Twinn Connexion
| Company type | Vocal duo |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1960s |
| Headquarters | New York City , United States |
| Products | Music albums, singles |
Twinn Connexion was a vocal duo consisting of identical twins Jerry and Jay Hopkins. Under contract with Decca Records, they issued a self-titled album in 1968 that included compositions by Jerry Keller and David Blume. Their musical approach blended pop harmonies with elements of soft rock and folk rock, genres that were prominent during the late 1960s. Jay Hopkins passed away on September 6, 2001, followed by Jerry Hopkins on October 1, 2022.
Their tracks have been featured on various sunshine pop compilation albums. On May 18, 2010, Now Sounds released a digitally remastered and expanded version of their original 1968 record.
Early years
Jerry and Jay Hopkins, born on January 15, 1941, in Helena, Montana, began performing together during their elementary school years and participated in productions at the Old Brewery Theatre summer stock playhouse. They gained national exposure as the Imperial Margarine twins in a television commercial, reprising roles from the stage production The Remarkable Mr. Pennypacker. During high school, they led a local weekly television program titled "Teen Time Varieties".
After completing studies at the University of Montana, they relocated to New York City in January 1963. There, they engaged in Off-Broadway theatrical performances, contributed to costume and set design, and maintained day employment while regularly appearing at coffeehouses and clubs in Greenwich Village. Their talents caught the attention of Bill Downer, an executive at Decca Records.
Recording history
Following their contract with Decca Records, Twinn Connexion collaborated with producer Jerry Keller, songwriter Dave Blume, and session musicians associated with the Carolyn Hester Coalition to produce an album. Their debut single for Decca, "Sixth Avenue Stroll," was released in July 1968 and received favorable remarks from Record World, which described it as an upbeat track poised to resonate with young audiences. The duo’s eponymous album was issued in October of the same year, featuring the brothers dressed in distinctive yellow and white Nehru jackets on its cover.
In the July 20, 1968 edition of Billboard, the song "Oh What Lovely Day" was spotlighted for its commercial potential under the "Special Merit Spotlight" designation. Their last single for Decca, "I Think I Know Him," appeared late in 1968; it earned praise from Cash Box for its vocal delivery and instrumental arrangement. The flip side included a rendition of The Cyrkle’s "Turn-Down Day", also penned by Keller and Blume.
Later careers
After Decca Records was acquired by Westinghouse Electric, promotional efforts for Twinn Connexion diminished considerably. Jerry Hopkins pursued further education to obtain an art degree and settled in Woodstock, New York. Meanwhile, Jay Hopkins shifted to a career as a metals trader on Wall Street until his death due to heart failure in September 2001.
Twinn Connexion’s music has been included in compilations such as Morning Glory Daze: Universal Soft Rock Collection, Vol. 2 (1997) and Get Easy! Sunshine Pop Collection (2003). Their original album saw a reissue in 2010 through Now Sounds, part of Cherry Red Records. Later that year, Big Pink Music released Songs from the Heart, a collection of remastered previously unreleased material, targeting audiences in Korea and Japan.
Jerry Hopkins died on October 1, 2022, after enduring a prolonged fight with cancer.
Currently, Jay Blotcher, a close associate of Jerry Hopkins, is promoting the Twinn Connexion screenplay co-authored by Hopkins and Robert Cessna in 2005.
Twinn Connexion (1968)
Issued by Decca Records on October 4, 1968, this album showcased compositions by Jerry Keller and David Blume. It blended pop vocal harmonies with elements characteristic of late 1960s soft rock and folk rock.
The duo's work experienced a resurgence in popularity after being recognized as part of the sunshine pop movement of the 1960s. Their songs were featured on numerous well-known sunshine pop anthologies, which increased interest in the original release. Consequently, vintage copies became highly sought after by collectors and achieved premium prices.
On May 18, 2010, Now Sounds released a digitally remastered and expanded version of the album, adding eight bonus tracks. Accompanying this edition is a 24-page booklet containing liner notes from three-time Grammy® nominee Sheryl Farber, along with insights from surviving member Jerry Hopkins.
Track listing
- "Sixth Avenue Stroll"
- "I Think I'll Just Go and Find Me a Flower"
- "I Think I Know Him"
- "Dilemma"
- "Turn Down Day"
- "The Music Turns Me On"
- "Foolin' Around"
- "Wind Me Up and I Dance"
- "Summer Sadness"
- "Young and Free"
- "Oh What a Lovely Day"
- Bonus tracks on reissue
- "The Silent Parade"
- "Think I Will"
- "Mary"
- "Reach Out to Meet Myself"
- "Turn Down Day" (Mono Single Version)
- "I Think I Know Him" (Mono Single Version)
- "Oh What a Lovely Day" (Mono Single Version)
- "Sixth Avenue Stroll" (Mono Single Version)
Albums
- Twinn Connexion (Decca, 1968; expanded reissue by Now Sounds, 2010)
- Songs from the Heart (Big Pink, 2010)
Singles
- "Your Porch Swing Squeaks" (Columbia, 1968)
- "Sixth Avenue Stroll" (Decca, 1968)
- "I Think I Know Him" (Decca, 1968)