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The Sandpipers were an American easy listening trio who carved a niche in 1960s folk rock with their vocals and innovative arrangements of international ballads and pop standards.[1] They are best remembered for their cover version of "Guantanamera", which became a transatlantic Top 10 hit in 1966, and their Top 20 hit "Come Saturday Morning" from the soundtrack of the film The Sterile Cuckoo in 1970.

The Sandpipers
1966 publicity photo. L-R Mike Piano, Jim Brady, Richard Shoff
Background information
Origin	California, U.S.
Genres	Folk rock
Years active	1966–1975
Labels	A&M
Past members	Jim Brady Mike Piano Richard Shoff Michael Brady Gary Duckworth Ralph Nichols

Singing in English, Spanish, French, Italian, Portuguese, Latin, and Tagalog, the Sandpipers had seven separate album entries in the Billboard 200[2] from 1966-1970, and over a dozen charted singles.

Career

Founding members Jim Brady (born August 24, 1944, Los Angeles), Mike Piano (born October 26, 1944, Rochester, New York) and Richard Shoff (born April 30, 1944, Seattle) first performed together in the Mitchell Boys Choir,[3] before forming the Four Seasons with friend Nick Cahuernga. Due to the rising popularity of a group with that name from New Jersey, they changed their name to the Grads and continued as a trio.[1][4][5]

Although the Grads did not enter the charts with their early recordings, they performed well enough to secure a residency at Harrah's Lake Club (now Harveys Lake Tahoe) where a friend brought them to the attention of Herb Alpert of A&M Records.[1][6] Alpert was impressed with the Grads, but after one single without success the group agreed to a name change, choosing the Sandpipers out of a dictionary.[7] After the name change, their producer, Tommy LiPuma,[3] recommended they record the Cuban anthem "Guantanamera" and they had their first hit.[1] The use of female singers[3] (including Robie Lester)[8] to add background vocals on "Guantanamera" established a trend that the Sandpipers would incorporate in multiple future studio recordings and live shows.

Initially Kathy Westmoreland (de) (later with Elvis Presley) toured with the group[9][10] to provide the lyricless vocals that were used much like second strings, adding an ethereal quality to the Sandpipers' sound. Later Pamela Ramcier was the primary back-up vocalist.[1][11][12] At times two or more back-up vocalists were used. For the Sandpipers' first live show in San Diego, two female singers were on stage, the well-known folk singer Penny Nichols and Pat Woolley. Early pressings of the Guantanamera LP showed a five person group—two females with Piano, Shoff, and Brady—on the back cover while later pressings had just the male trio. Subsequent albums depicted only the original trio. Other backup singers followed including Stormie Sherk in 1967,[13] and Diane Jordan and Kathy Westmoreland in 1969.[14] Some pressings of the 1970 Come Saturday Morning LP credit "solo voices" Patrice Holloway, Carolyn Willis, and Susan Tallman.

"Guantanamera" charted in the United States in September 1966 and in the United Kingdom the following month, and remains the group's biggest hit, earning 1967 Grammy Award nominations for Best Performance by a Vocal Group and Best Contemporary Group Performance, plus gold record awards for the single and the album.[15] They also had many lesser chart entries including cover versions of "Louie Louie",[3] "The French Song" (Quand Le Soleil Dit Bonjour Aux Montagnes), and songs from the movies The Sterile Cuckoo and Beyond the Valley of the Dolls.[1]

The record sleeve for their 1966 album Guantanamera was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Album Cover - Photography. Dolores Erickson was featured on the front cover artwork. In 1967 the Baldwin Piano Company signed the group to promote the company's line of musical instruments.[16]

In 1968, following a South Africa concert tour, they participated at the Festival di Sanremo in Italy, a highlight on the Italian music calendar.[17] They were, as then usual, alongside Anna Identici as one of the two performers of the song "Quando M'Innamoro," which attained sixth place. The song would become more popular in the interpretation by Gigliola Cinquetti. The English version by British pop singer Engelbert Humperdinck, "A Man Without Love", became a global hit.

