The Three Suns

Three Suns.jpg
Origin United States
Genres Pop
Years active 1939 (1939)–1966 (1966)
Past members

The Three Suns was an American pop group, most popular during the 1940s and 1950s.

Career history

The group was formed in 1939 by brothers Al Nevins (guitar) and Morty Nevins (accordion) and their cousin, radio and vaudeville veteran Artie Dunn (vocals, electronic organ). They became a popular nightclub attraction; during a New York engagement in 1944, they were signed to appear in short musical films for the Soundies movie jukeboxes. They performed nine songs for the cameras.

A review in Billboard in 1942 addressed the group's potential. Referring to a December 13, 1941, remote broadcast from New York's Hotel Piccadilly on NBC Red, Dick Carter wrote: "Here was something out of the ordinary, and very welcome, too. The Three Suns are an electric organ, an accordion and guitar, and they produce some sensational musical effects."[1]

In 1944, The Three Suns scored their first hit record, "Twilight Time"; their version was strictly instrumental and did not feature the lyrics written later by Buck Ram.[2] "Twilight Time" sold over four million copies and was awarded a gold record.[3]

This was followed by "Peg o' My Heart", which was one of the best-selling records of 1947 in the United States. The group was featured in Alfred Hitchcock's Rope (1948) performing an off-screen "radio sequence", and in Two Gals and a Guy (1951). The band is also notable in that they were reputed to have been the favorite musical group of former First Lady Mamie Eisenhower.[4]

During the 1950s the group continued to play "live" dates with the same personnel, but their recording sessions would often have studio musicians substituting for one or another, because keyboardist Artie Dunn did not read music and guitarist Al Nevins became more interested in the production end of the recording business. The group's popularity waned as rock and roll became popular, but the group reinvented itself by using its RCA Victor recording sessions as an audio laboratory, employing additional instruments and novel stereophonic effects. These new arrangements became popular among fans of lounge music and exotica.[2] Al Nevins remained with RCA Victor as a producer and arranger until his death in 1965; Morty Nevins then hired studio musicians Fred Mendelssohn and Vinnie Bell and recorded a new stereo album for Musicor in 1966, using the Three Suns name.

Founding member Al Nevins was also co-founder of Aldon Music, a Brill Building songwriting company.[3]

Members

Founding members
Later members

Discography

The first records released by The Three Suns, during the 1940s and 1950s, were 78 rpm. 1950 saw RCA Victor's release of their first 10-inch LP. Between 1950-1954, 10-inch albums were released. In 1955, The Three Suns released their first 12-inch LP Soft & Sweet and in 1958 released their first stereo LP.

The Three Suns recorded a number of sides for V-Disc in the 1940s, which were only issued by the US Government to the USO units overseas. These sides were reissued on a two-CD set in 1997 by IMC Licensing. Most of the titles were not sequenced on the CD as they appeared on the original 78's.

Albums

Filmography

Television

Other media

References

  1. ↑ Carter, Dick (January 3, 1942). "On the Air: The Three Suns" (PDF). Billboard. p. 14. Retrieved 26 February 2015.
  2. 1 2 The Three Suns at Allmusic
  3. 1 2 Murrells, Joseph (1978). The Book of Golden Discs (2nd ed.). London: Barrie and Jenkins Ltd. p. 53. ISBN 0-214-20512-6.
  4. ↑ "The Three Suns". Spaceagepop.com. Retrieved 2015-08-17.
  5. 1 2 3 Joel Whitburn, The Billboard Albums, 6th edn (2006), p. 1052.
  6. 1 2 3 4 Billboard, Allmusic
  7. ↑ "''The Kate Smith Hour'' - December 29, 1953 : Free Download & Streaming : Internet Archive". Archive.org. Retrieved 2015-08-17.
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