The Classics IV is an American
band
Band or BAND may refer to:
Places
*Bánd, a village in Hungary
*Band, Iran, a village in Urmia County, West Azerbaijan Province, Iran
* Band, Mureș, a commune in Romania
*Band-e Majid Khan, a village in Bukan County, West Azerbaijan Province, I ...
formed in
Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville is a city located on the Atlantic coast of northeast Florida, the most populous city proper in the state and is the largest city by area in the contiguous United States as of 2020. It is the seat of Duval County, with which the ...
, United States, in 1965.
The band, founded by
Dennis Yost
Dennis Yost (July 20, 1943 – December 7, 2008) was an American singer and the frontman of Classics IV.
Early years
Dennis Yost was born on July 20, 1943 in Detroit. He and his family moved to Jacksonville at the age of 7. There, he began playi ...
, is known mainly for the hits "
Spooky
Spooky or Spookey may refer to:
something that will cause creepiness or uncanniness.
Arts and entertainment Music Musicians
* Spooky (house music duo)
* Spookey (UK band), a 1970s soul band based in Manchester
*DJ Spooky, musician and producer
* ...
," "
Stormy," and "
Traces
Traces may refer to:
Literature
* ''Traces'' (book), a 1998 short-story collection by Stephen Baxter
* ''Traces'' series, a series of novels by Malcolm Rose
Music Albums
* ''Traces'' (Classics IV album) or the title song (see below), 1969
* ''Tra ...
," released 1967 to 1969, which have become
cover
Cover or covers may refer to:
Packaging
* Another name for a lid
* Cover (philately), generic term for envelope or package
* Album cover, the front of the packaging
* Book cover or magazine cover
** Book design
** Back cover copy, part of co ...
standards.
Career
1965-1966: Early Days
The group began as The Classics, a
Jacksonville
Jacksonville is a city located on the Atlantic coast of northeast Florida, the most populous city proper in the state and is the List of United States cities by area, largest city by area in the contiguous United States as of 2020. It is the co ...
cover
Cover or covers may refer to:
Packaging
* Another name for a lid
* Cover (philately), generic term for envelope or package
* Album cover, the front of the packaging
* Book cover or magazine cover
** Book design
** Back cover copy, part of co ...
band consisting of guitarist
J. R. Cobb
James Barney Cobb Jr. (February 5, 1944 – May 4, 2019) was an American guitarist and songwriter, most notable for co-writing "Spooky (Classics IV song), Spooky", "Stormy (song), Stormy" and "Traces (song), Traces", among others, as a member of ...
, bassist Walter Eaton, keyboardist Joe Wilson, sax player Greg Carroll, and drummer Dennis Yost, who had previously been a member of The Echoes. The name "The Classics" came from the Classic drum set Yost owned. He was known in the Georgia/Florida area as the "stand-up drummer" because he played standing up. The Classics played
Ventures covers, as well as
instrumental
An instrumental is a recording normally without any vocals, although it might include some inarticulate vocals, such as shouted backup vocals in a big band setting. Through semantic widening, a broader sense of the word song may refer to instru ...
versions of "
Misty
Misty may refer to:
Music
* ''Misty'' (Ray Stevens album), an album by Ray Stevens featuring the above song
* ''Misty'' (Richard "Groove" Holmes album), an album by Richard "Groove" Holmes featuring the above song
* ''Misty'' (Eddie "Lockjaw" ...
" and "
Summertime." People started requesting vocals, so Dennis would say "I can sing that," and that was the beginning of the group's new direction.
The group was discovered performing in
Daytona Beach
Daytona Beach, or simply Daytona, is a coastal resort-city in east-central Florida. Located on the eastern edge of Volusia County near the Atlantic coastline, its population was 72,647 at the 2020 census. Daytona Beach is approximately nort ...
by talent agent Alan Diggs, who became the band's manager in partnership with Paul Cochran and later,
Buddy Buie
Perry Carlton "Buddy" Buie (January 23, 1941 – July 18, 2015) was an American songwriter, producer and publisher. He is most commonly associated with Roy Orbison, the Classics IV and the Atlanta Rhythm Section.
