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Sunshine Pop
Sunshine pop, originally called soft pop and soft rock, is a loosely defined form of pop music that was first associated with early soft rock producers and songwriters based in Los Angeles, California, during the mid-to late 1960s. Its recording studio as an instrument, studio-centric sound was primarily rooted in folk rock and easy listening, typically featuring rich harmony vocals and progressive music, progressive elements, while lyrics combined idyllic imagery with a subtle awareness of societal change, melancholic undertones, and counterculture of the 1960s, countercultural themes. The movement initially straddled multiple styles among many groups who existed briefly while adapting to evolving music trends, resulting in much crossover with bubblegum music, bubblegum, folk-pop, garage rock, baroque pop, and psychedelic music, psychedelia. Branching from the nascent California sound, its name refers to the area's regularly sundrenched weather. Many of the defining sunshine pop ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Soft Rock
Soft rock (also known as light rock or mellow rock) is a form of rock music that originated in the late 1960s in the United States and the United Kingdom which smoothed over the edges of singer-songwriter and pop rock, relying on simple, melodic songs with big, lush productions. Soft rock was prevalent on the radio throughout the 1970s and eventually metamorphosed into a form of the synthesized music of adult contemporary music, adult contemporary in the 1980s. History Mid- to late 1960s Softer sounds in rock music could be heard in mid-1960s songs, such as "A Summer Song" by Chad & Jeremy (1964) and "Here, There and Everywhere" by the Beatles and "I Love My Dog" by Cat Stevens, both from 1966. By 1968, hard rock had been established as a mainstream genre. From the end of the 1960s, it became common to divide mainstream rock music into soft and hard rock, with both emerging as major radio formats in the US. The Bee Gees were considered soft rock in the late 1960s. Early 19 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Garage Rock
Garage rock (sometimes called garage punk or 60s punk) is a raw and energetic style of rock music that flourished in the mid-1960s, most notably in the United States and Canada, and has experienced a series of subsequent revivals. The style is characterized by basic chord (music), chord structures played on electric guitars and other instruments, sometimes distorted through a distortion (music), fuzzbox, as well as often unsophisticated and occasionally aggressive lyrics and delivery. Its name derives from the perception that groups were often made up of young amateurs who rehearsed in the family Garage (residential), garage, although many were professional. In the US and Canada, surf rock—and later the Beatles and other beat music, beat groups of the British Invasion—motivated thousands of young people to form bands between 1963 and 1968. Hundreds of grass-roots acts produced regional hits, some of which gained national popularity, usually played on AM radio stations. Wi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Brian Wilson
Brian Douglas Wilson (June 20, 1942 – June 11, 2025) was an American musician, songwriter, singer and record producer who co-founded the Beach Boys. Often Brian Wilson is a genius, called a genius for his novel approaches to pop composition and mastery of recording techniques, he is widely acknowledged as one of the most innovative and significant songwriters of the 20th century. His best-known work is distinguished for its high production values, complex harmonies and orchestrations, vocal harmony, vocal layering, and introspective or ingenuous themes. He was also known for his versatile head voice and ''falsetto'', which degraded after the 1970s. Wilson's formative influences included George Gershwin, the Four Freshmen, Phil Spector, and Burt Bacharach. In 1961, he began his professional career as a member of the Beach Boys, serving as the band's songwriter, producer, co-lead vocalist, bassist, keyboardist, and ''de facto'' leader. After signing with Capitol Records in 19 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Beach Boys
