Monday 19 March 2012

Featured Artist - Danny Overbea

Danny Overbea

3 January 1926, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA, d. 11 May 1994, Chicago, Illinois


Danny Overbea, came out of the Chicago R&B scene, and was one of the earliest pioneers of rock 'n' roll.
He began his musical career in 1946 and first recorded in 1950 as a vocalist on an Eddie Chamblee track.
He formed a vocal-instrumental trio called the Three Earls
Overbea joined Chess Records in 1952, producing his best-known songs, "Train Train Train" and "40 Cups Of Coffee", the following year. Both were essentially rock 'n' roll songs before the concept of "rock 'n' roll" had even emerged.
In the pop market, "Train Train Train" was covered by Buddy Morrow and "40 Cups Of Coffee" by Ella Mae Morse. By 1955, when rock 'n' roll was making its breakthrough on the pop charts, Bill Haley And His Comets recorded "40 Cups Of Coffee", which, even though it did not chart, proved to be one of their better efforts.
By now Overbea was gaining a name as a writer of songs as well as a performer
Famed disc jockey Alan Freed featured Overbea many times in his early rock 'n' roll revues in Ohio and New York; his acrobatic back-bend to the floor while playing the guitar behind his head was always a highlight of the shows.
The first recorded Overbea work in 1954 was the strangely named "Ebony Chant" and the flip was "Stomp And Whistle". This record did not do anywhere near as well as the first two releases.
Overbea was also a talented ballad singer (in the mode of Billy Eckstine), having most success with "You're Mine" (also recorded by the Flamingos) and "A Toast To Lovers".
Overbea made his last records in 1959 and retired from the music business in 1976.

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