Lillian Leach facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Lillian Leach Boyd
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Lillian Leach |
| Born | December 20, 1936 Harlem, New York City |
| Died | April 26, 2013 (aged 76) The Bronx, New York City |
| Genres | Doo-wop |
| Occupation(s) | Singer |
| Instruments | Vocals |
| Years active | 1950s–2000s |
| Labels | Jay-Dee, Celeste, Candlelight |
Lillian Leach (born December 20, 1936 – died April 26, 2013) was an American singer. She was also known as Lillian Leach Boyd after she got married. Lillian was the main singer for a doo-wop group called The Mellows. They were from The Bronx, New York City. People loved her clear, sweet voice and her gentle singing style. The Mellows had several popular songs in the 1950s. Some of their hits included "Smoke From Your Cigarette" and "Yesterday's Memories."
Contents
Lillian's Life and Music Career
Lillian Leach was born in Harlem, a neighborhood in New York City. She grew up in the Morrisania area of The Bronx. As a child, she loved to sing in church. She also sang in local talent shows.
In 1953, when she was 16, Lillian met some young men at a party. Their names were Harold Johnson, John Wilson, and Norman "Polecat" Brown. They were singing together, and Lillian joined in. The boys were so impressed that they asked her to join their group. Lillian was surprised because, back then, most singing groups were only for boys.
The Mellows' Early Days
The group decided to call themselves The Mellows. They chose this name because they liked to sing slow, gentle songs called ballads. In 1954, they recorded four songs with a record company called Jay-Dee. One of their songs, "Smoke From Your Cigarette," became very popular. It was played often on a radio show hosted by Alan Freed. In 1955, this song made it into the Top 10 list for R&B (Rhythm and Blues) music in New York.
Lillian also wrote one of their songs, "I Still Care." This was her only songwriting credit. The Mellows also performed live at places like Club Baby Grand in Harlem. Lillian sometimes felt very nervous before performing on stage.
Changing Record Labels
In 1955, The Mellows moved to a new record company called Celeste. Arthur Crier and Gary Morrison joined the group around this time. They recorded two more songs. They also recorded many other songs that were never officially released.
Later, they switched to another record company called Candlelight. Things became more difficult there. On their first song with Candlelight, Lillian's name was printed incorrectly as "Lillian Lee." On their next song, Lillian only sang backup for another singer named Carl Spencer. Finally, in 1958, The Mellows recorded two more songs for Apollo Records, "So Strange" and "Be Mine." But these songs were never released either. After years of hard work with little to show for it, the group broke up in 1958.
Returning to Music
After The Mellows broke up, Lillian stopped singing for a while. She worked in a factory. A few years later, she became a housewife and raised her son, Sean.
In 1984, Lillian was asked to rejoin The Mellows. This new version of the group included Arthur Crier, Eugene Tompkins, and Gary Morrison (who was later replaced by Sammy Fain). The group performed at many famous places over the next twenty years. They sang at Radio City Music Hall in 1984 and the Apollo Theater in 1987. In 1985, they helped create a special song called "Don't Let Them Starve." This song was a benefit recording to help people, and many R&B artists joined in. In 1994, Lillian also joined another group called the Morrisania Revue.
Lillian's last public performance was in 2006. She sang with a group called the Cliftonaires at a show for the United in Group Harmony Association. Lillian Leach passed away in 2013 from lung cancer.
Lillian's Influence on Music
Lillian Leach was one of the few female doo-wop singers in the 1950s. Her unique voice helped open doors for other female singers in soul and R&B music. Many later artists, like the Chantels and the Shirelles, have said that Lillian influenced them. A book called Notable Moments of Women in Music described her as "one of the premier R&B lead singers of the fifties." This means she was one of the best R&B singers of her time.
The famous rock musician Lou Reed was a big fan of doo-wop music. He really admired Lillian Leach and The Mellows. In a 2011 article, Lou Reed put "Smoke From Your Cigarette" at the top of his list of favorite songs. He said, "Lillian Leach has a beautiful, sad voice." He even mentioned the song when he spoke about Dion at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1989.
Even though The Mellows never had a song that became a national chart hit, many of their songs are now considered doo-wop classics. Lillian Leach and The Mellows were also featured in a 1994 TV show called Voices of Doo-Wop. This show was part of the National Geographic Explorer series and was all about doo-wop music.
Discography
- "How Sentimental Can I Be?"/"Nothin' To Do", 1954, Jay-Dee Records
- "Smoke From Your Cigarette"/"Pretty Baby What's Your Name", 1955, Jay-Dee Records
- "I Was A Fool To Let You Go"/"I Still Care", 1955, Jay-Dee Records
- "Yesterday's Memories"/"Lovable Lily", 1955, Jay-Dee Records
- "My Darling"/"Lucky Guy", 1956, Celeste
- "I'm Yours"/"Sweet Lorraine", 1956, Celeste
- "Moon Of Silver"/"You've Gone", 1956, Candlelight (as Lillian Lee)
- "Farewell, Farewell"/"No More Loneliness" (with Carl Spencer), 1957, Candlelight
- The Mellows: Live In Concert, 2003, Tri-Track CD
