The Ivy League (band)

The Ivy League were a English pop trio, created in 1964, who enjoyed two Top 10 hit singles in the UK Singles Chart in 1965.cite book
first= David
last= Roberts
year= 2006
title= British Hit Singles & Albums
edition= 19th
publisher= Guinness World Records Limited
location= London
pages= p. 272
id= ISBN 1-904994-10-5] The group's sound was characterised by rich, three-part vocal harmonies.

Career

The Ivy League originally consisted of members John Carter and Ken Lewis (previous members of Carter-Lewis and the Southerners); plus Perry Ford. All three members were session singers who possessed high-pitched singing voices. They were first heard doing background vocals for The Who on their hit single "I Can't Explain" in November 1964. After that song, the band never called on the Ivy League again, as John Entwistle and Pete Townshend were able to handle the backing vocals. Their debut single, "What More Do You Want" generated little interest, but the second release, "Funny How Love Can Be", turned out to be a surprise UK Top 10 hit. Further hits followed, including "That's Why I'm Crying" and "Tossing and Turning", the latter of which reached #3 in the UK chart. The original trio released just one album, 1965's "This is the Ivy League" – panned in the music press as disappointing, with its excessively wide spread of musical styles and material [cite book
first= Terry
last= Rawlings
year= 2002
title= British Beat 1960-1969: Then, Now and Rare
edition= 1st
publisher= Omnibus Press
location= London
pages=
id= ISBN 0-7119-9094-8] – before both Carter and Lewis left the group. Carter departed in January 1966, with Lewis leaving about one year later. The duo then set up a production company called Sunny Records.cite book
first= John
last= Tobler
year= 1992
title= NME Rock 'N' Roll Years
edition= 1st
publisher= Reed International Books Ltd
location= London
pages= p. 154
id= CN 5585]

With replacement members Tony Burrows and Neil Landon taking the recently departed original members' places, the Ivy League issued two more albums, 1967's "Sounds of the Ivy League" and 1969's "Tomorrow is Another Day". [ [http://wc10.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:anfoxqugldhe~T1 All Music Guide biography text] ] , but these were compilations of earlier singles and album tracks. Several more singles followed, including the minor hits, "Willow Tree" and "My World Fell Down". A cover version of the latter song provided the U.S. band, Sagittarius, with a #70 chart placing in the Billboard Hot 100 in 1967.

Success for The Ivy League in the United States was minimal, with only "Tossing and Turning" hitting the Billboard charts, making a modest high of #83 on the Billboard Hot 100. [ [http://wc10.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:anfoxqugldhe~T5 All Music Guide - Charts & Awards page] ] Carter and lewis masterminded The Flower Pot Men, hitting #4 in the UK with its single "Let's Go To San Francisco." Messrs Carter and Lewis then fulfilled the role of managers. [ [http://www.45-rpm.org.uk/diri/ivyl.htm 45rpm website text - accessed December 2007] ] Burrows and Landon left The Ivy League to join the touring version of The Flower Pot Men, leaving Perry Ford to carry on with new personnel. He stopped using the name in 1975.

In the 1980s a band started touring under the name The Ivy League which performed the group's hits at nightclubs and Sixties nostalgia events, even though none of the earlier members were involved. During the 1990s, several best of compilations surfaced, including 1998's 43 track "Major League: the Collectors' Ivy League". [ [http://wc10.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:anfoxqugldhe~T1 All Music Guide biography text] ]

Two other bands have also used the name: The Ivy League, a North Carolina based rock band and This Is Ivy League [ [http://www.myspace.com/thisisivyleague] This is Ivy League on My Space] from New York City.

Personnel

The original line-up of The Ivy League comprised of:
* John Carter (born John Shakespeare, 20 October 1942, Small Heath, Birmingham)
* Ken Lewis (born Kenneth James Hawker, 3 December 1942, Small Heath, Birmingham)
* Perry Ford (born Bryan Pugh, 30 December 1940, Lincoln)

Carter's replacement was Tony Burrows from The Kestrels. His voice is also heard on many UK hit singles of the 1970-1975 era, such as, White Plains: "My Baby Loves Lovin'", Brotherhood of Man: "United We Stand", Edison Lighthouse: "Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes)", First Class: "Beach Baby" (another John Carter project), plus The Pipkins: "Gimme Dat Ding". Lewis was replaced by Neil Landon, who also went to The Flower Pot Men, leaving Perry Ford to carry on The Ivy League with various personnel until the mid 70's.

Present day

A band called The Ivy League continues to perform, with the present day line-up comprising of Jon Brennan (bass guitar/vocals); Dave Buckley (drums, vocals) and Mike Brice (guitar, vocals). [ [http://www.theivyleague.co.uk/bio.html Official band website information - accessed December 2007] ] They have no connection to the original band that existed between 1964-1975.

Partial discography

ingles

* "Funny How Love Can Be" - (1965) - UK high - Number 8
* "That's Why I'm Crying" - (1965) - UK Number 22
* "Tossing and Turning" - (1965) - UK Number 3
* "Willow Tree" - (1966) - UK Number 50cite book
first= David
last= Roberts
year= 2006
title= British Hit Singles & Albums
edition= 19th
publisher= Guinness World Records Limited
location= London
pages= p. 272
id= ISBN 1-904994-10-5]

Albums

* "This is the Ivy League" - 1965
* "Sounds of the Ivy League" (compilation) - 1967
* "Tomorrow is Another Day" (compilation) - 1969

External links

* [http://wc10.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:anfoxqugldhe~T1 The Ivy League biography] at Allmusic website
* [http://www.theivyleague.co.uk/bio.html The Ivy League Official Website]
* [http://www.45-rpm.org.uk/diri/ivyl.htm Biography and discography at 45-rpm website]

References