The Ames Brothers

A close-harmony vocal quartet during the 1950s, the Ames Brothers hit number one in 1950 with “Sentimental Me,” and found their biggest hit three years later with “You, You, You.”

Though they were indeed a family group, the Ames Brothers' surname was actually Urick. Joe, Gene, Vic and Ed were all born within six years of each other in Malden, Massachusetts. After winning a few talent contests in their hometown, the group moved to Boston and began performing in nightclubs. They soon made the jump to New York, and eventually to Los Angeles, where they signed with Coral records in 1949, moving to RCA Victor four years later.

Though the quartet continued to record throughout the ‘50s, the dawn of the rock and roll era tolled the end of their career. They managed two top ten hits in 1957 (“Tammy,” “Melodie d'Amour”), but folded in 1959. Ed, the youngest Ames brother, continued a performing career, appearing as a Native American on the Daniel Boone TV series, and eventually returning to music, scoring a top ten hit as a solo artist in 1967 with “My Cup Runneth Over.”