Fred Parris, songwriter and lead singer of The Five Satins, died last week at the age of 85. He wrote “In the Still of the Night“in 1956, and recorded it in the basement of New Haven’s St. Bernadette Church school. Singers Al Denby, Ed Martin, Jim Freeman and Nat Mosley backed up Mr. Parrish with “shoo-doo-shooby-doo.” Doug Murray played bass, Curlee Glover was on piano, and Bobby Mapp on drums. There’s also a sax solo by Vinny Mazzetta, a St. Bernadette altarboy. The song title was originally rendered as “In the Still of the Nite” to differentiate it from a song by Cole Porter.
More:
“Fred Parris, ‘In the Still of the Night’ Songwriter and Five Satins Frontman, Dies at 85,” Steve Knopper, Billboard
“Fred Parris, ‘In the Still of the Night’ Songwriter and Five Satins Frontman, Dead at 85,” Greta Bjornson, People
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Tags: doo wop, Fred Parris, harmony groups, In the Still of the Night, music, musicians, obituaries, shoo-doo-shooby-doo, The Five Satins, vocal groups, vocal harmony groups
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