Don & Dewey

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Frank Zappa holding Don & Dewey's 1970 compilation record They’re Rockin’ ‘Til Midnight, Rollin’ ‘Til Dawn!.

Don & Dewey were an American rock 'n' roll band, of which Don Harris and Dewey Terry were the members. Terry (born in 1937) and Harris (born in 1938) both hailed from Pasadena, California. Around 1954 they joined a band named The Squires, who released a record in 1955.[1] When The Squires split Don & Dewey recorded as a duo. Harris played electric violin and guitar, while Dewey performed guitar and keyboards. Between 1957 and 1959 Don & Dewey recorded many singles for the label Specialty, none of which became a hit: "Jungle Hop" (1957), "Leavin' It All Up to You" (1957), "Koko Joe" (written by Sonny Bono, 1958), "Justine" (1958), "Big Boy Pete" (1959), "Farmer John" (1959) and "The Jolly Green Giant". In 1960 they split. Yet many of their tracks would later be covered and become hit singles for other musicians. The Olympics brought "Big Boy" Pete to the hit parade in 1960. "I'm Leaving It Up to You" became a hit for Dale & Grace in 1963. The Premiers scored a hit with "Farmer John" in 1964.

Don & Dewey had a short-lived reunion in 1964, playing briefly for Little Richard's band. After that they each went their own ways. Harris passed away in 1999, Terry in 2003.

Don & Dewey and Zappa

Zappa owned the compilation record Art Laboe's Memories Of El Monte (1960), on which Leavin' It All Up to You by Don & Dewey was a track. In The Real Frank Zappa Book (1989) Zappa wrote: "Don was also an R&B fiend, so I'd bring my 45s over and we'd listen for hours on end to obscure hits by the Howlin' Wolf, Muddy Waters, Sonny Boy Williamson, Guitar Slim, Johnny "Guitar" Watson, Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown, Don & Dewey, the Spaniels, the Nutmegs, the Paragons, the Orchids, the etc., etc., etc.".

Zappa later name-checked Don & Dewey in the inner sleeve of "Freak Out!" (1966) under the heading "These People Have Contributed Materially In Many Ways To Make Our Music What It Is. Please Do Not Hold It Against Them".

On 22 November 1968 Zappa was a guest DJ at KPPC, Pasadena radio station, where he played three tracks by Don & Dewey in a row: "Miss Sue", "Little Love" and "Soul Motion".

Don Harris played in Zappa's band in the early 1970s. While performing in Minneapolis, Minnesota on 5 July 1970 the Mothers played "Justine". [2] During a gig at NYC on 11 October 1971 "Jungle Hop" was quoted in the song Divan Ends Here. [3]

In May 1981 Zappa was guest DJ at Dr. Demento's radio show, where he played "Jungle Hop".

On the bootleg record Frank Zappa's Jukebox Don & Dewey's Leavin' It All Up to You is one of the selected tracks.

See also

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External links