Biography
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Years Active
1965 – present (59 years)
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Members
- Ammon Tharp
Bill Deal & the Rhondels were formed in 1959 in Portsmouth, Virginia, crossing blue-eyed soul and beach music. They had three hit singles in 1969, "I've Been Hurt" (U.S. #35), "What Kind of Fool (Do You Think I Am)" (U.S. #23) and "May I" (U.S. #39). The band disbanded in 1975, but reformed at various times until the death of Bill Deal in 2003.
Members
Bill Deal (born July 8, 1944, died December 10, 2003) - vocals, organ, electric piano, bass pedals (1959-1983)
Ammon Tharp - lead vocals, drums (1959-1977), died 22 September 2017
George Bell - saxophone (1961-1963)
Ronnie Hallman - trumpet (1961-1963)
David Williams - trumpet (1961-??; 1975-1977)
Ken Dawson - trumpet (1963-1970)
Don Quisenberry - bass (1964-1978)
Rollie Ligart - trumpet (1965-1969)
Mike Kerwin - guitar, trumpet (1965-1978)
Tom Pittman - saxophone (1966-1969)
Ronny Rosenbaum - trombone (1966-1971)
Bob Fisher - saxophone, guitar (1969-1976)
Jeff Pollard - trumpet (1969-1973)
Gary Hardy - trumpet (1968-1969 & 1971-1976)
Freddy Owens - saxophone, vocals (1971-1979)
Tom Cole - drums (1980-1983)
And many others
On March 4, 1979, band member Ernest Frederick "Freddy" Owens, who joined after 1970 and played sax and bass, was robbed and shot to death by Jeremiah Carr at a Holiday Inn motel in Richmond, Virginia, where the band had a show. He had attempted to stop Carr from escaping after Carr raped his wife; two shots wounded a third man in the room. While Bill Deal kept going on with the Rhondels for another four years, he never really got over this incident and quit the music business in 1983.
Discography
Bill Deal and the Rhondels, Vintage Rock, Heritage HTS 35,003, 1969
The material for this album was recorded in New York City between July 25, 1968 (May I) and March 10, 1969 (multiple), with the most tracks recorded at Bell Sound Studio on March 10, 1969. The Swinging Tight track, recorded March 10, 1969, is distinct from the similarly-named track on the second album, below.
The Best of Bill Deal & The Rhondels, Heritage HTS 35,006, 1970
The material for this album, which substantially overlaps the Vintage Rock album, was recorded in New York City between July 25, 1968 (May I) and October 30, 1969 (Harlem Shuffle), with the most tracks recorded at Bell Sound Studio on March 10, 1969. The Swingin' Tight track, recorded on October 3, 1969, is distinct from the similarly named track on the first album, above.
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