The Beau-Marks

The Beau-Marks were a Canadian rock music group formed in 1958 in Montreal, Quebec. Their first release, the April 1959 single "Rockin' Blues" b/w "Moonlight Party", came out under the name The Del-Tones, but the group changed their name soon afterward in a nod to the Bomarc missile. Their breakthrough hit was "Clap Your Hands," which hit #1 in Canada and Australia,^[1] peaked at #45 on the US Billboard pop charts,^[2] and #40 on Cashbox.^[3] The tune was also released in French as "Frappe Tes Mains" and a Quebec version as "Tape des mains", lyrics by late Michel A. Lebel, as one of Rock n' Roll Queen Lucie Marotte's finale favorites. Their debut, ten-track full-length LP came out in 1960. They also appeared on American Bandstand and at a charity concert at Carnegie Hall soon afterwards. Two more albums followed before the group broke up in 1963; a 1968 reunion saw "Clap Your Hands" get a re-release which reached #74 on the RPM charts.^[4]

The Beau-Marks were the first Canadian band to be headliners at the Peppermint Lounge in New York City and to be invited to appear on The Ed Sullivan Show.

Members

Raymond "Ray" Hutchinson - guitar (Died early November, 2021 at age 81)
Michel "Mike" Robitaille - guitar and bass
Joseph "Joey" Fréchette - piano and vocals
Gilles Tailleur - drums

Phillip "Shakin" Baker - lead guitar and vocals (alt/back-up)

Discography

The High Flying Beau-Marks (1960)
The Beau-Marks in Person! Recorded on Location at Le Coq D'Or (1961)
The Beau-Marks (1962)
Lucie Marotte (1990) - Tape des mains

CHUM Chart singles

Clap Your Hands (1960) #33^[5]
Billy, Billy Went A Walking (1960) #39^[6]
Classmate (1961) #4^[7]
Little Miss Twist / Lovely Little Lady (1961) #17^[8]
The Tender Years (1962) #18^[9]
Clap Your Hands Once Again (1962) <ref>mentioned and played on one episode of Roger Ashby Oldies Show

References

^ Biography at Allmusic.com
^ Billboard Singles, Allmusic.com. The original Billboard Hot 100 shows "Clap Your Hands" peaking at #45 on 11 July 1960.
^ "CASH BOX Top 100 Singles". Archived from the original on November 2, 2010. Retrieved July 16, 2011.
^ "RPM Top 100 Singles - July 20, 1968" (PDF).
^ "CHUM Hit Parade - March 21, 1960".
^ "CHUM Hit Parade - November 21, 1960".
^ "CHUM Hit Parade - July 10, 1961".
^ "CHUM Hit Parade - January 22, 1962".
^ "CHUM Hit Parade - July 16, 1962".

External links

[1] Biography at Allmusic.com

[2] Billboard Singles, Allmusic.com. The original Billboard Hot 100 shows "Clap Your Hands" peaking at #45 on 11 July 1960.

[3] "CASH BOX Top 100 Singles". Archived from the original on November 2, 2010. Retrieved July 16, 2011.

[4] "RPM Top 100 Singles - July 20, 1968" (PDF).

[5] "CHUM Hit Parade - March 21, 1960".

[6] "CHUM Hit Parade - November 21, 1960".

[7] "CHUM Hit Parade - July 10, 1961".

[8] "CHUM Hit Parade - January 22, 1962".

[9] "CHUM Hit Parade - July 16, 1962".

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