Career
Buie was born in Marian ...
. The pair had formed an alliance with manager-publisher
Bill Lowery and urged the band to relocate to Atlanta. With the help of Lowery, they quickly snagged the group a singles deal with
Capitol Records
Capitol Records, LLC (known legally as Capitol Records, Inc. until 2007) is an American record label distributed by Universal Music Group through its Capitol Music Group imprint. It was founded as the first West Coast-based record label of note ...
. The Classics' debut single was "Pollyanna", a song written by Lowery client
Joe South
Joe South (born Joseph Alfred Souter; February 28, 1940 – September 5, 2012) was an American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and record producer. Best known for his songwriting, South won the Grammy Award for Song of the Year in 1970 for " Ga ...
and sung in a style which resembled that of the Four Seasons. Shortly after that they received a letter informing them that there was already a recording act named "
The Classics
The Classics were an American vocal group formed in 1958 in Brooklyn.
The Classics first sang together in high school; two of them had previously sung in a group called The Del-Rays. In 1959, under the auspices of manager Jim Gribble, they record ...
," who had a single titled "
Till Then
image:Geschiebemergel.JPG, Closeup of glacial till. Note that the larger grains (pebbles and gravel) in the till are completely surrounded by the matrix of finer material (silt and sand), and this characteristic, known as ''matrix support'', is d ...
." In an effort to differentiate themselves, Yost and company added "IV" to the name because there were (at that time) four members.
1966-1970: Success
The Classics IV performed "Pollyanna" on Dick Clark's TV Show ''Where the Action Is!'' and "Pollyanna" was a regional hit. But when
WABC (AM)
WABC (770 AM broadcasting, AM) is a commercial Radio broadcasting, radio station licensed to New York City, New York, New York, carrying a Conservative talk radio, conservative talk format known as "Talkradio 77". Owned by John Catsimatidis' R ...
radio in New York started playing it they received a call from the Four Seasons' manager demanding they cease airplay of "Pollyanna" or they would no longer get exclusives on future Four Seasons recordings, among other disincentives. The group landed a deal with
Imperial Records
Imperial Records is an American record company and label started in 1947 by Lew Chudd. The label was reactivated in 2006 by EMI, which owned the label and back catalogue at the time. Imperial is owned by Universal Music Group.
Early years to ...
. Guitarists Cobb and Buie added lyrics to a jazz instrumental titled "
Spooky
Spooky or Spookey may refer to:
something that will cause creepiness or uncanniness.
Arts and entertainment Music Musicians
* Spooky (house music duo)
* Spookey (UK band), a 1970s soul band based in Manchester
*DJ Spooky, musician and producer
* ...
," a 1966 regional hit for Atlanta saxophonist Mike Sharpe. The single made it to No. 3 on the
Hot 100
The ''Billboard'' Hot 100 is the music industry standard record chart in the United States for songs, published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine. Chart rankings are based on sales (physical and digital), radio play, and online streaming ...
in February 1968 in the U.S. and No. 46 in the UK.
Drummer Kim Venable (born Clayton Kimbal Venable on May 5, 1944 in
Eclectic, Alabama
Eclectic is a town in Elmore County, Alabama, United States. It incorporated in 1907. At the 2020 census, the population was 1,193. It is part of the Montgomery Metropolitan Statistical Area.
History
Eclectic was founded by Dr. M. L. Fielder, ...
, died June 12, 2016) was brought in so Yost could move freely out front (drummer Dennis St. John and bassist Emory Gordy were the musicians on their studio recordings). Wilson left the band and was replaced by
Candymen member
Dean Daughtry
Dean Daughtry (born September 8, 1946, in Kinston, Alabama) is an American musician. He was the keyboard player with the Classics IV after Joe Wilson departed. They had a 1968 #3 US/#46 UK hit with "Spooky". He co-founded the Atlanta Rhythm Se ...
