(For Your Edification and Entertainment)
“MILLIONS KNOW THE MUSIC. FEW KNOW THE ARTISTS.”
“An entertaining journey through the groups, songs and harmonies that evoke both days gone by as well as current hits, Streetlight Harmonies uncovers a definitive period of music and the artists that defined it. Millions know the music but few know the artists and their history that laid the foundation for rock-and-roll, rhythm and blues, and built a bridge to the civil rights movement.”
“There was once a magical and wonderful time when young African-Americans created vocal harmonies under the streetlights. The music they performed was something fresh, and soon groups were snatched up by producers who knew they could sell millions of records. And they did!
“One of the first stars was Frankie Lymon, an immensely gifted 14-year-old vocalist who along with the “Teenagers” made the song “Why Do Fools Fall in Love” into a smash global hit. Seeing the astonishing success of these kids, other groups appeared on the scene. Their sound became known as “Doo-Wop.” It had its roots in gospel music and R&B and eventually morphed into Motown and rock ‘n’ roll. It surprised everyone in the music industry as it crossed over the long-established lines between black music and white music.
…Music legends such as Anthony Gourdine (Little Anthony and the Imperials), Terry Johnson (The Flamingos), Brian Wilson (The Beach Boys), La La Brooks (The Crystals), Vito Picone (The Elegants), Charlie Thomas (The Drifters), Barbara Jean English (The Clickettes), and many more, share their memories of the music and the response to it. They recall how during the 1950s moral crusaders and racist radio stations tried to suppress this lively brand of black music. During tours through the South, white supremacists gave the groups a taste of the hatred and violence which would be protested during the 1960s Civil Rights movement.
“But the interviewees mostly share happy memories….”
You can find the film on Amazon Prime and, possibly, OnDemand of Comcast. Check out Google, too.
Resources: https://www.streetlightharmonies.com/ and https://www.spiritualityandpractice.com/films/reviews/view/28921/streetlight-harmonies
