Down The Walls! (1965)
- Live In Hollywood (1965)
- Walkin' Down The Line (1965)
- The Magic of Their Singing (1966)
- The Best of Joe & Eddie (1967); re-released in 1993 on CD with additional tracks
- The Gospel Truth, (compilation album)
- Joe & Eddie Crescendo
