The Newbeats
| Company type | Vocal group |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1964 |
| Founder | Larry Henley, Dean Mathis, Mark Mathis |
| Defunct | 1974 |
| Headquarters | United States |
| Products | Music recordings |
Number of employees | 3 |
The Newbeats were an American pop vocal trio from the 1960s, fronted by Larry Henley, and are most recognized for their chart-topping tracks such as "Bread and Butter" and "Run, Baby Run".
Members
The lineup included:
- Larry Henley (Lawrence Joel Henley, born June 30, 1937 – died December 18, 2014)
- Dean Mathis (Louis Aldine Mathis, born March 17, 1939)
- Mark Mathis (Marcus Felton Mathis, born February 9, 1942)
Biography
Musically skilled from an early age under their mother's guidance, brothers Dean and Mark Mathis mastered several instruments. They were active in various bands throughout their high school years in Georgia and decided to pursue careers in music after finishing school. Dean became a member of Paul Howard's Western swing ensemble in 1956; Mark later joined him. Together, they recorded as Dean & Marc with Chess Records, achieving moderate success with their 1959 single "Tell Him No", which climbed to no. 42 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100.
In Shreveport, Louisiana, the brothers formed an eight-piece group where they crossed paths with Larry Henley. Following stints performing solo and as a duo, the three collaborated on a demo for "Bread and Butter," which led to a recording contract with Hickory Records.
Penned by Larry Parks and Jay Turnbow, "Bread and Butter" became their signature hit, reaching no. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and selling over a million copies domestically. The Newbeats continued releasing singles under Hickory Records until 1972, including the notable "Run, Baby Run," which peaked at no. 12 in 1965. The band later signed deals with Buddah and Playboy Records before disbanding in 1974.
During the early '70s Northern soul revival, their work experienced a resurgence; notably, "Run, Baby Run" attained no. 10 on the UK Singles Chart. Other tracks such as "Don't Turn Me Loose" and "Crying My Heart Out Over You" have maintained popularity within soul music circles.
Larry Henley went on to co-author the acclaimed song "Wind Beneath My Wings." In 2002, he teamed up with Bruce Channel and Ricky Ray Hector for a project named Original Copy.
"Bread and Butter" has been featured in movies like Simon Birch (1998) and Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004), along with various commercial advertisements. Meanwhile, "Run, Baby Run" was included in John Carpenter's horror film The Ward (2010).
Larry Henley passed away at age 77 on December 18, 2014.
Albums
| Year | Album | Billboard Chart | Record Label |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1964 | Bread & Butter | 56 | Hickory Records |
| 1965 | Big Beat Sounds by The Newbeats | – | |
| Run Baby Run | 131 |
Singles
See also
External links
- The Newbeats Discography, Hickory Sessionography and Reviews archived on November 14, 2007, at the Internet Archive
- Interview with Larry Henley featured in the International Songwriters Association's "Songwriter Magazine"
| Year | Title | Peak chart positions | Record Label | B-side | Album | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | UK | AUS | CAN | |||||
| 1964 | "Bread and Butter" | 2 | 15 | 8 | 1 | Hickory Records | "Tough Little Buggy" | Bread & Butter |
| "Everything's Alright" | 16 | – | 53 | 6 | "Pink Dally Rue" | |||
| 1965 | "Break Away (from That Boy)" | 40 | – | 7 | 15 | "Hey-O-Daddy-O" (BB no. 118) | Big Beat Sounds by The Newbeats | |
| "((The Bees Are for the Birds) The Birds Are for the Bees)" | 50 | – | 41 | 35 | "Better Watch Your Step" | |||
| "Little Child" | – | – | – | – | "I Can't Hear You No More" | Run Baby Run | ||
| "Run, Baby Run (Back Into My Arms)" | 12 | 10 | 66 | 4 | "Mean Woolly Willie" | |||