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This classic gem from 1959 is a "must have" to add to your music library! The harmonies are heavenly and brings you back to a simpler time and place. I don't recall my parents ever having this record. I wish they had, but I guess you can't have everything. I had heard "Come Softly to Me" and "Mr.Blue" on some of my various oldies compilations. I picked up a copy of the vinyl on Dolton Records, but it was badly scratched. I also found out this trio was from Olympia, Washington. I grew up in Washington state, but never knew this music existed until I started geting an interest in collecting music from the 50's and 60's. Gary Troxel, Gretchen Christopher and Barbara Ellis blend very well together and is not your typical vocal group. No sophisitication or gimmics added to their performance, just simple, pure and sweet harmonies. I am trying to find the other albums they did, especially "Softly" that has the hit, "Tragedy". I am glad to have the album "Mr. Blue" on CD.
I was recently watching a PBS program on Do-Wop. While I was occupied writing something, a man started singing on the program. I recognized the song and the voice. It was Mr. Blue by the Fleetwoods. When I looked up I saw an impeccably dressed older man and two equally impressively dressed older women singing this marvelous song. They sounded as good as they did when the song was originally recorded. I never really paid much attention to the Fleetwoods before I saw that performance. But they performed the song with such elegance and so professionally that I was blown away. I purchased this CD after that and I have to say that I am sorry I hadn't appreciated their music sooner. Their voices are soft and clear. Their harmonization is first rate. This CD does them justice since the people that released it were true to the original recordings. They resisted the impulse to "improve" the music with a bunch of added in background stuff. Perhaps the reviewer below takes the lack of added fluff as a poor quality CD. But, in fact, the opposite is true. This CD is first rate; both for the music and the quality of remastering and production. If you like the Fleetwoods or just like Do-Wop, get this CD. You won't be sorry.
DOLTON Records was a Seattle-based label founded in 1959 as DOLPHIN. The company's first single, "Come Softly To Me" was issued in mono and in stereo, the latter with flown-in bongos. A number of the 45s have the DOLPHIN label, but since there was already a "Dolphin" record company, the name was soon changed to DOLTON, with the original fish logo retained.
DOLTON's debut LP, The Fleetwoods' MR. BLUE, was issued in 1959 in both mono (BLP-2001) and stereo (BST-8001). It contains three of this trio's first four charters. According to Gretchen Christopher, she wrote "Come Softly to Me" while a student at Olympia High School. In a classic story of streetcorner singing, Barbara Ellis harmonized and Gary Troxel ad libbed the "dahm-dahm" part. Later in a Seattle studio, DOLTON co-founder Bob Reisdorff suggested that lyrics be added to Gary's part so that he could share the lead with Gretchen. Issued in March of 1959 with minimal instrumental backing, "Come Softly" was a nationwide #1 pop hit (#5 R&B and #6 in the UK).
Released 5/59, "Mr. Blue," their third charter, was another pop #1 (#3 R&B). Finally, "You Mean Everything to Me" reached the lower region of Billboard's Hot 100 (#84) after its October '59 debut.
SIDE ONE Confidential The Three Caballeros Raindrops, Teardrops You Mean Everything to Me Oh Lord Let it Be Come Softly to Me
SIDE TWO Serenade of the Bells Unchained Melody We Belong Together Come Go With Me I Care So Much Mr. Blue
First of all, I don't know what the other person was talking about. This CD is one of the finest sounding, highest quality discs I own. Everything is clean, clear, and unlike many other versions of these songs you've heard, *not* distorted! Now, for the album, it is a masterpiece. The "very best" CD is worth getting for the a capella versions, but this one is the one to listen to! Every tune has that familiar Fleetwoods sound, and remastering has done it much more justice this time (from VanMeter) than any other Sony/BMG/etc. company could. So much so that I skip over these tracks on the "Very Best" because they sound *so* much better in this issue. If you like even one of these tunes, get this disc and you will not be disappointed.
I have never gotten tired of The Fleetwoods and have listened to them for 35 years. This CD is such a poor quality .... The producers, "VanMeter Recording", give a big spiel on how the power of their music is lost in the early years of Stereo. Therefore, to preserve this "power", they recorded all 12 tunes in Mono and give you a remix of 3 of the tunes in Stereo. However, their own Mono recording is so full of pops and crackles the clearest ones are those in stereo. The sound is not recorded evenly for volume either. I am very disappointed and would have opted for a remix had I known this. (By the way, Mr Blue is not one of the remixes even though it is the lead song and title of the CD.)
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