GERRI GRANGER

Starting out at age 14 in Newark, NJ, Gerri Granger got an unlikely chance to sing at Teddy Powell’s Lounge on an amateur night. She won that night, but being a singer was not first and foremost to her. After graduation from high school she earned a scholarship for Design at NYU. She would go on and join Lloyd Price’s Big Band and then did a stint on the circuit in the Catskills of New York State as a singer and dancer. Her talent caught the eye of the William Morris Agency, who would launch her television career. She would meet her mentor in entertainment, Sammy Davis, Jr. during this time, and go on to have a great career working with him. The majority of the time she focused on television. She has led a great life, being involved in television not only in the States, but Europe as well, singing, acting, and entertaining. This particular side we have her today was recorded on Lloyd Price’s “Double L” label out of New York City. Granger has been noted for some really great Northern Soul sides, the most popular being, “I Go To Pieces”. She took a hiatus from singing, but has recently got back into the studio and started making music and touring once again.

“Show Stopper” is a great side, upbeat and bouncy. It spins a tale of a strong independent woman, who takes no shit from any man. It’s cutting chorus of “One monkey don’t stop no show” rings out along with the horn section and tambourine throughout this short piece. The big band influences from Lloyd Price are definitely obvious. This song is proof why Granger was making the rounds of the television circuits in the 70′s, her voice is that good. The Shirley Bassey of New Jersey? Perhaps, but comparisons aside, her voice is really great in her own right. I’ll be back Monday with a new mix for some new friends, and if the weather holds out, some digging reports on the weekend. Keep Diggin’!

Hier die B-Seite ihres zweiten Elvis-Antwortsongs aus 1963
und dann die englische London-Ausgabe

1962 kam auch ihre erste BIGTOP (Big Top, BIG TOP, BigTop)-
Single - ihre zweite Single nach einer 1960er Veröffentlichung -
heraus. Hier eine Seite, dann eine späte Bell.

Hier die Fingier-Beschreibung..

..und eine noch fehlende Bell-Seite

Da Gerri Granger, die Dame ohne Daten, mehr auf der Bühne als im Studio war, fühlt sich der Single-Freak bemüßigt, ihre Single-Disco mit Hilfe des Netzes ein wenig auszudehnen, damit etwas übrig bleibt:
ADDIT
10 60....A-9117....JERRI GRANGER Arranged & Conducted by ABIE BAKER..Teardrops For A Chaser (KB 597)/So Long (KB 598)
BIGTOP
06 62....45-3110....GERRI GRANGER..Castle In The Sky (BG 283)/What's Wrong With Me (BG 1284)
11 62....45-3128....GERRI GRANGER Arranged & Conducted by Bert Keyes..(Return To Sender) Don't Want Your Letters (BG-1323)/Ain't It Funny (BG-1324)
05 63....45-3150....GERRI GRANGER..Just Tell Him Jane Said Hello (B. G. 1369)/What's Wrong With Me (B. G. 1284)
02 64….45-514….GERRI GRANGER Arranged and Conducted by LEROY GLOVER..Breakdown (BG - 514A)/Stick Close (BG - 514B)
DOUBLE L
09 65....734-A....GERRI GRANGER..You Must Be Doing Something Right/-B....I Cried
11 65....LL 737A....GERRI GRANGER..C'est Si Bon (It's So Good)/B....Show Stopper

Keep Searchin'
Gerd