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One Of The All-Time Great Songs

07/28/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"When The Skyliners made their 1959 debut on the Calico label with Since I Don't Have You, little did they realize they were introducing one of the most enduring ballads ever to emerge from that decade. Simply put, no Golden Oldies collection is complete without that wonderful song. Backed with One Night, One Night (also included here), it rose to # 12 Billboard Hot 100 and # 3 R&B in April.



That their initial song, and the follow-up hit, This I Swear [# 26 Hot 100/# 20 R&B in July b/w Tomorrow - also included] scored higher within the R&B market is even more surprising when you consider that the Pittsburgh quintet - lead Jimmy Beaumont, tenors Wally Lester and Janey Vogel, baritone Joe VerScharen, and bass voice/guitarist Jackie Taylor - were white.



In November 1959, however, their third release, It Happened One Day, only managed a # 59 Hot 100 b/w Lonely Way (not included). On all of their hits to this point they were backed by the orchestra of Lannie Martin. In July 1960 their fourth hit, Pennies From Heaven, was also limited to the pop charts, peaking at # 24 Hot 100 b/w I'll Be Seeing You (omitted here).



After that the group split up, with Beaumont going solo for the Colpix, May, Bang, Sceptor, and Capitol labels with mediocre results (Ev'rybody's Cryin', a # 100 Hot 100 in late 1961 for May Records was his only solo hit).



In 1965 Taylor then resurrected The Skyliners as lead singer, together with with Sharon Taylor, Tommy Davis, Gene Molinaro, and Robert Peckman and, on the Jubilee label, had a # 34 R&B/# 72 Hot 100 hit with The Loser [b/w Everything Is Fine - not part of this package].



In the late Sixties/early Seventies the original members got together again to perform at R&R revivals and even cut an LP for the Buddah label. Then, in early 1975, under the billing Jimmy Beaumont & The Skyliners, Where Have They Gone barely made the Hot 100 at # 100 b/w I Could Have Loved You So Well on the Capitol label. Neither is in this volume.



Sadly, Janet Vogel committed suicide on February 21, 1980 at the age of 38.



As I said, there is hardly an oldies multi-artist compilation out there that doesn't feature Since I Don't Have You, but I still recommend this volume as an essential addition to any serious oldies collection."