THE SMOOTHIES
"Softly" b/w "Joanie"
Decca 9-31105
Recorded March 1960
Released June 1960
Vocal with orchestra directed by Jack Pleis
Produced by Milt Gabler
A) "Softly" (John Phillips) 2:27
B) "Joanie" (Alan Hood and Richard Loring) 2:45
Known Musical Personnel:
Seven violins and an eighteen-piece orchestra, players unknown
Additional Info:
Softly was the first song written by John Phillips to be recorded and released.
*THE SMOOTHIES
*Formed: 1959 (as the Abstracts)
*Disbanded: 1960
*Label: Decca Records
*Location: Greenwich Village, New York
*Members:
John Phillips - vocals
Philip Blondheim (Scott McKenzie) - vocals
Bill Cleary - vocals
Mike Boran - vocals
*Evolved from: The Del Ray Locals
*Recordings:
DEMOS & UNRELEASED
~(as The Abstracts)
Demo recorded at Edgewood Studios, Washington DC, 1959 (songs unknown)
~(as The Smoothies)
Sessions for unreleased album, including -
"Michael Row the Boat Ashore"
"Bile Them Cabbage Down"
(others unknown)
SINGLES
~Softly b/w Joanie (Decca 31105) 1960
~Ride, Ride, Ride b/w Lonely Boy and Pretty Girl (Decca 31159) 1960
*Television Appearances:
~07/25/1960 American Bandstand Season 3, Ep 236 (AB-788)
Songs: "Softly" (lip-sync)
*Additional Info:
John Phillips and Scott McKenzie's first group to land a recording deal, also including hometown friends Bill Cleary and Mike Boran.
Originally known as The Abstracts, they arrived in Greenwich Village from Alexandria, Virginia in 1959 and were soon signed to Decca Records. After a name change to the Smoothies, they released two singles, "Softly" b/w "Joanie", and "Ride, Ride, Ride" b/w "Lonely Boy and Pretty Girl". With the exception of "Joanie", all were written by John and were the first of his compositions to be recorded and released.
They disbanded in 1960 with John and Scott then forming the Journeymen with Dick Weissman, who had played banjo on the Smoothies' recording "Ride, Ride, Ride".