Les Humphries Singers
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
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The Les Humphries Singers was a 1970s musical group formed in Hamburg, Germany by the Englishman Les Humphries (born 10 August 1940 - died 26 December 2007), who had been inspired to do his own version of the Edwin Hawkins Singers. The group consisted of a large number of singers of diverse ethnic origin, some of whom such as John Lawton also performed with other groups. Another member was Jürgen Drews; who later started a long-running solo career, starting with his 1976 hit in Germany, "Ein Bett im Kornfeld", a cover version of "Let Your Love Flow" by the Bellamy Brothers.
Additional members included Liz Mitchell, later front woman with Boney M., and John Lawton, who also sang for the German progressive/hard rock band Lucifer's Friend and would go on to be the frontman for Uriah Heep. The Les Humphries Singers dissolved at the end of the 1970s, after Humphries had left due to tax liabilities to his English homeland.
In his later years, Humphries lead a quiet life in London. In March 2008, the German newspaper Bild reported his death on 26 December 2007 in a London hospital.
Musical background and style
The Les Humphries Singers performed a mix of popular music and gospel covers and had some success in Europe with this approach. Much like contemporary German act Boney M., their music focused on Rhythm and blues, gospel, and disco, but often with psychedelic phasing or flanger effects on solos and bridges, and, much like James Last, much larger background choruses in the studio to emulate a live atmosphere.Template:Fact The Les Humphries Singers at the time brought something from the flair of the hippie movement into contemporary German-produced (but English-sung) pop music, especially due to their mixed ethnic background and peculiar fashion sense.Template:Fact
Hits and later re-unions
Two of their earliest and best known hits were "Mexico" (1972) which was based on the 1957 Jimmy Driftwood country hit "The Battle of New Orleans", and "Mama Loo" (1973), based on "Barbara Ann" by The Beach Boys. In 1976 they represented Germany at the Eurovision Song Contest with the Ralph Siegel title "Sing Sang Song", reduced to only a trio (their usual line-ups consisted of 20 performers and up), and came in 15th place, which they regarded as their beginning of the end as a band.
They disbanded shortly thereafter the same year, but enjoyed a short comeback as a pure live act from 1991 until 1993 performing their old hits. In 2006, the original band members formed 'The Original Singers' without Humphries, re-recording their old hits and also releasing new material.
Notable singles
1971:
- "We Are Goin' Down Jordan (#3 in West Germany for 29 weeks, #3 in Switzerland for 10 weeks)
1973:
- "Mexico" (#2 in West Germany for 30 weeks and peaking at #1, #1 in Austria and Switzerland for 16 weeks each)
- "Mama Loo" (#1 in West Germany for 23 weeks and peaking at #1, #1 in Austria for 20 weeks, #1 in Switzerland for 15 weeks)
1974:
- "Kansas City" (#2 in West Germany for 23 weeks and peaking at #1, #15 in Austria for 4 weeks, #1 in Switzerland for 16 weeks)
