The year they released their second album, “Surfin’ U.S.A.,” was also one of the last years the Beach Boys were a pure pop group. Their sun-and-fun sound had them dismissed by most critics, yet teens loved the sounds of their songs. With distinguishing vocal harmonies and musical ingenuity, they became one of the most influential acts of the rock era.
They were one of the few American bands who maintained their standing during the British Invasion in the sixties. Their 1966 album “Pet Sounds” and its single “Good Vibrations” made them rock innovators. Though members have passed away or quit, the band continues to perform.
Andy Gibb (1970s- 1980s)
British-born singer Andy Gibb had star power in his family. He was the younger brother of Bee Gees members Barry, Robin, and Maurice Gibb, but he didn't need to be part of the family act to get his own fame. His first album “Flowing Rivers” proved he had the musical chops, and he got his first number one song, “I Just Want to Be Your Everything,” when he was nineteen years old.
Three more top twenty singles followed the hit, and then Gibb fell into addiction and depression. When he turned thirty, he attempted a comeback but died just a few days later due to myocarditis – inflammation and weakness of the heart due to substance abuse.
The Hudson Brothers (1970s)
These brothers only rose to prominence thanks to the established star power of “The Sonny & Cher Show.” Less than a year later, in 1975, the brothers had their own variety show, “The Hudson Brothers Show.” They later moved on to children's programming with “The Hudson Brothers Razzle Dazzle Show.”
The same year they began their variety show, they had two songs – out of four – that made it to the Billboard Hot 100: “Rendezvous” and “Lonely School Year.” The musical talent didn't stop there – one of the brothers, Bill, met and married Goldie Hawn in 1975 when Hawn was pregnant with their daughter, none other than actress Kate Hudson.
Mark Wynter (1960s – 1970s)
While he began his entertainment career as Terry Lewis, he decided to switch to Mark Wynter to avoid confusion with famous comedian Jerry Lewis. Wynter placed fourth in the 1961 edition of the Eurovision Song Contest, but that didn't stop him.
He recorded a cover version of the Jimmy Clanton hit “Venus in Blue Jeans,” which helped him find big success, though none of his other musical outputs would reach the same heights. His musical career continued until 1968, at which point he developed into an actor in films, musicals, and plays – he even appeared in the 1978 “Superman” movie.
Troy Shondell (1960s)
While “This Time” was Troy Shondell's biggest – and only – hit, he had been writing and performing music for almost ten years, since he was fourteen. Until that point, while his songs had been well-received, they hadn't made it to the charts. “This Time,” however, made him an international star, charting both in the United States and the United Kingdom.
However, Shondell turned out to be a one-hit-wonder, and he follow-up “Tears From An Angel” saw no chart success. Yet Shondell continued to write and perform until 2010 when he called it quits. In January of 2016, he died from complications of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease.