The Sandpipers
| Company type | Vocal trio |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1960s |
| Founder | Jim Brady, Mike Piano, Richard Shoff |
| Products | Music albums, singles |
The Sandpipers were a American easy listening vocal trio recognized during the 1960s for their distinctive folk rock harmonies and creative adaptations of global ballads and popular standards. Their most notable success came with the cover version of "Guantanamera", which reached the Top 10 on transatlantic charts in 1966, along with the Top 20 hit "Come Saturday Morning" featured in the 1970 film The Sterile Cuckoo.
Performing songs in various languages such as English, Spanish, French, Italian, Portuguese, Latin, and Tagalog, the Sandpipers achieved seven albums on the Billboard 200 between 1966 and 1970, alongside more than twelve charting singles.
Career
The original trio—Jim Brady (born August 24, 1944), Mike Piano (born October 26, 1944), and Richard Shoff (born April 30, 1944)—initially sang together in the Robert Mitchell Boy Choir. They formed a group called the Four Seasons with Nick Cahuernga but later renamed themselves the Grads to avoid confusion with the more famous Four Seasons. After limited achievements as the Grads, they secured a performance engagement at Harrah's Lake Club where Herb Alpert of A&M Records discovered them. Despite an initial unsuccessful single and a subsequent name change to the Sandpipers, producer Tommy LiPuma encouraged them to record "Guantanamera", which became their defining hit.
The inclusion of female backing vocalists like Kathy Westmoreland and Pamela Ramcier added a delicate layer to their sound; numerous backup singers contributed both in studio recordings and live performances, helping to shape their recognizable style.
"Guantanamera" entered US charts in September 1966 and soon after appeared on UK charts as well, earning Grammy nominations for Best Vocal Group and receiving gold record certifications. Their catalog also featured renditions of songs such as "Louie Louie," "The French Song," and selections from movies including The Sterile Cuckoo and Beyond the Valley of the Dolls.
Their 1966 album Guantanamera garnered a Grammy nod for Best Album Cover. In 1967, they collaborated with Baldwin Piano Company on musical instrument promotion initiatives.
Following a South African tour in 1968, they competed at Italy’s renowned Festival di Sanremo, performing "Quando M'Innamoro," which achieved sixth place. This composition later gained broader recognition through other artists' interpretations.
In 1969, the group toured Europe with performances in key cities such as London and Berlin. Their track "Come Saturday Morning" was nominated for Best Original Song at the Academy Awards in 1970, where they performed live during the ceremony.
Throughout the mid-1970s, lineup shifts occurred with Michael Piano leaving and being succeeded by Michael Brady, Gary Duckworth, and Ralph Nichols. The group's final single release came in 1979 with "Singapore Girl," featuring only Brady and Shoff.
Michael Piano died on December 29, 2014, in Kauaʻi, Hawaii; Jim Brady passed away on May 5, 2019, in Durango, Colorado.
Other groups named Sandpipers
- Between 1965 and 1966, a female group from Pensacola, Florida briefly toured and recorded under the name Sandpipers; they were supported by an early version of Gregg and Duane Allman’s band known as the Allman Joys. After releasing "Guantanamera," they changed their name to the Daisies.
- Another act called the Sandpipers (also known as Golden Sandpipers) recorded for Golden Records, notably performing the theme for Mighty Mouse, considered both its most famous and possibly original version.
- A South African folk rock ensemble active during the 1960s also bore the name Sandpipers.
- The Sandpipers name was used by a female choral group at Albertus Magnus College, who issued an LP in 1961.
- A South Florida trio consisting of Art Williams, Wally Pape, and Billy Stuart released one album titled The Singin', Swingin' Sandpipers in 1965 on the Art label.
- A New York-based group issued a single under the Sandpipers name in 1966 on Kismet Records.
- A Detroit ensemble released one single as Sandpipers in 1966 through Giant Records.
- The Cypress label from Nashville distributed a single by a group called The Sand Pipers in 1966.
- An LP was released by Florida Presbyterian College’s Concert Choir and Sandpipers during the 1960s.
- In Malaysia during the 1960s, a group named Sandpipers produced three EPs: Hey Tak Malu (featuring Azim Chan) on Maria Records; plus Nyatakan Lah Pada Ku and Deritaan Insan (with Siti Khatijah Hamid) on Playboy Records.
- An instrumental band from Mason City, Iowa released an album titled The Sandpipers Play Fiesta! and Other Favorites in the late 1960s via Fredlo Records; it included several covers of Herb Alpert’s works.
