A Lettermen TV Special, 79-80, Tony Butala, Gary Pike, Donny Pike, Send In The Clowns /Hurt So Bad / Put Your Head on My Shoulder / Shangri La / I Honestly Love You / Goin' Out Of My Head/Can't Take My Eyes Off You
I've been a Lettermen fan since my late elementary days and high school. I was in my teens then and I'm 73 years old. Always and will be a Lettermen fan forever.
I think the teaming of Tony, Gary, and Donny had the best natural harmony of all the many different Lettermen lineups. Way better then the current lineup. At least the current one has Tony and his marvelous voice!! Thanks for the postings of the live concert of these guys. Thanks Lettermen, your music is beautiful and timeless.
Jim, Tony & Gary really was the best lineup. Not to say that Donny wasn't good he was. Be glad yougot to see them because you will never se a group like his ever. I really grew up with the guy's !! It also helped my dad worked for them for many many years.
Caught their show in 1979, at Golf Mill, suburban Chicago. Great group, smooth as ice cream.. saw them in Austin two months ago, but Tony Butala was the only original.
5 лет назад
Sorry to hear of the recent passing of Jim Pike one of the co-founders of THE LETTERMEN he was an exellent singer as were all the Lettermen ! Loved their harmonizing ! This was when music was good quality !
As good as the guys are, " Shangri-La" is done better--stronger--higher, with Mark & Donavan joining Tony in '88 . I thought Gary would hit the high part, but Donny did it, & while it's OK, Donavan is stronger, & a more natural vocalist. IMHO. Yet, both groups are surely, The Lettermen. --------------------------Wolfsky9
Just to clue you in on this video who's singing what: I'm singing the melody on Shangri La and Tony is singing the top part in full voice which makes it more exciting and is the way it is on the original recording. It is very taxing on his voice. When Donny and I left, others took the high part. When I filled in for Darren Dowler some years ago I took the top part and did it in falsetto or head tone as some call it. I'm not sure who did it when Donovan and Mark joined but I think Donovan did and it wasn't full voice because they are not tenors. When Jim Pike conceived the idea of the songs arrangement he said it needed the top part to be in full voice to make it more exciting and it hasn't had that for some time. I don't blame anyone for not doing it full voice anymore because they do have to sing the rest of the show. There are no pure tenors in the group. Donovan and Mark are not tenors by any means. I'm sure Bobby Pointon sings the top part now and does about as well as can be expected and still have something left for the rest of the show. Bottom line is the version you hear here is all full voice and about as exciting as it gets..
Not a chance! Bob Engemann has passed away. Jim Pike and Gary Pike are singing with The Reunion and Tony inherited the Lettermen name. You now have two groups to enjoy Lettermen music....
If your wondering what Donny and I were looking at in the front row there was a couple making out passionately during "Put Your Head On My Shoulder"....
