John Fred And His Playboy Band - Songs

ABOUT

John Fred (May 8, 1941 - April 15, 2005) was a highly acclaimed R&B/blue-eyed soul singer-songwriter with a unique sound incorporating elements of swamp pop, bubblegum pop, rock & roll, and psychedelia who became famous during the late 1960s. He is best known for the trippy "Judy In Disguise (With Glasses)" (1967), which topped the charts in the U.S. and many other countries worldwide and went gold. Co-written by Fred and bandmember Andrew Bernard, the song's title is a parodic play on The Beatles' "Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds."

Born John Fred Gourrier in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, he formed his group, then known as John Fred & The Playboys, in 1956 when he was 15, and they debuted on the charts in 1959 with "Shirley." He attended Louisiana State University and Southeastern Louisiana University where he played both basketball and baseball. He appeared on Alan Freed's show but had to turn down an invitation from Dick Clark to perform on "American Bandstand" because he had to play in a basketball game.

By 1967, the group had been renamed John Fred & His Playboy Band to avoid confusion with Gary Lewis & The Playboys. After the success of "Judy In Disguise (With Glasses)" they had a minor hit in 1968 with "Hey Hey Bunny." John Fred continued to perform actively in and around his hometown through the early 2000s as well as coach high school basketball and baseball. He also wrote and produced radio commercials and jingles, which won him two Clio Awards. His many other honors and accolades included the Louisiana Hall of Fame Living Legend Award (1999) and being inducted posthumously into the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame (2007) and the Delta Music Hall of Fame (2011).

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John Fred And His Playboy Band

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