The Beach Boys are an American Rock music, rock band formed in Hawthorne, California, in 1961. The group's original lineup consisted of brothers Brian Wilson, Brian, Dennis Wilson, Dennis, and Carl Wilson, their cousin Mike Love, and their friend Al Jardine. Distinguished by their vocal harmonies, adolescent-oriented lyrics, and musical ingenuity, they are one of the most influential acts of the rock era. The group drew on the music of Traditional pop, older pop vocal groups, 1950s rock and roll, and black R&B to create their unique sound. Under Brian's direction, they often incorporated classical music, classical or jazz elements and Recording studio as an instrument, unconventional recording techniques in innovative ways. The Beach Boys formed as a garage band centered on Brian's songwriting and managed by the Wilsons' father, Murry Wilson, Murry. Jardine was briefly replaced by David Marks during 1962–1963. In 1963, they enjoyed their first national hit with "Surfin' U.S ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sagittarius (band)
Sagittarius was an American sunshine pop studio group formed in 1967, devised by record producer and songwriter Gary Usher. History Usher had been involved with music as a songwriter since the early 1960s (including writing lyrics for some of Brian Wilson's earliest songs), and soon branched out into production work. After considerable success as a producer, he eventually became a staff producer for Columbia Records. It was at this position that, during 1967, he produced Chad & Jeremy. They had played him several songs, which he felt lacked any commercial potential. He had heard a demo around that time for a song called " My World Fell Down" (also recorded by the British pop group The Ivy League), and he played it for them, thinking that it was a sure-fire hit. They balked at the idea of covering the song, and Usher felt that he would do it himself. He brought in Los Angeles session musicians, as well as drafting friends such as Beach Boys touring alumni Glen Campbell (wh ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Gary Usher
Gary Lee Usher (December 14, 1938 – May 25, 1990) was an American rock musician, songwriter, and record producer, who worked with numerous California acts in the 1960s, including the Byrds, the Beach Boys, and Dick Dale. Usher also produced fictitious surf groups or hot rod groups, mixing studio session musicians with his own troops ( Chuck Girard, Dick Burns and others). These bands included the Super Stocks (with the hot-rod song "Midnight Run"); the Kickstands; the Hondells with their No. 9 US pop single " Little Honda"; and others. The Ghouls and ''Dracula’s Deuce'' In 1964, Gary Usher, already known for his work in surf and hot rod music, ventured into the world of horror-themed novelty music with a studio project known as ''The Ghouls''. Rather than being a formal band, ''The Ghouls'' were a studio ensemble under Usher's direction, primarily recorded as a one-off for the album ''Dracula's Deuce''. The record blended surf rock with horror-comic themes and featured a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Millennium (band)
The Millennium were an American sunshine pop band formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1967. History Boettcher had originally worked with drummer Ron Edgar for a brief time in the folk group The GoldeBriars. After The GoldeBriars dissolved, Edgar joined the group The Music Machine, which also featured Doug Rhodes on organ. The Music Machine scored a Top 20 hit with the song " Talk Talk" before disbanding. Boettcher had also formed a group called The Ballroom, which featured Sandy Salisbury as a vocalist. Lee Mallory had worked as a songwriter and solo performer, and Boettcher had produced some of his recordings, including a cover of Phil Ochs' "That's The Way It's Gonna Be". The group also featured support from session musicians such as Jerry Scheff. The Millennium recorded one album, '' Begin'' in 1968. Before disbanding, the group recorded one follow-up single: "Just About The Same" b/w "Blight", and several tracks later released on compilation albums. Boettcher wen ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Eternity's Children
Eternity's Children was an American sunshine pop band that originated in Cleveland, Mississippi as a folk group known as the Phantoms. The Phantoms began with two students, composed of vocalist/keyboardist Bruce Blackman and drummer Roy Whittaker. Soon, the group added lead guitarist Johnny Walker, rhythm guitarist Jerry Bounds, and bassist Charlie Ross, and began developing the complex, overlapping vocal harmonies that were utilized when they became Eternity's Children in 1967. Their one and only hit, "Mrs. Bluebird", reached number 69 on the ''Billboard Hot 100'' and number 58 in Canada. History Beginnings In 1965, Bruce Blackman and Roy Whittaker, students of Delta College, founded The Phantoms, and added fellow students Jerry Bounds, Charlie Ross, and Johnny Walker. The band played locally within the college and gained a sizable local following. They released a single titled "Workin' Tired" b/w "Gonna Be Nice Tonight" on the local Flash label before relocating to Biloxi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Association
