Featuring Shirley Bassey, Nelson Riddle and His Orchestra, and The Hi-Lo's

Gene Puerling formed the Hi-Lo's! in Hollywood in 1953. Life was not "just a bowl of cherries", the boys have vivid memories of those early days. Odd jobs, little money, big appetites and small menus, endless rehearsals. With faith in what they were doing, the Hi-Lo's! today enjoy the fruits of the earlier days' struggle.

Nelson Riddle says of them "the most perfectly rehearsed group in the business". And therein we find the basic reason for the consensus vote by the Los Angeles Times Home Magazine panel of six musical greats which acclaimed the Hi-Lo's! "All Time Record Greats".

It is precise harmony that makes the Hi-Lo's! a welcome treat. As much what they do with the ballads as the ballads themselves. They abruptly break rhythm and mood to go off into planned moments of discord, then quietly blend again into the melody. Their precise harmony and unison is happy music to the ear.

Gene Puerling, Clark Burroughs, Don Shelton, and Bob Morse are the voices.

Gene Puerling does most of the Hi-Lo's! arranging. Born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, his early days after high school were devoted to music - to a consuming desire to become a vocalist. He organized, taught, and rehearsed two teenage vocal groups, the "Double Daters" and the "Honey Bees" before that memorable day in 1953 when the Hi-Lo's! were born. Gene is a happy bachelor.

Clark Burroughs had just left the Billy May Orchestra when he met Gene in 1953. Receptive to Gene's idea of forming a vocal group, they formed the Hi-Lo's! and in those early months some really high-powered borrowing was necessary to finance themselves. Clark, the one with the most culinary knowledge, took over the job of chef, that's a pretentious term for the preparer of peanut butter sandwiches and beans. Clark has a really remarkable vocal range, during the rendition of certain arrangements, he clearly reaches High G over High C. He is a native of Los Angeles and is married to a talented singer and dancer, Terry.

Bob Morse designs the Hi-Lo's! wardrobe for the stage. He is a native of Pasadena and studied music at UCLA, Chouinard Art Institute, and Westlake College of Music. Bob was a Navy enlistee prior to joining up with the group. A bachelor, Bob divides his free time between fishing, reading, and sketching.

Don Shelton was born in Tyler, Texas, and brought the group a fine second tenor voice. Don added versatility too, being an accomplished musician on the alto saxophone, clarinet, and flute. A former member of several West Coast recording and dance bands, Don had sung with other vocal groups regularly on CBS radio until he joined the Hi-Lo's! and widened his field. Don is married to a former music teacher, Joan, and they have one child, a girl.

This poll-topping group, whose sound is the most imitated among singing conglomerations, are equally at home singing jazz, folk, barbershop harmony, and special arrangements, diversified according to their audience.