The Wonderful World of One Hit Wonders (WWOOHW) #89 The Bar-Kays.

On the walk to the station this morning a woodpecker called me paranoid in morse code. The Bar-Kays are an American funk band that formed in 1964, and had dozens of charting singles from the 1960s to the 1980s, including today’s OHW, Soul Finger, which despite reaching #3 on the US Billboard R&B Singles chart

The Wonderful World of One Hit Wonders (WWOOHW) #86 Erma Franklin

Keeping tropical fish at home can have a calming effect on the brain. This is due to all the indoor fins… Today’s OHW is Piece of My Heart by American gospel and soul singer Erma Franklin. Despite the song, written and produced by Bert Berns, being recorded in 1967 (and was also nominated for that

The Wonderful World of One Hit Wonders #78 William DeVaughn

I just pissed off two guys by calling them Hipsters.Apparently the correct phrase is conjoined twins. William Edward DeVaughn Jr. (born November 28, 1947) is an American R&B/soul singer, songwriter and guitarist, best known for the million-selling hit soul song Be Thankful for What You Got, which sold nearly two million copies on its release

The Wonderful World of One Hit Wonders (WWOOHW) #76 Delaney & Bonnie and Friends.

Everyone celebrates Alan Turing and his team for basically winning WW2, but people forget to mention his sister Kate, who kept the whole lot going with sandwiches and snacks. Delaney & Bonnie were an American duo of singer-songwriters Delaney Bramlett and Bonnie Bramlett. In 1969 and 1970, they fronted a rock/soul ensemble, Delaney & Bonnie

The Wonderful World of One Hit Wonders #57 Brenton Wood

People are typically shocked when they find out I’m a terrible electrician. It seems that the Spinney Wheel Thing Of Destiny (SWTOD patent pending) has thrown up something a little different from the past few posts, and today’s choice is soul singer Brernton Wood. Born Alfred Jesse Smith on July 26, 1941 in Shreveport, Louisiana,

The Wonderful World of One Hit Wonders – The Duos #36 Bo Kirkland and Ruth Davis

I got my first job as an accountant at 22, right out of college. Suddenly, the week after I turned 30, they fired me.13 years of loyal service to the company, down the drain. Mike James Kirkland (born 1949 in Yazoo City, Mississippi) is an American R&B singer. He began his recording career in 1965,

The Wonderful World of One Hit Wonders The Duos #35 McFadden and Whitehead

A police officer was at my door this morning. “Do the letters TG mean anything to you?” he said. “No.” I said. “What about RP?” “No.” I said. “How about AH?” he asked. “Look,” I said “am I suspected of something?” “No sir.” he replied “These are just initial enquiries.” John McFadden and Gene Whitehead

The Wonderful World of One Hit Wonders The Duos #34 Ashford and Simpson

Last week on WWOOHW the theme was hits by solo artists who had previously found chart success in a group, and this week’s theme is about duos, some that had hits writing for other people but very little hits (one to be precise) for themselves, and other Duos who are just duos. Kicking off the

The Wonderful World of One Hit Wonders #32 The Solo Hit – David Ruffin

We moved a few months back and I can’t begin to tell you how much I fucking regret buying the flat above Lionel Ritchie. David Eli Ruffin (born Davis Eli Ruffin; January 18, 1941 – June 1, 1991) was an American soul singer and musician most famous for his work as one of the lead

The Wonderful World of One Hit Wonders (Beatles Edition) #22 The Bedrocks

Continuing our journey into One Hit Wonders of Beatles’ covers, today’s group is Leeds based band The Bedrocks. Formed in Chapeltown, Leeds, England, in late 1967 and originally called The Bedrock Sunshine Band, this West Indian sextet comprised of Trevor Wisdom (b. Jamaica; organ), Owen Wisdom (b. Jamaica; bass guitar), Leroy Mills (b. St. Kitts;