In 1969, the group embarked on a European tour with appearances in London, Amsterdam, Stockholm, Madrid, and Berlin.[18] In 1970 "Come Saturday Morning" was nominated for Best Original Song and was performed by the Sandpipers at the 42nd Academy Awards ceremony. In the mid-1970s, Michael Piano left the group and was replaced in turn by Michael Brady,[lower-alpha 1] Gary Duckworth[lower-alpha 2] and Ralph Nichols (later with The Lettermen). The final 1979 single, "Singapore Girl", featured only Brady and Shoff.

Original member Michael Piano died on December 29, 2014 in Kauai, Hawaii.[19] Jim Brady died on May 5, 2019 in Durango, Colorado.

The Sandpipers were among hundreds of artists whose material was destroyed in the 2008 Universal fire.[20]

Other groups named Sandpipers

1. In 1965-66, an American girl group from Pensacola, Florida briefly toured and recorded as the Sandpipers, backed by an early Gregg and Duane Allman band called the Allman Joys. After "Guantanamera" was released they became the Daisies.[21]
2. Another group known as the Sandpipers (or sometimes the Golden Sandpipers) sang for Golden Records, most notably the theme to Mighty Mouse, the version that is now the best known and perhaps the original (although some sources cite the Terrytooners with Mitch Miller and orchestra).[22][lower-alpha 3]
3. There was a South African folk rock group active in the 1960s also named the Sandpipers.[23]
4. A female choral group at Albertus Magnus College known as the Sandpipers released an LP in 1961.
5. A South Florida trio (Art Williams, Wally Pape, Billy Stuart) released one LP, The Singin', Swingin' Sandpipers, in 1965 on the Art label.[24]
6. A New York group released one single as the Sandpipers in 1966 on the Kismet label.[25]
7. A Detroit group released one single as the Sandpipers in 1966 on the Giant label.[26]
8. The Nashville-based Cypress label released a single by the Sand Pipers in 1966.[27]
9. A Malaysian group released three EPs as the Sandpipers in the 1960s: Hey Tak Malu on the Maria label, and Nyatakan Lah Pada Ku and Deritaan Insan (with Siti Khatijah Hamid) on the Playboy label.
10. An instrumental group from Mason City, Iowa, released an LP, The Sandpipers Play Fiesta! and Other Favorites, in the late 1960s on the Fredlo label featuring several Herb Alpert covers.
11. A country and western LP, Silver Dollar Saloon, and an EP, Irish Eyes, were released in 1975 by Gary Lane, Chris Beckett, and the Sandpipers.

Discography

Albums

U.S. releases on A&M Records unless otherwise noted. Some releases in U.K. and other countries had different titles, alternate covers, and variations in track lists.[2]

• Guantanamera (LP-117*/SP-4117, 1966, #13)
• The Sandpipers (LP-125*/SP-4125, 1967, #53)
• Misty Roses (LP-135*/SP-4135, 1967, #135)
• Softly (SP-4147, 1968, #180)
• Spanish Album (SP-4159, 1969)
• The Wonder of You (SP-4180, 1969, #194)[lower-alpha 4]
• Second Spanish Album (AMLS-969, 1970) (UK release)
• Come Saturday Morning (SP-4262, 1970, #96)
• A Gift of Song (SP-4328, 1971)
• Overdue (Satril SATL 4006, 1976) (UK release)[lower-alpha 5]
• Ay, Ay, Ay, Manila! (RCA XFPLI-021, 1977) (Philippines release)[lower-alpha 6][28]

*Mono

EPs

• Misty Roses (A&M SP-425, 1967), 6-song jukebox EP[lower-alpha 7][lower-alpha 8]

