The Ames Brothers With Hugo Winterhalter and His Orchestra Sing Famous Hits of Famous Quartets [1959]

RCA Victor LPM-1954

In this album, America's most popular vocal quartet pays a stunning musical tribute to the famous foursomes of the past. The twelve carefully selected songs, ten of which were million-record hits, receive a million-dollar treatment with sparkling new vocal settings by Al Semola and the imaginative background scoring of Hugo Winterhalter.

While the identifying link in this recording is the association of each tune with quartet singing, the repertoire covers many varied aspects of the American musical scene. There's a sentimental reminder of college days in Sweetheart of Sigma Chi which dates back to pre-World War I days. The name band era casts its reflection in Moonlight Cocktail and I'll Never Smile Again and Hollywood is represented with two songs from films, Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing and To Each His Own. There's a Western ballad (Cool Water) and even a lovely example of American folk music (Goodnight Irene).

Yet, although the tunes cover a span of almost fifty years, the combination of up-to-date Ames Brothers' stylings and ultramodern recording techniques will make you feel that you're listening to these favorites for the first time. This should come as no surprise to the growing army of Ames Brothers fans, as the brothers are virtually synonymous, in the entertainment world, with freshness and versatility. The boys have been singing together since they were kids in Malden, Massachusetts. Their first big hit on the RCA Victor label was You, You, You in 1953, which earned them another "Golden Record," - the industry's medal for records that top the million mark - and they've been flying high ever since. Their repertoire cuts a wide swath from operatic arias to sparkling comedy to ballads. But whatever the material, the performance always bears the Ames Brothers stamp of precision and vitality. Dubbed by both The Billboard and The Cash Box as the "Best Vocal Combo," the boys now present a graceful vocal salute to the great quartets of both past and present which have paved the way for their own notable success. [Liner notes by Frank S. Brenner]

Tracklist:
01 Goodnight Irene (With Chorus)
02 Paper Doll
03 The Gaucho Serenade
04 I'll Never Smile Again
05 Cool Water
06 Sweetheart of Sigma Chi
07 Love Is A Many-Splendored Thing
08 Hit The Road To Dreamland
09 To Each His Own
10 Lida Rose
11 Moonlight Cocktail
12 Moments To Remember