Leon "Lenny" Welch (born May 31, 1938)[1] is an American MOR and pop singer.
Lenny Welch | |
|---|---|
 Welch in 1965 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Leon Welch |
| Born | May 31, 1938[1] Long Branch, New Jersey, United States |
| Origin | Asbury Park, New Jersey, United States |
| Genres | Pop music |
| Occupation | Singer |
| Instrument | Vocals |
| Years active | 1950s-present |
| Labels | Decca Records, Cadence Records, Kapp Records, Columbia Records, Mercury Records, Commonwealth United Records, Roulette Records, Atco Records, Mainstream Records, Big Tree Records |
| Website | http://www.lennywelch.com/ |
Early years
editHe was born in New York City, United States, and raised in Asbury Park, New Jersey, by his godparents, Eva and Robert Richardson.[2] He attended Asbury Park High School. When he was 16 years old, Welch participated in the initial rehearsal of The Mar-Keys in Asbury Park, his first time singing for another person.[3]
Career
editIn 1960, Welch signed with Cadence Records.[2] His biggest hit, a cover version of the big band standard "Since I Fell for You," reached number 4 on U.S. Billboard Hot 100 in 1963, selling a million copies.[4] His other hits included "Ebb Tide"; and "You Don't Know Me."[1] He also recorded the first vocal version of "A Taste of Honey" in 1962 and performed the theme to the 1967 CBS TV series Coronet Blue. Welch reimagined Neil Sedaka's "Breaking Up is Hard to Do" as a torch song, which became a Top 40 hit in 1970; Sedaka re-recorded the song in Welch's style for a Top 10 hit in 1975.[5]
Later years
editAfter Welch's recording career ended, he resumed his education, attending night school after driving a taxicab during the day. He first achieved a high school equivalency degree, then graduated from the College of New Rochelle with a bachelor's degree. He also began singing for commercials, first for Subaru and later for products that included Coca-Cola, M&M's, and Mini-Oreos.[2]
From 1990-1991, Welch joined The Royal All Stars (The Doo Wop All Stars), first of the "supergroups" to be formed bringing together singers from different groups to perform. This group consisted of Welch, Vito Balsamo from Vito & the Salutations, Artie Loria from The Earls, Randy Silverman from The Impalas and Eugene Pitt from The Jive Five. They became a mainstay in the "doo wop" circuit and toured relentlessly in the following years.[citation needed]
Discography
editStudio albums
edit- Since I Fell for You (1963) (US No. 73)
- Two Different Worlds (1965)
- Rags to Riches (1966)
- Lenny (1967)
- It's All About Love (2005)
Compilation albums
edit- Anthology (1958-1966) (1996)
Singles
edit| Year | Titles (A-side, B-side) Both tracks from the same album except where indicated |
Chart positions | Album | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Billboard Hot 100 | US AC | US Billboard R&B chart | |||
| 1958 | "My One Sincere" b/w "Rocket To The Moon" |
— | — | — | Non-album tracks |
| 1959 | "The Blessing Of Love" b/w "The Last Star Of Evening" |
— | — | — | |
| 1960 | "You Don’t Know Me" b/w "I Need Someone" |
45 | — | 28 | Since I Fell For You |
| "Darlin'" b/w "Three-Handed Woman" (Non-album track) |
— | — | — | ||
| "Darlin'" b/w "I'd Like To Know" (Non-album track) |
— | — | — | ||
| 1961 | "Changa Rock" b/w "Boogie Cha Cha" |
— | — | — | Non-album tracks |
| 1962 | "It's Just Not That Easy" b/w "Mama, Don't You Hit That Boy" |
— | — | — | Since I Fell For You |
| "A Taste Of Honey" b/w "The Old Cathedral" (Non-album track) |
— | — | — | ||
| 1963 | "Since I Fell For You" b/w "Are You Sincere" |
4 | 3 | — | |
