Chanteur Rock 'n' Roll US né John Fred Gourrier le 8 Mai 1941 à Baton Rouge (Louisiane). John Fred est décédé au Tulane Hospital à New Orleans le 14 Avril 2005.

Blue-eyed soul outfit John Fred & His Playboy Band were among the biggest one-hit wonders of the 1960s, topping the Billboard charts with their tongue-in-cheek Beatles homage "Judy in Disguise (With Glasses)." Born John Fred Gourrier on May 8, 1941, in Baton Rouge, LA, the singer was the son of professional baseball player Fred Gourrier and juggled music with his own sports pursuits, forming the first incarnation of the Playboys at the age of 15. A favorite at local sock hops and dances, the group's earliest live appearances often found them on the same bill as Fred's schoolmate John Ramistella, who would later enjoy significant chart success under the name Johnny Rivers. the Playboys cut their 1958 Montel label debut, "Shirley," at producer Cosimo Matassa's New Orleans studio with the aid of Fats Domino's backing band; the single soon entered the pop charts, ascending to the number 82 spot, and might have gone higher had Fred not turned down an opportunity to appear on American Bandstand in favor of playing for his high-school basketball team during its state championship drive. "Mirror Mirror" followed in the spring of 1959, and despite featuring the Jordanaires on backing Vocals, was not a hit. the Playboys' next single, "Good Lovin'," also failed to chart, and when the subsequent "Down in New Orleans" met the same fate, Montel terminated the group's contract, and Fred went off to Southeastern Louisiana University to study and play basketball.
After graduating in 1963, Fred contacted original Playboys tenor saxophonist Mickey Coerver to re-form the band, adding Andrew Bernard on baritone sax, Jimmy O'Rourke and Hal Ellis on guitar, Howard Cowart on bass, Tommy DeGeneres on organ, Ronald Goodson and Charlie Spinosa on trumpet, Lester Dodge on drums, and Joe Miceli on percussion. After signing to the tiny N-Joy label, the revived John Fred & His Playboy Band issued their cover of John Lee Hooker's "Boogie Chillun" in early 1965 -- the single missed the charts, but was a favorite of Elvis Presley. A move to the Jewel label preceded "Dial 101 (Because I Love You)," another chart miss. After "You're Mad at Me" also disappeared, Fred & the Playboys cut 1966's "How Can I Prove" with one of the singer's boyhood idols, Dale Hawkins, assuming production duties, but when this also tanked, Jewel dropped the group, necessitating a switch to the Paula label for the band's next effort, "Making Love to You." After the 1967 flops "Sun City" and "Leave Her Never," Fred & the Playboys regained their footing with "Up and Down," which topped the charts in several Louisiana markets but did not catch on nationally. For the follow-up, "Agnes English," the group shed the harder-edged R&B approach of its past efforts in favor of a sound inspired by the British beat boom, again scoring a massive regional hit but falling shy of the national charts.
The irresistible bassline that would become the cornerstone of "Judy in Disguise" lurked in Fred's head for months before he and saxophonist Bernard finally wrote a full-fledged song to complete it -- satirizing the Beatles' "Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds" and inspired by the enormous sunglasses then in vogue among the beach bunnies in Fort Lauderdale, the single appeared on Paula in late 1967 and in early January supplanted the Beatles' own "Hello Goodbye" atop the U.S. pop charts. After appearing on The Tonight Show and American Bandstand, Fred & His Playboy Band issued the follow-up, "Hey Hey Bunny," which went as high as number 57. There were four more singles in 1958 alone ("Lonely Are the Lonely," "Little Dum Dum," "Sometimes You Can't Win," and "Harlem Shuffle," respectively) but none of them charted, and by year's end Paula dropped the group altogether. Fred & the Playboys then signed to MCA to issue 1969's "Silly Sarah Carter (Eating on a Moonpie)," followed by a cover of the Beatles' "Back in the U.S.S.R." From there, they recorded a pair of 1970 singles for Uni, "Three Deep in a Feeling" and "Julia Julia," before dissolving in the wake of a European tour.
Fred spent much of the decade touring small clubs before reinventing himself as a producer during the late '70s, most notably helming several sessions for New Orleans soul queen Irma Thomas. In 1982, he was named vice president of Baton Rouge-based RCS Records. Inducted into the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame in 1991 and given the Louisiana Music Living Legend Award in 1999, in later years Fred wrote jingles for brands including Greyhound Bus Lines, Ban Deodorant, and the NBA's Dallas Mavericks, and even wrote and recorded the single "Baseball at the Box" in honor of the Louisiana State University baseball squad. With Joe Stampley and Gee Gee Shinn he founded the Louisiana Boys, releasing a self-titled 1997 LP on the Bayou Music label. In 2000 he issued his first proper solo LP, I Miss Y'All, followed two years later by Somebody's Knockin'. In addition to touring clubs, festivals, and casinos, Fred coached high-school baseball and for Baton Rouge station WBRH hosted a weekly radio broadcast The Roots of Rock & Roll until his death on April 14, 2005, of complications from a kidney transplant several months prior.

