Ronald & Ruby were an American pop vocal duo, best known for their 1958
hit single
A hit song, also known as a hit record, hit single or simply a hit, is a recorded song or instrumental that becomes broadly popular or well-known. Although ''hit song'' means any widely played or big-selling song, the specific term ''hit record' ...
, "
Lollipop
A lollipop is a type of sugar candy usually consisting of hard candy mounted on a stick and intended for sucking or licking. Different informal terms are used in different places, including lolly, sucker, sticky-pop, etc. Lollipops are av ...
".
The duo's members were the
black
Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white ha ...
Ronald Gumm (or Gumps) and the
white
White is the lightness, lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully diffuse reflection, reflect and scattering, scatter all the ...
Beverly "Ruby" Ross; interracial pop groups were unusual at the time, and the group did not appear in public or in major press and television outlets. They had previously worked together as
songwriter
A songwriter is a musician who professionally composes musical compositions or writes lyrics for songs, or both. The writer of the music for a song can be called a composer, although this term tends to be used mainly in the classical music ...
s; among their credits are "Young and Hungry for Love", "Frankenstein Rock", "Fat Pat", "Soul Mates", "Don't Come to My Party", and "The Ghost of Love".
In 1958, they released a single together entitled "
Lollipop
A lollipop is a type of sugar candy usually consisting of hard candy mounted on a stick and intended for sucking or licking. Different informal terms are used in different places, including lolly, sucker, sticky-pop, etc. Lollipops are av ...
". It became a hit in the U.S., reaching No. 20 on the
''Billboard'' Hot 100.
The song was covered to greater chart success by both
The Chordettes
The Chordettes were an American female vocal quartet, specializing in traditional pop music. They are best known for their 1950s hit songs "Mr. Sandman" and "Lollipop".
Career
The group organized in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, in 1946. The origina ...
and
The Mudlarks
The Mudlarks were an English pop vocal group of the late 1950s and early 1960s. They had two Top 10 UK hit singles in 1958.
Career
The Mudlarks were a family group from Luton, Bedfordshire, England, originally comprising Fred Mudd (1933–2007) ...
.
They released several further singles, including "Love Birds", none of them hits. Ross continued as a songwriter, recording nearly 200 songs with
BMI, including "
Candy Man" (for
Roy Orbison
Roy Kelton Orbison (April 23, 1936 – December 6, 1988) was an American singer, songwriter, and musician known for his impassioned singing style, complex song structures, and dark, emotional ballads. His music was described by critics as ...
) and "
Judy's Turn to Cry
"Judy's Turn to Cry" is a song written by Beverly Ross and Edna Lewis that was originally released by Lesley Gore in 1963. The song is the sequel to Gore's prior hit "It's My Party", and both songs were produced by Quincy Jones. It was release ...
" (for
Lesley Gore).
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ronald and Ruby
American pop music groups
American musical duos