Classics IV - WikiHQ

The Classics IV is an American band formed in Jacksonville, Florida, United States, in 1965. The band, founded by Dennis Yost, is known mainly for the hits "Spooky", "Stormy", and "Traces" (released 1967–69), which have become cover standards.

Career

1965–1966: Early days

The group began as The Classics, a Jacksonville cover band consisting of guitarist J. R. Cobb, 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. The Classics played Ventures covers and instrumental versions of "Misty" and "Summertime". People started requesting vocals, so Dennis said "I can sing," and it was the beginning of the group's new direction.

The group was discovered performing in Daytona Beach by talent agent Alan Diggs, who became the band's manager in partnership with Paul Cochran and, later, Buddy Buie. 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. The Classics' debut single was "Pollyanna", a song written by Lowery client Joe South and sung in a style resembling the Four Seasons. However, after they were later informed that there was already a recording act called The Classics, who had had a hit single in 1963 with "Till Then", the group added "IV" to their name to represent their four members.

1966–1970: Success

The Classics IV performed "Pollyanna" on Dick Clark's TV Show Where the Action Is! and the record became a regional hit. But when WABC (AM) 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. Guitarists Cobb and Buie added lyrics to a jazz instrumental titled "Spooky", a 1966 regional hit for Atlanta saxophonist Mike Sharpe. The single made it to No. 3 on the Hot 100 in February 1968 in the U.S. and No. 46 in the UK. 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. 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" (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", "Stormy", and "Traces" each sold over one million units and all were awarded gold discs by the R.I.A.A. Those three hits plus "Every Day With You Girl" also appeared in the 1977 film The Chicken Chronicles.

In 1970, Cobb, Buie and Daughtry formed what would become Atlanta Rhythm Section with Candymen drummer Robert Nix. However, the former two remained active as writers and producers for the band.

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.

Yost died aged 65 from respiratory failure on December 7, 2008, the 40th anniversary of the entrance of "Stormy" into the Hot 100's top 10.

2008–present: Post-Yost

The current line-up of Classics IV consists of Tom Garrett as lead vocalist, Mark Cowles 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

{| class="wikitable"

!align="center"|Year

!align="center"|Album

!align="center"|Label & number

!align="center"|US Billboard 200

|rowspan="2"|1968

|align="left"|Spooky

|align="center"|Imperial LP-9371 (Mono); LP-12371 (Stereo); reissue: Liberty LN-10182 (1982)

|align="center"|140

|align="left"|Mamas and Papas/Soul Train

|align="center"|Imperial LP-12407; reissue: Liberty LN-10221 (1984)

|align="center"|196

|rowspan="2"|1969

|align="left"|Traces

|align="center"|Imperial LP-12429

|align="center"|45

|align="left"|Golden Greats Volume 1 (compilation)

|align="center"|Imperial LP-16000

|align="center"|50

|rowspan="2"|1970

|align="left"|Song

|align="center"|Liberty LST-11003

|align="center"|–

|1973

|align="left"|What Am I Crying For

|align="center"|MGM South MSH-702

|align="center"|–

Compilations

Stormy – Sunset SUS-5323 – 1970
The Very Best of Classics IV – United Artists 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 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 [2LP-on-1CD]
Traces, Song – The Classics IV Label 102 – 2011 [2LP-on-1CD]
Spooky, Mamas and Papas/Soul Train – The Classics IV Label 103 – 2011 [2LP-on-1CD]
A New Horizon – The Classics IV Label/CD Baby – 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 [4LP-on-2-CD set] (their first 4 albums reissued/remastered)

Singles

{| class="wikitable"

!align="center" rowspan="2"|Year

!align="center" rowspan="2"|Single (A-side, B-side) Both sides from same album except where indicated

!align="center" rowspan="2"|Label & number

!align="center" colspan="2"|Chart positions

!align="center" rowspan="2"|Album

!width="40"|US

!width="40"|US AC

|1966

|align="left"|"Pollyanna" b/w "Cry Baby" As "The Classics"

|align="center"|Capitol 5710

|align="center"|106

|align="center"|–

|align="left" rowspan="2"|Non-album tracks

|rowspan="2"|1967

|align="left"|"Little Darlin'" b/w "Nothing to Lose"

|align="center"|Capitol 5816

|align="center"|

|align="center"|–

|align="left"|"Spooky" b/w "Poor People"

|align="center"|Imperial 66259

|align="center"|3

|align="center"|–

|align="left"|Spooky

|rowspan="3"|1968

|align="left"|"Soul Train" b/w "Strange Changes"

|align="center"|Imperial 66293

|align="center"|90

|align="center"|–

|align="left" rowspan="3"|Mamas and Papas/Soul Train

|align="left"|"Mama's and Papa's" b/w "Waves"

|align="center"|Imperial 66304

|align="center"|–

|align="left"|"Stormy" b/w "24 Hours of Loneliness"

|align="center"|Imperial 66328

|align="center"|5

|align="center"|26

|rowspan="4"|1969

|align="left"|"Traces" b/w "Mary, Mary Row Your Boat" (from Spooky)

|align="center"|Imperial 66352

|align="center"|2

|align="left" rowspan="2"|Traces

|align="left"|"Every Day with You Girl" b/w "Sentimental Lady"

|align="center"|Imperial 66378

|align="center"|19

|align="center"|12

|align="left"|"Change of Heart" b/w "Rainy Day" (from Traces)

|align="center"|Imperial 66393

|align="center"|49

|align="center"|25

|align="left"|Golden Greats Volume 1

|align="left"|"Midnight" b/w "The Comic"

|align="center"|Imperial 66424

|align="center"|58

|align="center"|23

|align="left" rowspan="5"|Song

|rowspan="3"|1970

|align="left"|"The Funniest Thing" b/w "Nobody Loves You But Me"

|align="center"|Imperial 66439

|align="center"|59

|align="center"|11

|align="left"|"God Knows I Loved Her" b/w "We Miss You"

|align="center"|Liberty 56182

|align="center"|128

|align="center"|–

|align="left"|"Where Did All the Good Times Go" b/w "Ain't It the Truth"

|align="center"|Liberty 56200

|align="center"|69

|align="center"|14

|rowspan="1"|1971

|align="left"|"Cherryhill Park" b/w "Pick Up the Pieces"

|align="center"|United Artists 50805

|align="center"|–

|rowspan="2"|1972

|align="left"|"It's Time for Love" b/w "Most of All" (from Song)

|align="center"|United Artists 50777

|align="center"|