Dean Torrence , better known as half of the rock and roll
duo, Jan & Dean were popular from the late 1950s through the mid 1960s,
consisting of William Jan Berry (April 3, 1941 – March 26, 2004) and Dean
Ormsby Torrence (born March 10, 1940). Although Jan & Dean pre-dated The
Beach Boys, they became most famously associated with the vocal "surf
music" craze inspired by The Beach Boys.
Jan Berry and Dean Torrence first became friends on the
football team at L.A.'s University High, but Dean's first success came with
Arnie Ginsburg (not the Boston DJ); the duo scored a big doo-wop hit as Jan and
Arnie with 1958's "Jennie Lee." That song, actually written about a
stripper, gained Berry some friends in the business, including Herb Alpert and
producer Lou Adler. Together with friend Torrence, who'd just returned from an
Army stint, they developed a song called "Baby Talk."
It was also a smash, but it wasn't until 1963, with the
release of the Four Seasons-inspired "Linda," that the Jan and Dean
sound began to take shape. When the Beach Boys began their climb to
superstardom, Jan & Dean changed gears and followed suit with a series of
surf and hot rod hits that featured falsetto harmonies, chugging guitars, and
Jan Berry's clean production. Brian Wilson himself sang backup vocals on their
biggest hit (which he co-wrote with Jan), "Surf City," in 1963.
"Surf City" became the first surf song to hit number one on the
Billboard national charts.
Dean Torrence's wit and on-stage antics earned them a
reputation as the Marx Brothers of surf music. Musically, you'd be hard pressed
to separate their string of surf/car hits from the Beach Boys. Small wonder, as
most have Brian Wilson and the boys helping out in some way.
Surf, cars and the California life-style were the
"in thing" in the early 1960's, and the hits kept piling up for Jan
and Dean, including,"Sidewalk Surfin'," "New Girl In
School", "The Little Old Lady From Pasadena," and "Dead
Man's Curve".
The duo flourished well into the mid-Sixties, weathering
even the British Invasion. But on April 12, 1966, Berry's Stingray slammed into
a parked gardener's truck (not at the site mentioned in "Dead Man's
Curve," despite legend).The Paramedics that arrived on the scene thought
he was dead. They checked his vital signs and found he was still alive, but
just barely. They cut him out of the car and rushed him to the nearby UCLA
Hospital where he underwent numerous major brain surgeries. He was in a deep
coma for weeks and the doctors were not very optimistic at all about the
outcome.
Jan entered a decade-long nightmare of physical recovery,
drug abuse, and depression.Like the fighter he is, Jan Berry beat the odds. He
emerged out of the coma unable to walk or talk, but he pushed himself hard and
with the help of his parents, friends and the many talented doctors and
therapists, he made a
remarkable recovery. He was still partially paralyzed on
his right side, and still had trouble putting some words and thoughts together,
but he was able to sing relatively well. The part of the brain where music
comes from was not that badly damaged. It was a very long process and it took 7
years before Jan & Dean could even attempt to sing again on stage, and
another 5 years before they were ready to try an official comeback.
In the mean time, Dean formed the successful Kittyhawk
Graphics, responsible for over 200 album cover designs including "The
Turtles Golden Hits", nine for The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band and several for
Harry Nilsson in the 1970s. He would win a Grammy Award for Best Album Cover of
the Year in 1972 for the LP "Pollution" by the group of the same name
and was nominated three more times.
Jan's health had improved enough that by the spring of 1983, he got
married. Still, he remained partially paralyzed on his right side, and his
speech was difficult to follow, but he recovered sufficiently to record a few
singles, including "Fun Fun Fun" in 1986 and "Save For A Rainy
Day" in 1996, but neither met with much success.
Into the 2000s, the team continued to concentrate on live
appearances with their back-up band, The Belair Bandits. Sadly, Jan Berry died
on March 26th, 2004, after after suffering a seizure at his home. He was a week
away from his 63rd birthday.
Torrence now tours occasionally with the Surf City
All-Stars. He serves as a spokesman for the City of Huntington Beach,
California, which, thanks in-part to his efforts, is nationally recognized as
"Surf City USA." Dean's website, Jan & Dean, features—among other
things—rare images, a complete Jan & Dean discography, a biography, and a
timeline of his career with cohort Jan Berry. He currently resides in
Huntington Beach, California, with his wife and two daughters.
(Info edited from various sources mainly
classicbands.com)
1 comment:
For Jan & Dean – Antholgy go here:
http://www41.zippyshare.com/v/d2lYV4GU/file.html
1. Jan & Dean - Jenny Lee (2:01)
2. Jan & Dean - Baby Talk (2:25)
3. Jan & Dean - Clementine (1:54)
4. Jan & Dean - Heat & Soul (2:08)
5. Jan & Dean - Tennessee (2:05)
6. Jan & Dean - Barbara Ann (2:19)
7. Jan & Dean - Linda (2:35)
8. Jan & Dean - Surfin' Safari (2:06)
9. Jan & Dean - Surf City (2:31)
10. Jan & Dean - Honolulu Lulu (2:18)
11. Jan & Dean - Drag City (2:16)
12. Jan & Dean - Little Deuce Coupe (1:59)
13. Jan & Dean - The New Girl In School (2:56)
14. Jan & Dean - Dead Man's Curve (8:02)
15. Jan & Dean - The Little Old Lady From Pasedena (2:44)
16. Jan & Dean - The Anaheim, Azusa & Cucamonga Sewing Circle... (2:51)
17. Jan & Dean - Ride The Wild Surf (2:18)
18. Jan & Dean - Sidewalk Surfin' (2:35)
19. Jan & Dean - One-Piece Topless Bathing Suit (2:26)
20. Jan & Dean - Popsicle (2:35)
21. Jan & Dean - Vegetables (2:23)
22. Jan & Dean - Dead Man's Curve (2:28)
23. Jan & Dean - Michelle (4:28)
24. Jan & Dean - You've Got To Hide Your Love Away (2:25)
25. Jan & Dean - Let's Hang On (2:07)
26. Jan & Dean - Hang On Sloopy (3:22)
A big thank you to The Rockin’ Bandit for original link.
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