Remarkable story about jim pike and all that he went through. Jun 20, 2019 jim pike was a cofounder and lead singer of the popular vocal pop group the lettermen. Jim pike, 82, cofounder and lead singer of the lettermen. Jim was the organizer and a founding member of the famed lettermen in 1960 with bobby engemann and tony butala. Tony, gary and donny remained together as the lettermen through 1981. Then, in 1975 and at the height of his fame, he lost his golden voice. That was the month his song the way you look tonight hit the charts at number thirteen in the nation.
Jim pike, russells eldest son and cofounder and former lead vocalist of the letterman, died this month at 82. Jim pike, cofounder and lead singer of the lettermen, whose lush vocal harmonies made the grammynominated trio one of the most popular vocal groups of the 1960s, has died at age 82. They are founder of the lettermen and never got tired of them. Pike formed the group in 1961 with college friend bob engemann and tony butala. L download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Jim pike was a cofounder and lead singer of the popular vocal pop group the lettermen. Preston actually put in two stints with butala singing the ballads that made the lettermen then composed of butala, jim pike and bob engemann stars in the 60s, but the relationship. Jun 09, 2019 i am really saddened of jim pike passing. The lettermen lyrics find all lyrics for songs such as youll never walk alone, warm, be my girl at. Bob engemann, jim pike and tony butala rose to fame and popularity over a quarter century ago, singing rich, romantic melodies such as when i fall in love. Jim pike, 82, cofounder of lettermen vocal group the boston globe. The lettermen started off in the early 1960s when jim pike and bob engemann, two brigham young university students, hooked up with lounge singer tony. Jim pike, bob engemann, tony butala photo from wikipedia a founding member and lead singer of the 1960s vocal trio the lettermen, jim pike, has died, according to published reports. If youre a big fan of the lettermen, this book is definitely a must to get since theres none other of the such out there.
Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading my lettermen years. Their terrific harmonies were a success right away, charting their grammy nominated song, the way you look tonight, that same year. Although i was born around the time the group was just getting started, my older siblings always loved their music and i found pleasure in reading about. The obituary was featured in legacy on june 20, 2019. Meanwhile, tony butala continued to tour with the lettermen. Warner, jay, the billboard book of american singing groups. My lettermen years by jim pike, e l scott waterstones. In 1976, gary tells us, jim pike contractually had to sell the group name to tony butala. Jim pike, 82, cofounder and lead singer of the lettermen, is dead. Jim pike passed away very recently and his experiences as one of the founding members of the lettermen was quite interesting and offers many insights as to the problems he faced over the years. And thats a testament to jim pike, who made those songs appeal to multigenerations of. Sep 26, 2012 august 1961 was a month to remember for jim pike. From that moment on, jim pike and the lettermen would be known around the world.
This undated photo provided by gary pike shows singer jim pike in sun valley, calif. Their voices blended as one and after following that first hit with another chart topper, when i fall in love, they were voted best vocal group of that year. Jim pike passed away on june 9, 2019 at the age of 82. They also brought more contemporary songs to an older audience who preferred the lettermens softer melodies. The beautiful voices of the singing trio, the lettermen, first hit the music charts in 1961 with the way you look tonight. The true facts are what is written in the variety article entitled. The lettermen hit songs stereo created by thisboy91554. Jim s younger brother gary joined the lettermen replacing retiring bobby engemann in 1967. For more than 40 years, the lettermen have brought their wellknown harmony whether singing acapella or backed by an entire symphony orchestra to soldout audiences around the world. Both pike brothers left the group that year, gary in february, donny in december, but butala added new members to the fraternity and the lettermen kept performing, and recording. They have been my best favorite always since 1973 when i discovered them in my high school years. Rule for me, butala asks judge in lettermen case local news.
Click and collect from your local waterstones or get free uk delivery on orders over. That was the month his song the way you look tonight hit the charts at. Buy my lettermen years by jim pike, e l scott from waterstones today. The lettermen vocal group source for information on the lettermen. The lettermen lyrics, songs and albums lyricsfreak. The trio toured constantly in the 1960s, playing colleges across the country and in other venues around the world.
I gave this book five stars because it was very well written and i liked the perspective from which it was written. My condolences to him and his family gary pike and donavan pike. Pike singer, published songwriter, entertainer inducted with the lettermen into the vocal group hall of fame in 2001 and now composer currently living in kipahulu maui, hawaii. Jim pike, cofounder and lead singer of the lettermen, whose lush vocal harmonies made the grammynominated trio one of the most popular. May 27, 2016 you are spreading the sue pike, byumormon fairytale that jim pike was one of the founders of the lettermen. Jun 09, 2019 jim pike was a cofounder and lead singer of the popular vocal pop group the lettermen. The lettermen then formed their own alfa omega records in 1979 as they began to issue new recordings more sporadically. Jun 19, 2019 jim pike, cofounder and lead singer of the lettermen, whose lush vocal harmonies made the grammynominated trio one of the most popular vocal groups of the 1960s, has died at age 82. Jun 21, 2019 jim pike, cofounder and lead singer of the lettermen, whose lush vocal harmonies made the grammynominated trio one of the most popular vocal groups of the 1960s, has died at age 82. The one change tony butala, original and founding member of the lettermen, would have made in the 50 plus year career of one of the most popular vocal groups in history is a surprising one. In 1961, the lettermen started performing live concerts doing over 200 shows a year, an unbroken string that continues to the present.