Earl "Speedo" Carroll (November 2, 1937 – November 25, 2012) was the lead vocalist of the doo-wop group The Cadillacs.[1] The group's biggest hit was "Speedoo", which with a minor spelling change became Carroll's subsequent nickname. It was released in 1955. He joined The Coasters in 1961, leaving the group in the early 1980s to permanently reform The Cadillacs.[citation needed]
Earl Carroll | |
|---|---|
| Also known as | Speedo |
| Born | November 2, 1937 |
| Died | November 25, 2012 (aged 75) New York City, New York, U.S. |
| Genres | Doo-wop |
| Occupation | Vocalist |
| Years active | 1950s–2000s |
In 1982, Earl took a job as a custodian at the PS 87 elementary school in New York City and worked there until retiring in 2005. A popular figure with the students, he was chosen to be the subject of a children's book, That's Our Custodian, by Ann Morris (Brookfield, Connecticut: Millbrook Press). The publicity helped him to revive his career.[2] He became a mainstay of the PBS series honoring doo wop, hosted by Jerry Butler and continued performing until the early 2010s when deteriorating health forced him to retire.[citation needed]
Death
editCarroll died on November 25, 2012, of complications from a stroke and diabetes.[3][4]
References
edit- ^ "Earl "Speedo" Carroll, New York City, rocker, Cadillacs, Coasters November 2 in History". Brainyhistory.com. Retrieved November 26, 2012.
- ^ "About". www.ps87.info. Retrieved September 1, 2024.
- ^ "The Cadillacs - Singer Earl Carroll Dies". ContactMusic.com. November 26, 2012. Retrieved November 26, 2012.
- ^ Hinckley, David (November 26, 2012). "Earl 'Speedo' Carroll, beloved singer of New York-style vocal harmony in the 1950s, dies at 75". NY Daily News. Retrieved November 26, 2012.
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