Loading details…
Artist
Bill Deal & the Rhondels
12+ albums
oldies60ssoulvirginiabeach music
about
Bill Deal & the Rhondels were formed in 1959 in Portsmouth, Virginia, crossing blue-eyed soul and beach music. They had three hit singles in 1969, "I've Been Hurt" (U.S. #35), "What Kind of Fool (Do You Think I Am)" (U.S. #23) and "May I" (U.S. #39). The band disbanded in 1975, but reformed at various times until the death of Bill Deal in 2003. Members Bill Deal (born July 8, 1944, died December 10, 2003) - vocals, organ, electric piano, bass pedals (1959-1983) Ammon Tharp - lead vocals, drums (1959-1977), died 22 September 2017 George Bell - saxophone (1961-1963) Ronnie Hallman - trumpet (1961-1963) David Williams - trumpet (1961-??; 1975-1977) Ken Dawson - trumpet (1963-1970) Don Quisenberry - bass (1964-1978) Rollie Ligart - trumpet (1965-1969) Mike Kerwin - guitar, trumpet (1965-1978) Tom Pittman - saxophone (1966-1969) Ronny Rosenbaum - trombone (1966-1971) Bob Fisher - saxophone, guitar (1969-1976) Jeff Pollard - trumpet (1969-1973) Gary Hardy - trumpet (1968-1969 & 1971-1976) Freddy Owens - saxophone, vocals (1971-1979) Tom Cole - drums (1980-1983) And many others On March 4, 1979, band member Ernest Frederick "Freddy" Owens, who joined after 1970 and played sax and bass, was robbed and shot to death by Jeremiah Carr at a Holiday Inn motel in Richmond, Virginia, where the band had a show. He had attempted to stop Carr from escaping after Carr raped his wife; two shots wounded a third man in the room. While Bill Deal kept going on with the Rhondels for another four ye