. The band changed its name to The Classics IV featuring Dennis Yost and enjoyed two more top-10 hits, "
Stormy" (1968, Hot 100 No. 5) and "
Traces
Traces may refer to:
Literature
* ''Traces'' (book), a 1998 short-story collection by Stephen Baxter
* ''Traces'' series, a series of novels by Malcolm Rose
Music Albums
* ''Traces'' (Classics IV album) or the title song (see below), 1969
* ''Tra ...
" (1969, Hot 100 No. 2, Easy Listening No. 2), the latter of which Emory Gordy also co-wrote. Cobb and Buie borrowed heavily from 1936's "Every Day with Jesus" by Robert C. and Wendell P. Loveless to pen the top 20 follow-up "Every Day With You Girl" (1969, Hot 100 No. 19, Easy Listening No. 12).
"
Spooky
Spooky or Spookey may refer to:
something that will cause creepiness or uncanniness.
Arts and entertainment Music Musicians
* Spooky (house music duo)
* Spookey (UK band), a 1970s soul band based in Manchester
*DJ Spooky, musician and producer
* ...
," "
Stormy," and "
Traces
Traces may refer to:
Literature
* ''Traces'' (book), a 1998 short-story collection by Stephen Baxter
* ''Traces'' series, a series of novels by Malcolm Rose
Music Albums
* ''Traces'' (Classics IV album) or the title song (see below), 1969
* ''Tra ...
" each sold more than one million units, and all were awarded
gold disc
Music recording certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped, sold, or streamed a certain number of units. The threshold quantity varies by type (such as album, single, music video) and by nation or territory (see ...
s by the
R.I.A.A. Those three hits plus "Every Day With You Girl" also appeared in the 1977 film ''
The Chicken Chronicles
''The Chicken Chronicles'' is a 1977 American teen stoner comedy film set in 1969 and starring Steve Guttenberg.
Plot
David Kessler is a high school student who will go to any lengths to impress a pretty cheerleader and lose his virginity, while ...
''.
In 1970, Cobb, Buie and Daughtry formed what would become
Atlanta Rhythm Section
Atlanta Rhythm Section (or ARS) is an American Southern rock band formed in 1970 by Rodney Justo (singer), Barry Bailey (guitar), Paul Goddard (bass), Dean Daughtry (keyboards), Robert Nix (drums) and J. R. Cobb (guitar). The band's current l ...
with
Candymen drummer
Robert Nix. However, the former two remained active as writers and producers for the band.
After recovering from a car accident suffered in May 1969, Eaton left the band and later on became an electronics expert, working for
Unisys
Unisys Corporation is an American multinational information technology (IT) services and consulting company headquartered in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania. It provides digital workplace solutions, cloud, applications, and infrastructure solutions, e ...
.
1970-1975: Later Years
With Yost as the remaining original member, the group changed its name again to Dennis Yost and the Classics IV. After Imperial was absorbed into
United Artists Records
United Artists Records was an American record label founded by Max E. Youngstein of United Artists in 1957 to issue movie soundtracks. The label expanded into other genres, such as easy listening, jazz, pop, and R&B.
History Genres
In 1959, ...
, the group signed with
MGM South.
In 1971 after working for other Lowery artists
Tommy Roe
Thomas David "Tommy" Roe (born May 9, 1942) is a retired American rock and pop singer-songwriter.
Best-remembered for his hits "Sheila" (1962) and " Dizzy" (1969), Roe was "widely perceived as one of the archetypal bubblegum artists of the late ...
and
the Swingin' Medallions
The Swingin' Medallions are an American beach music group from Greenwood, South Carolina, United States.
History
The band was formed as The Medallions in 1962 adding the "Swingin'" in 1965; possibly as a tribute to the Swingin' Travelers, an R& ...