http://www.spectropop.com/remembers/JFobit.htm

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Fred

Talents : Vocals

Style musical : Rock 'n' Roll, Pop Rock, Swamp Pop

http://youtu.be/TaWaQBxc0aI

Years in activity :

DISCOGRAPHY

Singles & EP

1958	SP MONTEL 904 (US)	.	Down In New Orleans / I Love You
12/1958	SP MONTEL SJM 1002 (US)	.	Shirley / My Love For You
1959	SP MONTEL 1007 (US)	.	Good Lovin' / You Know You Made Me Cry
05/1959	SP MONTEL 2001 (US)	.	Mirror Mirror (On The Wall) / To Have And To Hold
1964	SP JEWEL 730 (US)	.	The Fool / There'll Be No Teardrops Tonight
1964	SP JEWEL 730 (US)	.	There Goes That Train / Dial 101 (Cause I Still Love You)
1964	SP JEWEL 736 (US)	.	Lenne / You're Mad At Me
1964	SP JEWEL 737 (US)	.	Boogie Children / My First Love
1965	SP N-JOY 1005 (US)	.	Boogie Children / My First Love
02/1965	SP JEWEL 743 (US)	.	Wrong To Me / How Can I Prove
07/1965	SP PAULA 225 (US)	.	Fortune Teller / Making Love To You
04/1966	SP PAULA 234 (US)	.	Can't I Get A Word In / Sun City
1966	SP PAULA 244 (US)	.	Doin' The Best I Can / Leave Her Never
1966	SP PAULA 247 (US)	.	Outta My Head / Love Comes In Time
02/1967	SP PAULA 259 (US)	.	Up And Down / Wind-Up Doll
07/1967	SP PAULA 273 (US)	.	Agnes English / Sad Story
10/1967	SP PAULA 282 (US)	.	Judy In Disguise (With Glasses) / When The Lights Go Out
1967	SP Stateside FSS 530 (F)		Judy In Disguise (With Glasses) / Out Of Left Field
1967	SP Vogue Schallplatten ‎DV 14692  (GER)		Judy In Disguise (With Glasses) / When The Lights Go Out
1967	SP Columbia ‎C 23 693 (GER)		Judy In Disguise (With Glasses) / When The Lights Go Out
1967	SP Stateside HSS 1240  (NL)		Judy In Disguise (With Glasses) / When The Lights Go Out
1967	SP California ‎C 282 (SWE)		Judy In Disguise (With Glasses) / When The Lights Go Out
02/1968	SP PAULA 294 (US)	.	Hey Hey Bunny / No Letter Today
05/1968	SP PAULA 303 (US)	.	Lonely Are The Lonely / We Played Games
08/1968	SP PAULA 310 (US)	.	Tissue Paper / Little Dum Dum
11/1968	SP PAULA 315 (US)	.	What Is Happiness / Sometimes You Just Can't Win
1968	SP Stateside FSS 556 (F)		Hey Hey Bunny / No Letter Today
1968	SP Columbia ‎C 23 740 (GER)		Hey Hey Bunny / No Letter Today
1968	SP Vogue Schallplatten DV 14769   (GER)		Little Dum Dum / Tissue Paper
1968	SP Stateside RSS 129 (B)		We Played Games / Lonely Are The Lonely
1968	SP CEM CEM-9601 (S)		Judy In Disguise (With Glasses) / Agnes English
02/1968	SP DURIUM DE 2691 (I)		Judy In Disguise (With Glasses) / Agnes English
1968	SP CEM CEM-9606 (S)		Off The Wall / Up And Down
1968	SP CEM CEM-9613 (S)		Little Dum Dum / Tissue Paper
06/1969	SP UNI 55135 (US)	.	Back In The U.S.S.R. / Silly Sarah Carter
09/1969	SP UNI 55160 (US)	.	Open Doors / Three Deep In A Feeling
12/1969	SP UNI 55187 (US)	.	Love My Soul / Julia Julia
04/1970	SP UNI 55220 (US)	.	Come With Me / Where's Everybody Going
08/1973	SP BELL 45.382 (US)	.	John FRED & The CREEPERS - I'm In Love Again / In The Mood
1975	SP SUGARCANE 1001 (US)	.	Keep It Hid / You Had To Be A Woman
1975	SP SUGARCANE 1002 (US)	.	Jukebox Shirley / Hey, Good Lookin'
11/1990	CD COLLECTABLES 9044 (US)	.	Judy In Disguise (With Glasses) / Hey Hey Bunny
02/2006	CD MAGIC 3930292 (F)		Judy In Disguise / What Is Happiness / We Played Games / Out Of Left Field

