THE FLEETWOODS
In 1959, the year of rock and roll's greatest expansion by way of the proliferation of top 40 radio formats being established throughout the nation, at least one major recording act went against the trend with an ultra-soft harmonic sound. Yet in spite of this rather mature, parent- and grandparent-approved approach, The Fleetwoods represented America's teenagers, fresh out of high school themselves and accepted by their own generation. Barbara Ellis, Gretchen Christopher and Gary Troxel did their part to preserve melody as an essential part of popular music, an important aspect that remained for many years before waning; in the final year of the 1950s their melodious, harmonious vocal sound placed this Olympia, Washington act at the forefront. At first, Gretchen ... MORE ››
