Len Barry, the lead singer of the Dovells and later solo artists whose soulful voice brought to life popular “Bristol Stomp,” died aged 78, writes Richard Sandomir for The New York Times.
In addition to the song about teenagers dancing a new step in Bristol, Barry was with the Dovells when they released several more early-1960s hits, including “You Can’t Sit Down.”
“Bristol Stomp” quickly catapulted to No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1961, leading the group to perform the number in the 1962 film “Don’t Knock the Twist.”
Barry left the group in 1963 over a dispute regarding its direction. He was hoping the Dovells would move further into rhythm and blues, but the rest of the members wanted to become a nightclub act.
Berry proceeded to perform as a solo artist, reaching No.2 on the Billboard chart in 1965 with the “1-2-3” song. That remained his biggest hit.
He switched his focus from performing to writing, co-writing, and producing songs in the early 1970s.
Later in his life, he shifted to writing fiction, collaborating with his son on the “Black-Like-Me” novel.
Read more about Len Barry at The New York Times by clicking here.
