Turn back the clock this weekend for the fifth annual Cruizin’ to Colby event, featuring a concert with The Diamonds and Johnny Limbo and the Lug Nuts.
The Diamonds’ last hit was in 1961, but music clings to memories of a younger time, allowing the quartet to perform its cover material and an occasional original across the decades.
The group turned out several hit records, including “Little Darlin’,” “One Summer Night,” “Why Do Fools Fall in Love?” and “A Thousand Miles Away.”
The Canadian quartet’s knack was for converting R&B hits into pop successes.
Signed to Mercury in 1955, they took the Teenagers’ “Why Do Falls Fall in Love,” the Willows’ “Church Bells May Ring” and the Gladiolas’ “Little Darlin’” up the charts, a period that defined the group.
“Back in the ’50s, it was a different culture. There were black (audiences) and white audiences,” said baritone Gary Owens, who joined in 1975.
The Diamonds were famous for being the king of cover groups. Black artists recorded songs, and white artists would record the same record for white charts.
“When bands would redo songs, in most cases they were inferior to the original. But when the Diamonds did songs, they were hits that went into rock ‘n’ roll history,” Owens said.
They did this despite never having a No. 1 hit.
At first, rock’s recording artists traveled in big bus tours with several other groups. The Diamonds were one of the first to get off the bus and venture into nightclubs, Owens said.
“It was one of the things that led to the longevity. We were a singing group but became an entertainment group as well. We’d put on a show and entertain a crowd,” Owens said.
“To this day, all four guys play instruments (sax, trumpet, trombones) as well as sing. It’s a show, not just four guys singing songs,” he said.
The Diamonds perform about 200 shows a year.
“People remember with their ears. They hear ‘Lil Darlin’ ’ and hear it when they were in the back seat of that Chevy. It brings back memories of a much simpler time in our society,” Owens said.
“People continued to play the songs and their kids and their grandkids heard them. It makes a lot of sense that they’re still played.
“The words are singable and understandable, and it’s music that’s easy to relate to.”
Although they attract an older crowd with memories of the group’s hits, “every age shows up. We love fairs and festivals, with kids dancing around and singing the songs.”
Or they hit the retirement communities “with kids who are 92.”
On Saturday, the Diamonds will perform songs from Bobby Darin, Buddy Holly, Elvis Presley and many of the great quartets from the ’50s. The newest song is the 1980s original “Radio Heroes,” about a kid in bed in the 1950s, listening to his radio heroes.
Also performing are Johnny Limbo and LugnJ32Juts. The band started as a party gag in 1978, but took on a life of its own while performing the classics from the 1950s and 1960s.
The nine-member band includes a horn section and a female vocalist, allowing the band to cover the women of rock.
The Diamonds
With Johnny and the Lug Nuts: 7 p.m. Saturday, Everett Events Center, 2000 Hewitt Ave.; $20, 866-332-8499.
The Diamonds
With Johnny Limbo and the Lugnuts: 7 p.m. Saturday, Everett Events Center, 2000 Hewitt Ave.; $20, 866-332-8499.
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