Groupe Doo Wop US fondé en 1959 à Odessa (Texas). Les Velvets étaient composés de Virgil Johnson, Clarence Rigsby, Robert Thursby, William Solomon et Mark Prince.

The Odessa, TX-based Velvets are best remembered for their violin-enriched 1961 Top 40 hit "Tonight (Could Be the Night)," during which the group chanted "doo-wop" behind lead singer Virgil Johnson. It was one of the first uses of the phrase in a song (the Turbans' use of the phrase on the 1955 "When You Dance" predates it by a few years). Johnson was a high school English teacher who recruited four of his students -- Clarence Rigsby (lead tenor), Robert Thursby (tenor), William Solomon (baritone), and Mark Prince (bass) -- to form the Velvets in 1960. They were soon spotted by Roy Orbison, who helped get them signed to the Nashville-based Monument label (he later cut "Lana" a song of theirs, while at the label).

The Velvets' recording career started with a catchy revival of "That Lucky Old Sun," but despite the presence of Nashville's finest session players on their releases, only the up-tempo "Tonight (Could Be the Night)," which was penned by Johnson, would score a U.S. Top 40 hit (number 26 pop, May 1961). This song tells of a guy trying to get his nerve up to ask his girl to marry him. Their next release, the spirited Roy Orbison/Joe Melson-penned "Laugh," became their last chart entry. The group released another six singles before going back to teaching and studying.

Talents : Virgil Johnson : Lead - Clarence Rigsby : Lead Tenor - Robert Thursby : Tenor - William Solomon : Baritone - Mark Prince : Bass

Style musical : Doo Wop, Rhythm 'n' Blues

https://youtu.be/6J2ngwuwPS8

That Lucky Old Sun (1961)

Tonight (Could Be The Night) (1961)

LAUGH (1961)

Lana (1961)

Let The Good Times Roll (1962)

Years in activity :

1910 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 2000 10 20

DISCOGRAPHY

Singles & EP

02/1961 SP MONUMENT 45-435 (US) .

The Velvets featuring Virgil Johnson - That Lucky Old Sun / Time And Again
05/1961 SP MONUMENT 45-441 (US) . THE Velvets featuring Virgil Johnson - Tonight (Could Be The Night) / Spring Fever
08/1961 SP MONUMENT 45-448 (US) . THE Velvets featuring Virgil Johnson - Laugh / Lana
09/1961 EP LONDON RE 10094 (F) Tonight (Could Be The Night) / Spring Fever / That Lucky Old Sun / Time And Again
10/1961 EP LONDON RE-U 1297 (UK)

That Lucky Old Sun / Time And Again / Tonight (Could Be The Night) / Spring Fever
1961 EP LONDON LES 564 (POR)

Super 45 - Tonight (Could Be The Night) / Spring Fever / Laugh / Lana

04/1962 SP MONUMENT 45-458 (US) . THE Velvets featuring Virgil Johnson - The Love Express / Don't Let Him Take My Baby
07/1962 SP MONUMENT 45-464 (US) . THE Velvets featuring Virgil Johnson - Let The Good Times Roll / The Lights Go On, The Lights Go Off
03/1963 SP MONUMENT 45-810 (US) . THE Velvets featuring Virgil Johnson - Crying In The Chapel / Dawn
09/1963 SP LONDON HIT-200 (JAP)

Lana (愛しのラナ) / Laugh (ラフ)
02/1964 SP LONDON HIT-289 (JAP)

Tonight (Could Be The Night) / Spring Fever
03/1964 SP MONUMENT 45-836 (US) .

THE Velvets featuring Virgil Johnson - Here Comes That Song Again / Nightmare
10/1964 SP MONUMENT 45-861 (US) . THE Velvets featuring Virgil Johnson - If / Let The Fool Kiss You
1964 SP LONDON HIT-344 (JAP)

That Lucky Old Sun / Time And Again
1964 SP LONDON HIT-399 (JAP)

My Love / Hey Bird Dog
1965 SP LONDON HIT-429 (JAP) Let The Fool Kiss You / If
1965 EP 33 t. LONDON 17M-96 (JAP) マイ・ラヴ - My Love - My Love / Let The Fool Kiss You / Lana / Tonight (Could Be The Night)
08/1966 SP MONUMENT 45-961 (US) .

THE Velvets featuring Virgil Johnson - Baby The Magic Is Gone / Let The Fool Kiss You  (But Don't Let The Kiss Fool You)
1972 SP MONUMENT GOLDEN SERIES 45-961 (US) . THE Velvets featuring Virgil Johnson - Tonight (Could Be The Night) / That Lucky Old Sun (Just Rolls Around Heaven All Day)
1973 ? SP MONUMENT UP-458-T (JAP)

Lana (VELVETS) / Come Back To Me (My Love) (Roy ORBISON)
1976 SP MONUMENT GOLDEN SERIES GS 1918 (US) .