- In 1975, Gary Lane and Chris Beckett collaborated with a group called The Sandpipers on a country/western LP named Silver Dollar Saloon and an EP titled Irish Eyes.
Albums
Unless specified otherwise, all U.S. albums were issued by A&M Records. Variations in titles, cover art, and track listings occurred in some international editions.
- Guantanamera (LP-117*/SP-4117, 1966, reached No. 13)
- The Sandpipers (LP-125*/SP-4125, 1967, peaked at No. 53)
- Misty Roses (LP-135*/SP-4135, 1967, attained No. 135)
- Softly (SP-4147, 1968, No. 180)
- Spanish Album (SP-4159, 1969)
- The Wonder of You (SP-4180, 1969, reached No. 194)
- Second Spanish Album (AMLS-969, 1970) — UK edition
- Come Saturday Morning (SP-4262, 1970, No. 96)
- A Gift of Song (SP-4328, 1971)
- Overdue (Satril SATL 4006, 1976) — released in the UK
- Ay, Ay, Ay, Manila! (RCA XFPLI-021, 1977) — Philippine market release
*Mono
EPs
- Misty Roses (A&M SP-425, 1967), a six-track jukebox EP issued in various countries including Australia, Brazil, France, Germany, Iran, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Portugal, Singapore, Spain, and the UK. The track list varied by region and featured songs such as "Cuando Salí de Cuba," "Guantanamera," and "Come Saturday Morning."
Compilations
- I Successi Dei Sandpipers (A&M POP 79, 1969; Italy release)
- Greatest Hits (A&M SP-4246, 1970; peaked at No. 160) — Contains ten selections from the first four albums; also issued in Japan and Spain under the title Grandes Exitos, with a distinct cover for the UK edition
- Softly as I Leave You (A&M AMLS 975, 1970; UK) — Fourteen tracks drawn from five earlier albums
- Michelle (A&M/Summit SRA-250-081, 1970; Australia) — Features eleven songs from three albums
- La Bamba (A&M/Mayfair AMLB 51030, 1971; UK) — Twelve tracks compiled from five albums
- Golden Double Deluxe (A&M AMW-23, 1971; Japan) — A double LP released by King Record Co., also available in New Zealand as Double Deluxe
- Golden Prize (A&M GP-207, 1971; Japan)
- Stars in Gold (A&M 80 828 XT, 1972; Germany) — Double LP with twenty-four tracks including a poster of the band
- Sweet with a Beat (Reader's Digest RDS 7096, 1973; Germany) — Split album featuring seven tracks by The Sandpipers and seven by Judith Durham
- Foursider (A&M SP-6015, 1973) — Double LP compiling twenty songs from all seven studio releases
- Portrait Of The Sandpipers (A&M AMLC4004, 1973; UK) — Double LP including thirty tracks encompassing all songs from both the Spanish Album and the Second Spanish Album
- O Melhor De (Opus/Columbia 413.615, 1984; Brazil)
- Very Best Of (A&M Audio Master Plus Series 396911-2, 1986; West Germany)
- The Sandpipers: A&M Gold Series (A&M D25Y3263, 1988; Japan)
- The Sandpipers: Digitally Remastered Best (Universal/A&M 487252, 1998)
Soundtracks
- The Sterile Cuckoo (Paramount PAS-5009, 1970) — Included "Come Saturday Morning" alongside other selections
- Beyond the Valley of the Dolls (20th Century Fox TFS 4211, 1970) — Featured the title song twice; saw numerous CD reissues
- Beerfest (Element ABA0098, 2006) — Included the track "Enamorado"
- The Wrecking Crew (Rockbeat ROC 3313, 2008) — Showcased "Guantanamera"
Appearances
- Million Dollar Sound Sampler (A&M LP-9001, 1966) – featured the track "Strangers in the Night"
- Family Portrait - 16 Outstanding Selections From A&M Records (A&M SP-19002, 1967) – included "Fly Me to the Moon"; issued in Australia under the title The 16 Greats
- As 13 De Sorte (Fermata FB-179, Brazil) – contained "Guantanamera" and "Strangers in the Night"
- San Remo '68 (CGD FG 5038, Italy) – showcased "Quando M'Innamoro"
- Armed Forces Radio & Television Station Library (RL 9-8, 1968) – featured "The French Song" and "Bon Soir Dame"
- Jewel Box (A&M SP-19006, 1969) – included "Cancion De Amor (Wanderlove)"
