I’ve been letting this part of Roomyverse slip of late, sorry. I’m getting ready to move and all my spare time is being taken up with packing and preparation. I have so much to organise that sharing the odd audio nugget or two has dropped down my to-do list. So, if you could bear with me as my time gets even more precious and prioritised over the next few months, that would be appreciated.

The Gaylords were a vocal trio who had a run of chart success from 1952 to 1954. They sang Italian American versions of the hits of the day. One single, “Tell Me You’re Mine,” sold over a million copies and reached number 3 in the American chart, but soon the novelty wore off. They continued to perform, but The Gaylords left the charts as Rock and Roll moved in.

Along the way an original Gaylord dropped out, but the two remaining members – renamed Gaylord & Holiday - kept on lording it up until 2003. Despite Ronnie Gaylord dying the following year, surviving original member Bonaldo Bonaldi is still alive and performing with Ron Gaylord Jr. They’re still out there, somewhere.

It’s not known whether they were an influence on Chicago’s Gaylords, a notorious street gang that ruled the Northwest side of Chicago from the mid sixties until the late seventies, but their version of Yakety Yak may have caught the ear of a young Joe Dolce - The Gaylord’s used the phrase “Shaddap You Face” on record some 20 odd years before Dolce turned it into a hit single. There is currently a Facebook campaign to get the Joe Dolce song back to the number one spot but, frankly, I’d rather see The Gaylord’s top the charts and then never be bothered by a Facebook chart campaign again. Maybe that’s just me though?

Thanks for listening

Head Chef