Tonight (Could Be The Night) / That Lucky Old Sun

1976 ? SP MONUMENT GOLDEN SERIES ZS7 8917 (US) . Tonight (Could Be The Night) / That Lucky Old Sun (Just Rolls Around Heaven All Day)
1981 SP MONUMENT 07SP 585 (JAP)

Lana / Tonight (Could Be The Night)

11/1982 SP MONUMENT GOLDEN SERIES WS8 03470 (US)

Tonight (Could Be The Night) / That Lucky Old Sun

1986 SP UNDERGROUND URC 1153 (US) . Tonight / Lana
1990 SP COLLECTABLES COL 4614 (US . Tonight (Could Be The Night) / That Lucky Old Sun (Just Rolls Around Heaven All Day)
1992 SP STARDUST URC 1153 (US) . Tonight (Could Be The Night) / Lana
19?? SP MONUMENT 45-512 (US) . THE Velvets featuring Virgil Johnson - That Lucky Old Sun / Time And Again
19?? SP MONUMENT 45-515 (US) . THE Velvets featuring Virgil Johnson - Tonight (Could Be The Night) / Spring Fever







Unissued Tracks

196? Unissued

Be Ever Mine
196? Unissued

You Done Me Bad
196? Unissued

Kiss Me
196? Unissued

Alicia
196? Unissued

Bird Dog
196? Unissued

My Love
196? Unissued

Who Has The Right
196? Unissued

I'm Trusting in You
196? Unissued Almost But Not Quite
196? Unissued

Husbands & Wives
196? Unissued

I Can Feel It
196? Unissued

Poison Love
196? Unissued

That's Out of My Line

Albums

1981 LP 12" MONUMENT ‎23AP 2241 (JAP)

All The Velvets' Recordings - Tonight (Could Be The Night) / Spring Fever / Laugh / Lana / Love Express / Don't Let Him Take My Baby / Let The Good Times Roll / The Light Goes On, The Light Goes Off / That Lucky Old Sun / Time And Again / Dawn / Crying In The Chapel / Here Comes That Song Again / Nightmare / If / Let The Fool Kiss You / My Love / Hey Bird Dog / Who Has The Right / Be Evermine / Almost But Not Quite / I'm Trusting In You / Poisoned Love / That's Out Of My Line / Alicia / Husbands And Wives / You Done Me Bad / I Can Feel It / Kiss Me / Baby, The Magic Is Gone
1995 CD SONY AQ 21475 (US) TONIGHT (COULD BE THE NIGHT) - Tonight (Could Be The Night) / That Lucky Old Sun / Spring Fever / Lana / My Love / Crying In The Chapel / Be Evermine / Laugh / Let The Good Times Roll / Kiss Me / Who Has The Right / Time And Again
03/1996 CD ACE 625 (UK) THE COMPLETE VELVETS - Tonight (Could Be The Night) / Time And Again / Spring Fever / That Lucky Old Sun / Laugh / Lana / Love Express / Don't Let Him Take My Baby / Let The Good Times Roll / Light Goes On, The Light Goes Off / Crying In The Chapel / Dawn / Here Comes That Song Again / Nightmare / If / Let The Fool Kiss You / Baby The Magic Is Gone / Be Ever Mine / You Done Me Bad / Kiss Me / Alicia / Bird Dog / My Love / Who Has The Right / I'm Trusting in You / Almost But Not Quite / Husbands And Wives / I Can Feel It / Poison Love / That's Out Of My Line
03/1999 CD COLLECTABLES COL-CD-6055 (US) TONIGHT COULD BE THE NIGHT - Tonight (Could Be The Night) / That Lucky Old Sun / Spring Fever / Lana / My Love / Crying In The Chapel / Be Ever Mine / Laugh / Let The Good Times Roll / Kiss Me / Who Has The Right / Time And Again / Here Comes That Song Again / If / I'm Trusting In You / Alicia / I Can Feel It / Baby The Magic Is Gone
????? LP 12" MONUMENT CUL-1032-T (JAP)

The Best Of The Velvets - Lana / That Lucky Old Sun / If / My Love / Crying In The Chapel / Tonight (Could Be The Night) / Time And Again / Love Express / Let The Fool Kiss You / Spring Fever
???? 2 LP 12" MONUMENT ‎23 AP 2241 (US) Let The Good Times Roll :
DISC 1 : Lana / Tonight (Could Be The Night) / Let The Good Times Roll / Be Evermine / That Lucky Old Sun / Crying In The Chapel / Love Express / You Done Me Bad / Kiss Me / Alicia / If / Dawn / Spring Fever / Nightmare
DISC 2 : Bird Dog / By Love / Let The Fool Kiss You / Who Has The Right / I'm Trusting In You / Time And Again / Laugh / The Lights Go On, The Lights Go Off / Don't Let Him Take My Baby / Here Comes That Song Again / Almost But Not Quite / Baby The Magic Is Gone / Husbands And Wives / I Can Feel It / Poisoned Love / That's Out Of My Line
???? 2 CD Rocket 7070 (US)

Let The Good Times Roll :
CD 1 : Lana / Tonight (Could Be The Night) / Let The Good Times Roll / Be Evermine / That Lucky Old Sun / Crying In The Chapel / Love Express / You Done Me Bad / Kiss Me / Alicia / If / Dawn / Spring Fever / Nightmare
CD 2 : Bird Dog / By Love / Let The Fool Kiss You / Who Has The Right / I'm Trusting In You / Time And Again / Laugh / The Lights Go On, The Lights Go Off / Don't Let Him Take My Baby / Here Comes That Song Again / Almost But Not Quite / Baby The Magic Is Gone / Husbands And Wives / I Can Feel It / Poisoned Love / That's Out Of My Line

© Rocky Productions 2/12/2019