| 1964 | "Ebb Tide" b/w "Congratulations, Baby" (Non-album track) |
25 | 6 | 7 | |
| "If You See My Love" b/w "Father Sebastian" |
92 | — | 43 | Non-album tracks | |
| 1965 | "I'm Dreaming Again" b/w "My Fool Of A Heart" |
— | — | — | Two Different Worlds |
| "Darling Take Me Back" b/w "Time After Time" |
72 | 23 | — | ||
| "Two Different Worlds" b/w "I Was There" |
61 | 6 | — | ||
| "Run To My Loving Arms" b/w "Coronet Blue" |
96 | — | — | ||
| 1966 | "Rags to Riches" b/w "I Want You To Worry (About Me)" |
102 | — | — | Rags To Riches |
| "What Now My Love" b/w "You're Gonna Hear From Me" |
— | — | — | ||
| "Just One Smile" b/w "Please Help Me I'm Falling" |
— | — | — | ||
| "If You Love Me, Really Love Me" b/w "Once Before I Die" (Non-album track) |
— | — | — | Lenny! | |
| 1967 | "I'm Over You" b/w "Coronet Blue" (from Two Different Worlds) |
— | — | — | |
| "Since I Fell For You" b/w "A Taste Of Honey" Re-release |
134 | — | — | Since I Fell For You | |
| "The Right To Cry" b/w "Until The Real Thing Comes Along" |
128 | — | — | Lenny! | |
| "Love Doesn't Live Here" b/w "Let's Start All Over Again" |
— | — | — | ||
| 1968 | "Darling Stay With Me" b/w "Wait Awhile Longer" |
112 | — | — | Non-album tracks |
| "Tennessee Waltz" b/w "He Who Loves" |
— | — | — | ||
| "Halfway To Your Arms" b/w "You Can't Run Away (From Your Own True Feelings)" |
— | — | — | ||
| 1970 | "Breaking Up Is Hard To Do" b/w "Get Mommy To Come Back Home" |
34 | 8 | 27 | |
| "To Be Loved/Glory of Love" b/w "My Heart Won't Let Me" |
110 | — | — | ||
| "Such A Night" b/w "I'm Sorry" |
— | — | — | ||
| 1972 | "A Sunday Kind Of Love" b/w "I Wish You Could Know Me (Naomi)" |
96 | 21 | — | |
| 1973 | "Goodnight My Love" b/w "Fancy Meeting You Here, Baby" |
— | — | — | |
| "Since I Don't Have You" b/w "Right In The Next Room" |
— | 25 | 92 | ||
| 1974 | "Eyewitness News" b/w "I Need You More (Than Ever Now)" |
— | — | 71 | |
| "A Hundred Pounds Of Pain" b/w "The Iguana" |
— | — | — | ||
| "When There's No Such Thing As Love (It's Over)" b/w "The Minx" |
— | — | — | ||
| 1977 | "Six Million Dollar Woman" b/w "I Thank You Love" |
— | — | — | |
References
edit- ^ a b c Colin Larkin, ed. (1992). The Guinness Encyclopedia of Popular Music (First ed.). Guinness Publishing. p. 2651. ISBN 0-85112-939-0.
- ^ a b c "Welch". Asbury Park-Press. New Jersey, Asbury Park. November 13, 2005. p. E 9. Retrieved 19 June 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Mullen, Shannon (November 13, 2005). "All about Lenny Welch". Asbury Park-Press. New Jersey, Asbury Park. p. E 1. Retrieved 19 June 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Hamilton, Andrew. Lenny Welch biography. AllMusic. Accessed December 30, 2007
- ^ Rouli Willow. "Lenny Welch I Official Site". Lennywelch.com. Retrieved 23 November 2018.
Further reading
editArticles
edit- "Welsh Spreads 'Changa Rock' Dance Craze". Billboard. May 29, 1961.
- Jones, Debra. "Singer Lenny Welch; 20-year hit". New York Amsterdam News. February 25, 1984.
- Mullen, Shannon. "All About Lenny Welch". Asbury Park Press. November 5, 2005. pp. E1, E9.
- Jordan, Chris. "Just Cruising Along; Asbury Park's Lenny Welch is not making waves". Home News Tribune. May 1, 2010.
- Jordan, Chris. "He's the 'Man'; George Benson strums his way through the area". Home News Tribune. October 14, 2011.
- Jordan, Chris. "Greetings from 'Mr. Asbury Park'". Home News Tribune. Dec 13, 2013.
Books
edit- Musso, Anthony M. (2009). Setting the Record Straight: The music and careers of recording artists from the 1950s and early 1960s ... in their own words. Bloomington, IN: AuthorHouse. pp. 307-313. ISBN 978-1-4389-5292-5.