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Lenny Welch | |
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 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(s) | Singer |
| Instrument(s) | 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/ |
Leon "Lenny" Welch (born May 31, 1938) [1] is an American MOR and pop singer.
Early years
He 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
In 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
After 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
Studio albums
- 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
- Anthology (1958-1966) (1996)
Singles
| 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
- ^ 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
Articles
- "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
- 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.
External links
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Artists | |