Compilations

• I Successi Dei Sandpipers (A&M POP 79, 1969, Italy)
• Greatest Hits (A&M SP-4246, 1970, #160)[lower-alpha 9][29]
• Softly As I Leave You (A&M AMLS 975, 1970, UK)[lower-alpha 10]
• Michelle (A&M/Summit SRA-250-081, 1970, Australia)[lower-alpha 11]
• La Bamba (A&M/Mayfair AMLB 51030, 1971, UK)[lower-alpha 12]
• Golden Double Deluxe (A&M AMW-23, 1971, Japan)[lower-alpha 13]
• Golden Prize (A&M GP-207, 1971, Japan)
• Stars in Gold (A&M 80 828 XT, 1972, Germany)[lower-alpha 14]
• Sweet with a Beat (Reader's Digest RDS 7096, 1973, Germany)[lower-alpha 15]
• Foursider (A&M SP-6015, 1973)[lower-alpha 16]
• Portrait Of The Sandpipers (A&M AMLC4004, 1973, UK)[lower-alpha 17]
• O Melhor De (Opus/Columbia 413.615, 1984, Brazil)
• 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) - "Come Saturday Morning", "Montage", "End Walk"
• Beyond The Valley Of The Dolls (20th Century Fox TFS 4211, 1970) - "Beyond The Valley Of The Dolls"[lower-alpha 18]
• Beerfest (Element ABA0098, 2006) - "Enamorado"
• The Wrecking Crew (Rockbeat ROC 3313, 2008) - "Guantanamera"

Appearances

• Million Dollar Sound Sampler (A&M LP-9001, 1966) - "Strangers In The Night"
• Family Portrait - 16 Outstanding Selections From A&M Records (A&M SP-19002, 1967) - "Fly Me To The Moon"[lower-alpha 19]
• As 13 De Sorte (Fermata FB-179, 196?, Brazil) - "Guantanamera", "Strangers In The Night"
• San Remo '68 (CGD FG 5038, 1968, Italy) - "Quando M'Innamoro"
• Armed Forces Radio & Television Station Library (RL 9-8, 1968) - "The French Song", "Bon Soir Dame"
• Jewel Box (A&M SP-19006, 1969) - "Cancion De Amor (Wanderlove)"
• Burt Bacharach & Friends (A&M SP-19007, 1969) - "Where There's A Heartache"[lower-alpha 20]
• Introducing Stereo '70 (A&M AMLB 1002, 1971, UK) - "The Windmills Of Your Mind", "Cuando Salí De Cuba"
• Introducing Stereo '71 (RCA/Camden CAM/S-538, 1971, Mexico) - "The Windmills Of Your Mind", "Cuando Salí De Cuba"
• 10 Mayfair Hits (A&M/Mayfair SMF66-9885, 197?, Australia) - "Windmills Of Your Mind", "The Wind Will Change Tomorrow"
• The Look Of Love (Columbia P2 6020, 1973) - "The World Is A Circle"
• The Hamlet Collection (A&M/Hamlet SAMP.8888, 1975) - "Ojos Espanoles" "Yesterday"
• Family Portrait (A&M 86 768 XAT, 1975, Netherlands) - "Just An Old Fashioned Love Song"
• The Best Of Louie, Louie (Rhino RNEP 605, 1983) - "Louie, Louie"
• This Land Is Our Land: The Pop-Folk Years (Rhino R2 71834, 2003) - "Guantanamera" [lower-alpha 21]
• A&M Records - History 100 (A&M 90680-4, 2007, Japan, 5-CD Box Set) - "Guantanamera", "Louie Louie", "Come Saturday Morning"

