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- Shep and the LimelitesFrom Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Shep and the Limelites was an American doo-wop group of the early 1960s,[1] composed of James "Shep" Sheppard (September 24, 1935 – January 24, 1970), Clarence Bassett (March 13, 1936 – January 25, 2005) and Charles Baskerville (July 6, 1936 – January 18, 1995). They are best known for their 1961 hit recording, "Daddy's Home", co-written by Sheppard.
Career[edit source | editbeta]Sheppard and Bassett, both from Queens County, New York, and Baskerville, originally from Virginia, organized a group in Queens in 1960. This was billed initially as Shane Sheppard And The Limelites, but quickly became Shep and the Limelites. All three had previous experience in other groups: Shep with The Heartbeats (notable for "A Thousand Miles Away"); Bassett with The Five Sharps and then, with Baskerville, in The Videos.[1]
Shep & The Limelites' recording sessions for Hull Records started in August 1960. They recorded the original version of "Daddy's Home" on February 1, 1961. "Daddy's Home" reached no. 2 on the Billboard popular music chart in May,[1] and was covered by P J Proby (1970) Jermaine Jackson (1972), Toots and the Maytals (Funky Kingston 1973), Junior English, and Cliff Richard (1981). Later songs were not as successful as "Daddy's Home", but still sold well; among these were "What Did Daddy Do", "Ready For Your Love" and "Our Anniversary".[2]
Kahl Music, publisher of "A Thousand Miles Away", an earlier song written by Sheppard, sued Keel Music, publisher of "Daddy's Home", for copyright violation. Keel eventually lost, and this resulted in the end of the Limelites and Hull Records in 1966. Bassett joined The Flamingos and Baskerville joined The Players and then The Drifters.[1] Sheppard re-formed the Limelites in the late 1960s, but was murdered on January 24, 1970.[1] He was found dead in his car on the Long Island Expressway, having been beaten and robbed.[2][3] Baskerville died, at age 58 on January 18, 1995 in New York.[4] Bassett died on January 25, 2005, at age 68 from the complications of emphysema, at his home in Richmond, Virginia.[5]
References[edit source | editbeta]
· ^ a b c d e "Biography by Andrew Hamilton". Allmusic.com. Retrieved 29 June 2009.
· ^ a b Tobler, John (1992). NME Rock 'N' Roll Years (1st ed.). London: Reed International Books Ltd. p. 208. CN 5585.
· ^ [1]
· ^ Thedeadrockstarsclub.com (1) - accessed June 2009
· ^ Thedeadrockstarsclib.com (2) - accessed June 2009
External links[edit source | editbeta]
· Shep and the Limelites biography at Allmusic.com
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Richmond Times-Dispatch, 27 Jan 2005
ClarenceHenry Bassett Jr.
Clarence Henry Bassett Jr.,68, of the singing group "Shep & The Limelites", died on Tuesday,January 25, 2005. He was born in Jamaica, N.Y. His mother, Virgus Bassett; wifeBrenda Louise Bassett; and father-in-law, Robert Phillip Graham, preceded himin death. He is survived by two children, Lisa E. Gordon and Marcus E. Bassett;son-in-law, Alfonzo P. Gordon Jr.; daughter-in-law, Natalie Camacho; twograndchildren, Kyonna Bassett and Chanice Cruz; father, Clarence H. BassettSr.; two brothers, Ronald Bassett and Reginald Bassett; two sisters, HazelBrown and Elaine Stewart; mother-in-law, Rosa Graham; seven brothers-in-law,five sisters-in-law, a host of nieces and nephews, other relatives and friends.Remains rest at Mimms Funeral Home, 1827 Hull Street, where the family willreceive friends Sunday (today), 4 to 6 p.m., and where funeral service will beheld 11 a.m. Monday, January 31, Brother Earnest Wilkerson officiating.Interment Oakwood Cemetery.
The Grim Reporter, By Phast Phreddie Patterson, February 2005
Rhythm & blues groupvocalist Clarence Bassett (68) died of emphysema on January 25 at his home inRichmond, Virginia.
Clarence Henry Bassett, Jr.was born in Jamaica, Queens, a neighborhood in New York City. As a teen, hesang in church and on street corners with his friends, and at his mother'snightclub.
Around 1952, he was a memberof The Five Sharps when they recorded "Stormy Weather". Although thesong was not a hit, it has become the Holy Grail of doo-wop records - anoriginal 78 can exchange hands for more than $10,000; a 45 for five times thatamount (and there is some question whether the 45 even exists!).
Bassett went on to become amember of the Videos - he wrote their most memorable song "TrickleTrickley." However, by 1960, the Videos had broken up and Bassett wasworking a day job when he was asked by James Sheppard to join his new group. Thisgroup, Shep & the Limelites, included another ex-Video/ex-Five Sharp -Charles Baskerville - and is notable because it was one of the few trio vocalgroups operating at the time. Its first release, "Daddy's Home" - ananswer to Sheppard's old group The Heartbeats' biggest hit, "A ThousandMiles Away" - was a Number Two pop hit in 1961. A Grim Reporter favoriteof this period is "The Monkey", a cheesy dance records written by thegroup members.
Shep & the Limelitesbroke up around 1966, and Bassett subsequently joined The Flamingos - quitepossibly in time to record two more Grim Reporter faves, "BoogalooParty" and "The Brooklyn Boogaloo," for the Philips label.
In 1970, after Sheppard'sdeath, Bassett and Baskerville formed a new Limelites with Al Handfield andBassett's brother, Ronald in order to work the nostalgia market. Also duringthe seventies, Bassett was a member of Creative Funk.
Bassett kept some form of TheLimelites together until 1996, and then reformed the group for a PBS doo-wopspecial in 2002.
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Bassett Family Association Database
1936 - 2005 (68 years)