AccuRadio Song Of The Day-The Four Freshmen

Artist:The Four Freshmen
Song:Graduation Day
Album:Capitol Collectors Series





The Four Freshmen was one of the most popular vocal groups of the 50s. Graduation Day was their biggest hit single. But they are an early example of a group that sold a lot of LPs and didn't need a hit single. Remember there were no LPs until the mid-50s. The Four Freshmen started in the late-40s at Butler University in Indianapolis as the Barbershop quartet Hal's Harmonizers. The group was started by brothers Ross and Don Barbour, their cousin Bob Flanigan and Hal Kratzsch. All four sang and played various instruments. As they played gigs, they strayed towards jazz harmonies and decided to change the group name to The Four Freshmen. Jazz musicians started noticing them and legendary bandleader Stan Kenton got them a record deal at Capitol Records. The group worked with arranger Pete Rugolo and and an appearance on The Steve Allen Show generated record sales. Kratzsch left in 1953 and was replaced by Ken Errair and he was replaced by Ken Albers in 1956. The Four Freshmen's first hit single was It's A Blue World in 1952 followed by Mood Indigo in 1954. They started releasing LPs in 1955 and they usually reached the top ten of the Billboard Hot 200. For example, the 1956 LP Four Freshmen and Five Trombones reached #6. Graduation Day was a little more contemporary than some of their other songs. The Rover Boys had a top 20 hit with it and then The Four Freshmen version reached #17 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1956. Graduation Day was written by the veteran songwriting team of Joe & Noel Sherman. Joe Sherman went on to be Paul Anka's musical director and co-wrote Lonely Boy among others. The Four Freshmen faded in the late 50s and members started to leave. They recorded for Capitol until 1965. You can get all their hits on this comp. The Beach Boys in particular have acknowledged The Four Freshmen as a major influence. Bob Flanigan led The Four Freshmen until his 1992 retirement. He died in Aug. 2011. A version of The Four Freshmen still tours today. Here's The Four Freshmen performing Graduation Day and It's A Blue World Anaheim, CA Jan. 1987.