The Association is an American sunshine pop band from Los Angeles, California. During the late 1960s, the band had numerous hits at or near the top of the Billboard charts, ''Billboard'' charts (including "Windy (The Association song), Windy", "Cherish (The Association song), Cherish", "Never My Love" and "Along Comes Mary") and were the lead-off band at 1967's Monterey Pop Festival. Generally consisting of six to eight members, they are known for intricate vocal harmonies by the band's multiple singers. Their best-known lineup included Terry Kirkman (vocals, woodwind instruments, percussion), Russ Giguere (vocals, guitar), Jim Yester (vocals, rhythm and lead guitar), Jules Alexander (vocals, lead and rhythm guitar, bass), Brian Cole (musician), Brian Cole (vocals, bass) and Ted Bluechel Jr. (vocals, drums, percussion). This lineup recorded their first two albums, ''And Then... Along Comes the Association'' and ''Renaissance (The Association album), Renaissance'' (both 1966) b ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Curt Boettcher
Curtis Roy Boettcher (January 7, 1944 – June 14, 1987), sometimes credited as Curt Boetcher or Curt Becher, was an American singer, songwriter, arranger, musician, and record producer from Wisconsin. He was a pivotal figure in what is now termed "sunshine pop", working with the Association, the Millennium, Sagittarius, Paul Revere and the Raiders, Tommy Roe, Bobby Jameson, Elton John, Gene Clark, Emitt Rhodes, Tandyn Almer, the Beach Boys, and others. ''The New York Times'' wrote of Boettcher: "If his life had gone just a bit differently, emight have been another Brian Wilson. ... As it stands, Boettcher — a pop-music producer whose heyday was the late '60s — now survives in rock history mostly as a liner-note credit. He could have been, but never was. Yet he enjoys a godlike status among a select group of music fans, for whom obscurity is more enticing than fame." Early life He was born in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, to Peggie and Arland Boettcher. His father was a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Jimmy Webb
Jimmy Layne Webb (born August 15, 1946) is an American songwriter, composer, and singer. He achieved success at an early age, winning the Grammy Award for Song of the Year at the age of 21. During his career, he established himself as one of America's most successful and honored songwriter/composers. Webb has written numerous platinum-selling songs, including " Up, Up and Away", " By the Time I Get to Phoenix", " MacArthur Park", " Wichita Lineman", " Worst That Could Happen", " Galveston", and " All I Know". He had successful collaborations with Glen Campbell, Michael Feinstein, Linda Ronstadt, the 5th Dimension, the Supremes, Art Garfunkel, Richard Harris, and Carly Simon. Webb was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1986 and the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1990. He received the National Academy of Songwriters Lifetime Achievement Award in 1993, the Songwriters Hall of Fame Johnny Mercer Award in 2003, the ASCAP "Voice of Music" Award in 2006 and th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The 5th Dimension
The 5th Dimension is an American vocal group. Their music encompasses sunshine pop, pop soul, and psychedelic soul. They were an important crossover music act of the 1960s and 1970s, although both praised and derided for their particular musical approach and mass appeal. During the original group's heyday, they were twice invited to perform at the White House, and accepting those invitations was controversial during that era of social upheaval. Formed as The Versatiles in late 1965, the group changed its name to "The 5th Dimension" by 1966. Between 1967 and 1973, they charted with 20 "Top 40" hits on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, two of which – " Up, Up and Away" (No. 7, 1967) and the 1969 No. 1 " Medley: Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In (The Flesh Failures)" — won the Grammy Award for Record of the Year. Other big hits include " Stoned Soul Picnic" (No. 3), " Wedding Bell Blues" (No. 1), " One Less Bell to Answer" (No. 2), a cover of " Never My Love" (Pop chart, No. 12/Easy List ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
