The Cascades (band)
| Company type | Vocal ensemble |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1960 |
| Headquarters | San Diego , United States |
| Products | Music recordings, singles, albums |
The Cascades were a vocal ensemble from the United States, primarily recognized for their 1962 global hit single "Rhythm of the Rain".
Career
In 1960, a group of United States Navy servicemen stationed in San Diego known as the Silver Strands brought John Gummoe on board initially as their manager. Following Gummoe's departure from the Navy, the band transformed into The Thundernotes, comprising John Claude "John" Gummoe (lead vocals), Lenny Green (vocals and lead guitar), Dave Wilson (drums and vocals), Dave Stevens (bass), and Art Eastlick (rhythm guitar). Their sole recording under this name was "Thunder Rhythm," released through DelFi Records. After Lenny Green left, Eddie Snyder (guitar), David Szabo (keyboards), Dave Stevens (bass), and Dave Wilson (drums) joined the lineup.
Drawing inspiration from the Beach Boys, the group emphasized vocal harmonies and signed with Barry De Vorzon at Valiant Records, a Warner Bros. affiliate. At this point, they adopted the name The Cascades. Their debut single, "There's a Reason," achieved modest regional success. In 1962, they recorded "Rhythm of the Rain," a track penned by Gummoe during his Navy tenure. This recording featured prominent session musicians from the Wrecking Crew, including Hal Blaine, Carol Kaye, and Glen Campbell, with arrangements by Perry Botkin Jr. Released in November 1962, the song climbed to No. 3 on the U.S. Billboard chart in early 1963 and reached No. 5 on the UK Singles Chart. It sold over one million copies, earning a gold disc certification.
Following this success, The Cascades issued an album and multiple singles such as "The Last Leaf," though none replicated their breakthrough hit's popularity. They sustained a strong presence on San Diego radio with tracks like "Truly Julie's Blues" and "Maybe the Rain Will Fall." The band performed regularly at local venues including The Cinnamon Cinder and embarked on extensive tours. In 1967, they appeared in the teen comedy film Catalina Caper, delivering a rendition of Ray Davies' "There's A New World Opening For Me."
In 1967, Gummoe departed to pursue a solo career and subsequently formed Kentucky Express; Gabe Lapano stepped in as lead vocalist. Tony Grasso joined the group while Owens and Snyder remained among the original members. The band eventually dissolved in 1975. Eddie Snyder later pursued a career in country music under the name Eddie Preston.
In 1990, Gummoe produced a dance remix of "Rhythm of the Rain." The Cascades reunited for tours in both the United States and the Philippines in 1995 and again in 2004, where they maintained a dedicated fan following.
A compilation CD featuring their hits was released in 1999. That same year, BMI ranked "Rhythm of the Rain" ninth on its list of "Top 100 Songs of the Century" based on U.S. airplay.
Guitarist Eddie Snyder (born 1941) passed away on January 28, 2023.
Members
- John Gummoe (born August 2, 1938) – lead vocals, vibraphone, keyboards, percussion (circa 1960–1967, reunited 1995, 2004, 2005–2007)
- Lenny Green – vocals, lead guitar (1960–1962)
- Art Eastlick – rhythm guitar (1960–circa 1961/1962)
- Eddie Snyder (1941–2023) – guitar (circa 1961/1962–1975)
- David Szabo (born November 11, 1942) – keyboards (circa 1961/1962–circa 1967)
- Dave Stevens – bass guitar (circa 1961/1962–circa 1967)
- Dave Wilson (circa 1936–2000) – backing vocals and drums (circa 1961/1962–1975)
- Gabe Lapano – lead vocals, backing vocals, keyboards (circa 1967–1975; reunited 2005–2007)
- Tony Grasso (born circa 1942) – backing vocals, bass guitar (circa 1967–1975; reunited 2005–2007)
- Chuck Crews – guitar and musical director (around 2005)
- Ron Lynch (around 2005)
Studio albums
| Year | Album | Billboard 200 | Record label |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1963 | Rhythm of the Rain | 111 | Valiant Records |
| 1968 | What Goes on Inside | – | Blossom Records |
| 1969 | Maybe the Rain Will Fall | – | Uni Records |
Compilation albums
| Year | Album | Record label |
|---|---|---|
| 1999 | The Very Best of The Cascades | Taragon Records |
| 2001 | The Cascades: Hits and Rarities | Valiant Records |
| 2006 | All The Way To Yesterday | Warner Music Philippines |
| 2014 | Rhythms of Their Reign 1962-1966 | Teensville Records |
Remix albums
| Year | Album | Record label |
|---|---|---|
| 2007 | 'The Cascades Goes Ballroom: The Dense Modesto Remixes' (collaboration with DJ Dense Modesto) | Warner Music Philippines |
Singles
Additional singles were issued through various labels including RCA Victor, Charter Records, Liberty Records, Arwin Records, Smash Records, Probe Records, and Can-Base Records, with diverse chart results.| Year | Title | Peak chart positions | Record label | B-side | Album | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | AC | R&B | AUS | CAN | NZ | UK | |||||
| 1962 | "There's a Reason" | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | Valiant Records | "Second Chance" | Rhythm of the Rain |
| "Rhythm of the Rain" | 3 | 1 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 5 | "Let Me Be" | |||
| 1963 | "Shy Girl" | "91" | "–" | "–" | "–" | "11" | "–" | "–" | "The Last Leaf" (BB No. 60, AUS No. 94, CAN No. 11) | ||
| "My First Day Alone" | "–" | "–" | "–" | "–" | "–" | "–" | "–" | "I Wanna Be Your Lover" | |||
| "A Little Like Lovin'" | "116" | "–" | "–" | "–" | "–" | "–" | "–" | ||||
| "For Your Sweet Love" | "86" | "–" | "–" | "–" | "–" | "–" | "–" | ||||
| "Those Were the Good Old Days" | "–" | "–" | "–" | "–" | "–" | "–" | "–" | ||||
| "I Dare You to Try" | "–" | "–" | "–" | "–" | "–" | "–" | "–" | ||||
| "She Was Never Really Mine (to Lose)" | "–" | "–" | "–" | "–" | "–" | "–" | "–" | ||||
| '65 "She'll Love Again"' | '—' | '—' | '—' | '—' | '—' | '—' | '—' | ||||
| '66 "Cheryl's Goin' Home"' | '131' | '—' | '—' | '—' | '—' | '—' | '—' | ||||
| '66 "All's Fair in Love and War"' | '—' | '—' | '—' | '—' | '—' | '—' | '—' | ||||
| '67 "Hey Little Girl of Mine"' | '—' | '—' | '—' | '—' | '—' | '—' | '—' | ||||
| '67 "Flying on the Ground"' | '—' | '—' | '—' | '—' | '—' | '—' | '—' | ||||
| '69 "Two Sided Man"' | '—' | '—' | '—' | '—' | '—' | '—' | '—' | ||||
| '69 "Maybe the Rain Will Fall"' | '61' | '—' | '—' | '—' | '39' | '—' | '—' | ||||
External links
- Articles with short description
- Musical groups formed in 1960
- Musical groups disbanded in 1975
- Musical groups originating from San Diego
- American five-member bands
- American pop ensembles
- Artists signed to Arwin Records
- Artists under RCA Victor
- Smash Records recording artists
- Liberty Records performers
- Warner Records musicians
- 1960 establishments in California
- Musical groups disestablished in 1975