Albums

1966	LP 12" PAULA LP-2191 (US)		JOHN FRED & HIS PLAYBOYS - Boogie Children / When I Meet My Girl / How Can I Prove / Can't I Get (A Word In) / Out Of Sight / My Babe / Don't Fight It / Wrong To Me / Making Love To You / Play With Me / Night Owl / Harlem Shuffle
1967	LP 12" PAULA LP-2193 (US)		34.40 OF JOHN FRED & His PLAYBOYS - Outta My Head / Knock On Wood / You're On My Mind / Down To The Boogaloo / Loves Come In Time / Something's Going On / We Gotta Get Out Of This Place / Sun City / Leave Her Never / I've Been Loving You Too Long (To Stop Now) / Doing The Best I Can / Got To Get You Into My Life
1967	LP 12" PAULA LPS-2197 (US)		AGNES ENGLISH - John FRED & His PLAYBOYS BAND - Up And Down / Judy In Disguise / Off The Wall / Out Of Left Field / She Shot A Hole In My Soul / Most Unlikely To Succeed / Agnes English / When The Lights Go Out / No Good To Cry / Sometimes You Just Can't Win / Sad Story / AcHenall Riot
1967	LP 12" Stateside ‎SSLH 1002  (GER)		JUDY IN DISGUISE WITH GLASSES - John FRED & His PLAYBOYS BAND - Up And Down / Judy In Disguise / Off The Wall / Out Of Left Field / She Shot A Hole In My Soul / Most Unlikely To Succeed / Agnes English / When The Lights Go Out / No Good To Cry / Sometimes You Just Can't Win / Sad Story / AcHenall Riot
1968	LP 12" PAULA LPS-2197 (réédition) (US)		JUDY IN DISGUISE WITH GLASSES - John FRED & His PLAYBOYS BAND - Up And Down / Judy In Disguise / Off The Wall / Out Of Left Field / She Shot A Hole In My Soul / Most Unlikely To Succeed / Agnes English / When The Lights Go Out / No Good To Cry / Sometimes You Just Can't Win / Sad Story / AcHenall Riot
1968	LP 12" PAULA CEM 9302 (S)		Judy In Disguise - John FRED & His PLAYBOYS BAND - Judy In Disguise / Agnes English / Out Of Left Field / She Shot A Hole In My Soul / Hey Hey Bunny / No Letter Today / Little Dum Dum / Tissue Paper / Lonely Are The Lonely / We Played Games / Up And Down / Of The Wall
1969	LP 12" PAULA 2201 (US)		PERMANENTLY STATED - John FRED & His PLAYBOYS BAND - We Played Games / Surprise Surprise / What Is Happiness / Lonely Are The Lonely / Mary Jane / Tissue Paper / Hey Hey Bunny / Who Could Love You (More Than I) / Little Dum Dum / Before The Change / Permanently Stated
1970	LP 12" UNIVERSAL CITY 73077 (US)		LOVE MY SOUL - John FRED & His PLAYBOYS BAND - The Big Show / He Was My Friend / Where Will You Be? / Three Deep In A Feeling / Sweet Soul Music / Can't Be So Bad / Back In The U.S.S.R. / Where's Everybody Going / Open Doors / Candy's Candy Kisses / Love My Soul / Leo Our Hero / Sadie Trout
1970 ?	LP 12" PAULA SL-1248-12 (US)		Indy Bowl Classic A Mint Print - John Fred & His Playboys / Joe Stampley & The Uniques - John Fred & His Playboys : Judy In Disguise / Shirley / Harlem Shuffle / Joe Stampley & The Uniques : Please Come Home For Christmas (vocal) / Please Come Home For Christmas (inst.) / All These Things / How Lucky (Can One Man Be)
11/1991	CD PAULA 9000 (US)		THE HISTORY OF JOHN FRED & THE PLAYBOYS - Judy In Disguise (With Glasses) / Agnes English / Up And Down / Sometimes You Just Can’t Win / She Shot A Hole In My Soul / Boogie Chillen' / Night Owl / Sun City / Shirley / Back In The U.S.S.R. / When The Lights Go Out / You’re On My Mind / Down To The Boogaloo / Doing The Best I Can / Harlem Shuffle / Silly Sarah Carter (Eating On A Moon Pie) / Mary Jane / Hey Hey Bunny / Must Unlikely To Succeed / Can’t I Get (A Word In) / Make Love To You / Out Of Left Field / How Can I Prove (It To You) / Love Comes In Time / Wind Up Doll / Sad Story
1996	CD MAGIC 528872 (F)		JOHN FRED AND HIS PLAYBOYS BAND - Up And Down / Judy In Disguise / Off The Wall / Out Of Left Field / She Shot A Hole In My Soul / Most Unlikely To Succeed / When The Lights Go Out / No Good To Cry / Surprise, Surprise / What Is Happiness / Lonely Are The Lonely / Mary Jane / Tissue Paper / Hey, Hey, Bunny / Who Could Love You (More Than I) / Little Dum Dum / Before The Change / Permanently Stated / Bonus track : No Letter Today
08/1999	CD CLUB LOUISIANE 2001 (US)		I Miss Ya'll - The Unreleased Masters - I Miss Ya'll / Sugarcane Girl / High Blood Pressure / Radio / Little Bit Of Something / American Dream / We Had It All / Funky DJ / Keep It Hid / Born To Ride / Nobody Knows / What You Gonna Do (To My Heart) / Hey Good Lookin' / Louisianatunes / I Miss Ya'll #5
04/2001	CD VARESE 061111 (US)		ABSOLUTELY THE BEST OF JOHN FRED AND HIS PLAYBOYS BAND - Judy In Disguise / Leave Her Never / Little Dum Dum / Agnes English / Can't I Get (A Word In) / Down To The Boogaloo / Doin' The Best I Can / Sun City / No Letter Today / Love Come In Time / Outta My Head / She Shot A Hole In My Soul / Up And Down / Sad Story / Lonely Are The Lonely / Sometimes You Just Can't Win / Boogie Chillun - Walking With Frankie
11/2008	CD MAGIC 3930818 (F)		ANTHOLOGY 1958 / 1969 - JOHN FRED & HIS PLAYBOYS BAND - Shirley / Boogie children / Can’t I get (a word in) / How can I prove / Play with fire / Night owl / Harlem Shuffle / Knock on wood / We gotta get out of this place / Leave her never / Got to get you into my life / Judy in disguise / Up and down / She shot a hole in my soul / Agnes English / Hey hey Bunny / No letter today / We played games / What is happiness / Lonely are lonely / Mary Jane / Who could love you (more than I) / Before the change / Tissue paper / Sadie Trout / Silly Sarah Carter

© Rocky Productions 24/11/2013