Singles

Year	A/B-side Songs[30] (Songwriters)	U.S. Hot 100[31]	U.S. AC	U.K. Singles Chart[32]	Canada Top Singles	Canada AC	Label & Cat #	Album
1962	"Once Again" (DeVorzon-Chandler) "White Steeple" (Chandler-McKendry)	—	—	—	—	—	Valiant 6023 [lower-alpha 22]	—
1964	"It Happened Once Before" (Troup) "Their Hearts Were Full Of Spring"(Troup)	—	—	—	—	—	MGM K13216 [lower-alpha 22]	—
	"The Wild One" (Usher-Christian) "The Cool One" (Mike Curb)	—	—	—	—	—	Mercury 72346 [lower-alpha 22]	—
1966	"Everything In The Garden" (Greenaway) "Stage Door" (Goffin-King)	—	—	—	—	—	A&M 797 [lower-alpha 22]	—
	"Guantanamera" (Joseíto Fernández) [lower-alpha 23] "What Makes You Dream, Pretty Girl?" (J. Wilson-M. Garson)	9	3	7	10	—	A&M 806 [lower-alpha 24]	Guantanamera
	"Louie Louie" (Richard Berry) [lower-alpha 25] "Things We Said Today" (Lennon-McCartney)	30 [lower-alpha 26]	24	—	31	—	A&M 819 [lower-alpha 27][lower-alpha 28]	Guantanamera
1967	"For Baby" (John Denver) [lower-alpha 29] "La Bamba" (Traditional) [lower-alpha 30]	— [lower-alpha 31]	31	—	—	—	A&M 835	Guantanamera The Sandpipers
	"Glass" (Sheldon-Marks) "It's Over" (Jimmie Rodgers)	112	—	—	—	—	A&M 851	The Sandpipers
	"The French Song" (Pease-Vincent) "Bon Soir Dame" (Bud Dashiell)	— [lower-alpha 32]	20	—	—	—	A&M 861 [lower-alpha 33]	The Sandpipers
	"Cuando Salí de Cuba" (Luis Aguilé) [lower-alpha 34] "Softly As I Leave You" (G. Calabrese/H. Shaper/A. De Vita)	—	3	—	—	—	A&M 880	Misty Roses The Sandpipers
1968	"Quando M'Innamoro (A Man Without Love)" (Livraghi, Mason, Pace, Panzeri) "Wooden Heart" (Wise, Weisman, Twomey, Kaempfert)	124	16	33	—	—	A&M 939 [lower-alpha 35]	Softly Misty Roses
	"Softly" (Gordon Lightfoot) "Cancion De Amor (Wanderlove)" (M. Williams-C. Mapel)	—	39	—	—	—	A&M 968	Softly
	"Reason to Believe" (Tim Hardin) "To Put Up With You" (Paul Williams-Roger Nichols)	—	—	—	—	—	A&M AMS 730 UK release	Softly
	"Let Go!" (Powell, Gimbel, DeMoraes) "Suzanne" (Leonard Cohen)	— [lower-alpha 36]	36	—	—	—	A&M 997	The Wonder of You Softly
1969	"The Wonder Of You" (Baker Knight) "That Night" (Norman Gimbel-Lalo Schifrin)	—	—	—	—	—	A&M 1044	The Wonder of You
	"Temptation" (Arthur Freed-Nacio Herb Brown) "Wave" (Antonio Carlos Jobim)	—	—	—	—	—	A&M 1085	The Wonder of You
	"Kumbaya" (Traditional) [lower-alpha 37] "Yellow Days" (A. Bernstein-A. Carrillo)	—	—	38	—	—	A&M 1116 [lower-alpha 38]	The Wonder of You
	"Come Saturday Morning" (Fred Karlin/Dory Previn) "Pretty Flamingo" (Mark Barkan)	83	9	—	—	—	A&M 1134	Come Saturday Morning The Wonder of You
	"Hurry To Me" (Fishman-Morricone) [lower-alpha 39] "Chi Dice Non Dà" (G. Calabrese-V. De Moraes-N. Gimbel-B. Powell) [lower-alpha 40]	—	—	—	—	—	A&M 832 Italy release	—