,
Michael Huey
J. Michael Huey (born October 24, 1950) is an American drummer and producer, earning 18 Gold / Platinum Top Ten Awards. He has played with a diverse group of artists in genres including Rock/Pop/Country/R&B such as Glenn Frey, Joe Walsh, Juice ...
became the drummer. During this period Huey also became the staff drummer for Lowery Studios and later moved to Los Angeles.
The band's subsequent releases were less successful, despite the final top 40 hit, "What Am I Crying For?" which peaked at No. 39 in 1972. By this time, the partnership between Cochran and Buie ended. After the release of "My First Day Without Her" in 1975, Yost disbanded the group and returned to Florida.
1975-2001: After Classics IV
In 1977, Yost returned to performing on the Holiday Inn circuit, this time simply under his own name or "The Classic One."
(He lost the rights to the Classics IV name.) The same year, Eaton got a job on Jacksonville’s computer system in 1977 and later on worked for the City Hall. He is currently a professor at
Florida Community College.
During the mid 70s to early 80s, the
Atlanta Rhythm Section
Atlanta Rhythm Section (or ARS) is an American Southern rock band formed in 1970 by Rodney Justo (singer), Barry Bailey (guitar), Paul Goddard (bass), Dean Daughtry (keyboards), Robert Nix (drums) and J. R. Cobb (guitar). The band's current l ...
scored a number of Top 40 hits, notably "Doraville", "
So in to You", "
Imaginary Lover", "
I'm Not Gonna Let It Bother Me Tonight", "
Do It or Die", and their rendition of "
Spooky
Spooky or Spookey may refer to:
something that will cause creepiness or uncanniness.
Arts and entertainment Music Musicians
* Spooky (house music duo)
* Spookey (UK band), a 1970s soul band based in Manchester
*DJ Spooky, musician and producer
* ...
".
During the 1990s, Yost used many backup bands including Steve "Stevie G" Guettler (guitar, vocals), Jeff "JT" Strickler (bass guitar, vocals), Steve Farrell (guitar, vocals), Mike Wilson (keyboards, vocals), and Wes Armstrong (drums, vocals) of the Atlanta-based group The Rockerz. He also used Nashville-based Steve Jarrell and The Sons of the Beach Band, as well as the Hitts out of Virginia Beach, Virginia, with Ed Hutchison (guitar, backing vocals), Ramon Gonzalez (keyboards, backing vocals), Andy Crosswell (drums), and David Voss. Other incarnations included Toledo musicians Danny Joe Greenburg on Bass, and Sid Siddall on drums. Nashville bassist Louie Meek also did a stint with the band.
In 1993, Classics IV was inducted into the
Georgia Music Hall of Fame
The Georgia Music Hall of Fame was a hall of fame to recognize music performers and music industry professionals from or connected to the state of Georgia. It began with efforts of the state's lieutenant governor Zell Miller to attract the music ...
.
2001-2006: Reformation
In 2001, Yost underwent successful throat surgery for a condition that had severely impaired his singing voice. Later on, he started touring under the Classics IV name, which he gained the rights to.
2006-2008: Death of Yost
On July 11, 2006, Yost fell down a flight of stairs and suffered serious brain trauma. To assist Yost and his wife with their medical bills, a benefit concert was held on March 25, 2007, at ''Rhino's Live'' in Cincinnati, Ohio. The concert did not significantly benefit Yost or his wife financially as hoped, expenses far exceeded the money raised, leaving the event in the red. However, it was a huge emotional boost for Yost to visit with so many old friends.
After the accident, Tom Garrett was chosen by Yost to replace him as lead singer for the Classics IV. The plan was for Yost to make a few yearly "special appearances", and gradually have Garrett take over as the leader of the band. However, Yost was able to perform with them for only one appearance in 2008.
