Jerry O

about

Spawned in the streets of the vital musical hub of Detroit, the boogaloo was simply the thing to do from 1965 to 1969. And no one captured the exuberant feel of the dance as well as Boo-Ga-Loo Records under the tutelage of entrepreneur Sammy Kaplan, and DJ/promoter-turned recording artist Jerryo. The label's biggest break came in 1967. After emerging as a local smash hit, Jerryo's pivotal single "Karate Boogaloo" went nationwide when Boo-Ga-Loo distributed the song on Bang Records Shout imprint. More than 400,000 copies of the single were sold as the boogaloo danced its way into the pop lexicon. (Background note: the single's back-up vocals were provided by a pair of local teenagers, Telma Hopkins and Joyce Vincent, who would later gain fame as members of Dawn with Tony Orlando). Born in St. Louis, Jerry Jerome Murray (AKA Jerryo) worked as a Chicago DJ and promoter before moving to Detroit in the early '60s. Upon arrival, he put together a band, often working as a duo with Robert 'Tommy Dark" Tharp. Billed as Tom & Jerryo, the pair recorded a 1965 single "Boogaloo" for ABC Paramount Before joining Kaplan's new label the following year. Party music, to be sure, the boogaloo via Jerryo, Tom & Jerryo, and a handful of others, turned out such infectious pop ditties as "Papa Chew Do The Boogaloo," "Popcorn Boogaloo," "Soul L-0-V-E-R" and "Funky Four Corners," all of which are featured on Motor City Funk. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA Lic

top songs

albums

similar artists