- Burt Bacharach & Friends (A&M SP-19007, 1969) – presented "Where There's a Heartache"; released in the UK as Tribute to Burt Bacharach
- Introducing Stereo '70 (A&M AMLB 1002, UK) and Introducing Stereo '71 (RCA/Camden CAM/S-538, Mexico) – featured "The Windmills of Your Mind" and "Cuando Salí De Cuba"
- Numerous international compilations during the early 1970s highlighted significant songs such as "Windmills of Your Mind," "The Wind Will Change Tomorrow," and "The World Is a Circle"
- Subsequent collections included contributions to albums like Family Portrait, The Best of Louie, Louie, and Rhino's folk anthologies featuring Jim Brady's re-recordings
- The group’s hallmark songs including "Guantanamera," "Louie Louie," and "Come Saturday Morning" appeared on various retrospective box sets, notably A&M Records' History series released in Japan
Singles
| Year | Title (A-side / B-side) (Songwriters) |
Highest chart rankings | Label & catalog number | Album | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Hot 100 | US A/C | UK | CAN | CAN A/C | ||||
| 1962 | "Once Again" (DeVorzon-Chandler) "White Steeple" (Chandler-McKendry) |
— | — | — | — | — | Valiant 6023 | — |
| 1964 | "It Happened Once Before" (Troup) "Their Hearts Were Full of Spring"(Troup) |
— | — | — | — | — | MGM K13216 | — |
| "The Wild One" (Usher-Christian) "The Cool One" (Curb) |
— | — | — | — | — | Mercury 72346 | — | |
| 1966 | "Everything in the Garden" (Greenaway) "Stage Door" (Goffin-King) |
— | — | — | — | — | A&M 797 | — |
| "Guantanamera" (Fernández) "What Makes You Dream, Pretty Girl?" (Wilson-Garson) |
9 | 3 | 7 | 10 | — | A&M 806 | Guantanamera | |
| "Louie Louie" (Berry) "Things We Said Today" (Lennon-McCartney) |
30 | 24 | — | 29 | — | A&M 819 | ||
| 1967 | "For Baby" (Denver) "La Bamba" (Traditional, adapted by Garson-LiPuma) |
— | 31 | — | — | — | A&M 835 | Guantanamera / The Sandpipers |
| "Glass" (Sheldon-Marks) "It's Over" (Rodgers) |
112 | — | — | — | — | A&M 851 | ||
| "The French Song" (Pease-Vincent) "Bon Soir Dame" (Bud Dashiell) |
— | 20 | — | — | — | A&M 861 | ||
| "Cuando Salí de Cuba" (Aguilé, English narration Kusik-Snyder) "Softly as I Leave You" (Calabrese-Shaper-De Vita) |
— | 3 | — | — | — | A&M 880 | ||
| "Quando M'Innamoro (A Man Without Love)" (Livraghi-Mason-Pace-Panzeri) "Wooden Heart" (Wise-Weisman-Twomey-Kaempfert) |
124 | 16 | 33 | — | — | A&M 939 | Softly / Misty Roses | |
| "Softly" (Lightfoot) "Cancion De Amor (Wanderlove)" (Williams-Mapel) |
— | 39 | — | — | — | A&M 968 | ||
| "Reason to Believe" (Hardin) "To Put Up with You" (Williams-Nichols) |
— | — | — | — | — | A&M AMS 730 (UK) | ||
| "Let Go!" (Powell-Gimbel-DeMoraes) "Suzanne" (Cohen) |
— | 36 | — | — | — | A&M 997 | ||
| "The Wonder of You" (Knight) "That Night" (Gimbel-Schifrin) |
— | — | — | — | — | A&M 1044 | ||
| "Temptation" (Freed-Brown) "Wave" (Jobim) |
||||||||
Grammy Awards
| Year | Award Category | Work Nominated | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1967 | Grammy Award for Best Contemporary (R&R) Group Performance | Guantanamera | Template:Nom |
| 1967 | Grammy Award for Best Performance by a Vocal Group | Guantanamera | Template:Nom |
- In 1967, photographer Peter Whorf was recognized with a nomination for Grammy Award for Best Recording Package due to his work on the album cover of Guantanamera.
- Composer Fred Karlin earned a 1971 nomination for Grammy Award for Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media for the soundtrack of The Sterile Cuckoo, which included Sandpipers' performances such as Come Saturday Morning. This track also garnered a nomination for the 1970 Academy Award for Best Original Song, with the Sandpipers delivering the performance at the 42nd Academy Awards.
See also
- List of folk musicians
- List of former A&M Records artists
- List of artists who have covered The Beatles