Yost died at the age of 65 from
respiratory failure
Respiratory failure results from inadequate gas exchange by the respiratory system, meaning that the arterial oxygen, carbon dioxide, or both cannot be kept at normal levels. A drop in the oxygen carried in the blood is known as hypoxemia; a rise ...
on December 7, 2008, the 40th anniversary of the entrance of "
Stormy" into the Hot 100's top 10.
Associated Press
The Associated Press (AP) is an American non-profit news agency headquartered in New York City. Founded in 1846, it operates as a cooperative, unincorporated association. It produces news reports that are distributed to its members, U.S. newspa ...
, December 8, 200
Classics IV singer Dennis Yost dies at 65
www.msnbc.msn.com
2008-present: Post-Yost
The current line-up of Classics IV consists of Tom Garrett as lead vocalist, Kevin Lloyd on bass, James Yoder on keyboards, Paul Weddle on saxophone, John Kerner on guitar, and Shawn White on drums. The group regularly tours to this day.
Discography
Albums
Compilations
* ''Stormy'' – Sunset SUS-5323 – 1970
* ''The Very Best of Classics IV'' –
United Artists
United Artists Corporation (UA), currently doing business as United Artists Digital Studios, is an American digital production company. Founded in 1919 by D. W. Griffith, Charlie Chaplin, Mary Pickford, and Douglas Fairbanks, the studi ...
UA-LA446-E – 1975; reissue: Liberty LN-10109 (1981); CD reissue: Capitol/EMI 91472 (1988)
* ''Classics'' – Liberty LN-10260 – 1985
* ''Lil' Bit of Gold'' –
Rhino
A rhinoceros (; ; ), commonly abbreviated to rhino, is a member of any of the five extant species (or numerous extinct species) of odd-toed ungulates in the family Rhinocerotidae. (It can also refer to a member of any of the extinct species o ...
R3-73004 – 1988 (special 3-inch CD single featuring the band's 4 major charting hits under the 'Classics IV featuring Dennis Yost' name: "Spooky", "Traces", "Every Day With You Girl", "Stormy"); regular CD reissue: CEMA Special Markets CDLL-57489 (1991)
* ''Greatest Hits (10 Best Series)'' – CEMA Special Markets CDLL-57402 – 1991
* ''The Best of Dennis Yost & the Classics IV (Legendary Masters Series)'' – Taragon TARCD-1091 (released through EMI-Capitol Music Special Markets) – 2002
* ''Atmospherics: A Complete Career Collection 1966–1975'' – Raven RVCD-134 (Australian release) – 2003
* ''What Am I Crying For, Dennis Yost: Going Through The Motions'' – The Classics IV Label #101 – 2011
LP-on-1CD* ''Traces, Song'' – The Classics IV Label #102 – 2011
LP-on-1CD* ''Spooky, Mamas and Papas/Soul Train'' – The Classics IV Label #103 – 2011
LP-on-1CD* ''A New Horizon'' – The Classics IV Label/
CD Baby
CD Baby, Inc. is an online distributor of independent music. The company was described as an "anti-label" by its parent company's Chief Operating Officer Tracy Maddux. The CD Baby music store was shut down in March 2020 with a statement that "C ...
– 2011 (CD/digital download)
* ''One Stormy Night: The Classics IV Live at the Ritz'' – The Classics IV Label/CD Baby – 2015 (CD/digital download)
* Dennis Yost: "Paint My Blues" (rec. 1991); included on ''Voices for the Voiceless'' — 2015 (digital download)
* ''Spooky, Mamas and Papas/Soul Train, Traces, Song'' – Beat Goes On/BGO 5017261213679 (UK release) – 2018
LP-on-2CD set(their first 4 albums reissued/remastered)
Singles
Notes
References
External links
Official websiteClassics IV biography, discography, album reviews, credits & Billboard chartsat
AllMusic.com
AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Classics IV
Musical groups from Atlanta
Musical groups established in 1965
Musical groups from Jacksonville, Florida
Imperial Records artists
American soft rock music groups
MGM Records artists
1965 establishments in Florida