1970	"Come Saturday Morning" (Fred Karlin/Dory Previn) "To Put Up With You" (Paul Williams-Roger Nichols)	17	5	—	27	13	A&M 1185 2nd release; alt B-side	Come Saturday Morning Softly
	"Santo Domingo" (Rudy Lindt-Peter Poll-Michael Piano) [lower-alpha 41] "Beyond The Valley Of The Dolls" (Stu Phillips-Bob Stone)	—	17	—	—	—	A&M 1208 [lower-alpha 42]	Come Saturday Morning —
	"Free To Carry On" (Dale Bobbitt, Jim Brady) "(He's Got The) Whole World In His Hands" (Traditional) [lower-alpha 43]	94	11	—	—	1	A&M 1227	Come Saturday Morning
1971	"The Sound of Love" (B. Gibb, R. Gibb, M. Gibb) "The Drifter" (Paul Williams-Roger Nichols)	—	—	—	—	13	A&M 1249	Come Saturday Morning
	"Chotto Matte Kudasai (Never Say Goodbye)" (Garner-Nakashima) "Free To Carry On" (Jim Brady-Dale Bobbitt)	— [lower-alpha 44]	—	—	—	—	A&M 1280 [lower-alpha 45] 2nd release; alt B-side	Come Saturday Morning A Gift of Song
	"Never My Love" (Donald and Richard Addrisi) "Leland Loftis" (D. Bobbitt-J. Brady)	—	—	—	—	—	A&M 1306	A Gift of Song
	"A Gift of Song" (Patty Ingalls) "Never My Love" (Donald and Richard Addrisi)	—	—	—	—	—	A&M 1314	A Gift of Song
1972	"Never Can Say Goodbye" (Clifton Davis) "An Old Fashioned Love Song" (Paul Williams)	—	—	—	—	—	A&M 1372	A Gift of Song
	"The World Is A Circle" (Bacharach-David) [lower-alpha 46] "(Baby I Could Be) So Good At Lovin' You" (Buz Clifford)	—	—	—	—	—	A&M 1388	—
1976	"For The Last Time" (J. Brady) "Down By The River" (Neil Young)	—	—	—	—	—	Satril 111 UK release	Overdue
	"Guantanamera" (Joseíto Fernández) [lower-alpha 47][lower-alpha 48] "Leland Loftis" (D. Bobbitt-J. Brady)	—	—	—	—	—	A&M 7244 UK release	Greatest Hits Overdue
	"Hang On Sloopy" (Wes Farrell, Bert Russell) "Skidrow Joe" (Brady-Bobbitt)	—	—	32	—	—	Satril 114 [lower-alpha 49] UK release	Overdue
1977	"Life Is a Song Worth Singing" (Bell-Creed) "Island (Without A Name)" (Brady-Bobbitt)	—	—	—	—	—	Satril 118 UK release	Overdue
	"Broken Slumber" (Brady-Seeburg) "Living Is A Lovin' Thing" (J. Duncan)	—	—	—	—	—	Satril 119 UK release	Overdue
1978	"It Should Have Lasted Forever" (Benson-Clarke-Hyams) "Darling I Apologise" (Lane-Roberts)	—	—	—	—	—	Satril 127 UK release	—
1979	"You're A Great Way To Fly - Singapore Girl" (Bobby Hart-Fred Bongusto) "You're A Great Way To Fly - Singapore Girl" (instr.) (Fred Bongusto)	—	—	—	—	—	Singapore Airlines SIA-3	—
Reissues	"Guantanamera" / "Cuando Salí De Cuba"	—	—	—	—	—	A&M 8526	—
	"Quando M'Innamoro" / "La Bamba"	—	—	—	—	—	A&M 8527	—
	"Come Saturday Morning" / "The Wonder Of You"	—	—	—	—	—	A&M 8544	—

Notes

See also

• List of folk musicians
• List of former A&M Records artists
• List of artists who have covered The Beatles

References

External links

• Sandpipers bio at Way Back Attack
• Sandpipers at Sanremo 1968

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