Sometimes, one song not only changes a singer’s career, but also his life.
It happened to Lenny Welch with “Since I Fell For You,” and John Claude Gummoe, lead singer of the Cascades who sang and wrote, “Rhythm of the Rain.” Both will be at the Savannah Center Monday, July 28, at 5:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. as part of Rocky and the Rollers, “Original Lead Singers of Pop and Rock.”
Also on the bill are Ron Dante (the Archies’ “Sugar Sugar”) and Johnny Thunder, (“Loop De Loop”). Len Barry (“1-2-3”) was scheduled to appear but had to cancel due to illness. He will be
replaced by Barbara Lewis who had a hit single with “Baby I’m Yours.”
Welch, had a life-altering surprise in 1964 when he recorded “Since I Fell For You.”
“I liked the song but I didn’t think it was going to be such a big hit,” he said in a telephone interview. “That song changed my life. It took me around the world and no matter where I go, I can’t leave the stage until I sing it.”
But there was a flip side to the huge success of the record. Welch scored other lesser hits during this career, such as “You Don’t Know Me,” “Ebb Tide,” and a ballad version of Neil Sedaka’s “Breaking Up Is Hard To Do.”
Nothing, however, could measure up to “Since I Fell For You,” which quickly became a standard.
“When you have a record like that, it’s hard to compete with it,” Welch said. “People don’t know my other recordings but everybody remembers that one.”
The story of “Since I Fell For You,” begins with Welch. He grew up in Asbury Park, NJ. He was 19 when famed record producer Archie Bleyer signed Welch to his label, Cadence Records. Bleyer’s label included such hit makers as Andy Williams, the Everly Brothers and Johnny Tillotson.
Welch had a couple of minor hits, and one day he talked with Bleyer about an old song done by the doo-wop group, Willie Winfield and the Harptones. It was called “Since I Fell For You.”
It was a tough time for Welch. He just broke up with his girlfriend and was feeling real heartache.
“I was pretty low,” Welch said. Bleyer sensed such emotion could translate into a hit record with a lush, romantic sound. So Bleyer quickly got the music and put Welch into a recording studio. The song sold over one million copies and has been featured in movies, television shows and touched people’s lives in other ways.
“I get letters and emails from people all over the world telling me how much they still love that song,” Welch said. “People play it at weddings. People tell me they fell in love with their husband or wife listening to that record. It’s amazing.”
Welch is 76 with 4 children and 6 grandchildren but he still keeps singing the song.
“Listen, at my age I’m just glad to be here,” Welch said. “I thank God for that record and I’m happy to be alive. I can’t wait to get to The Villages. I’ve heard so much about it.”
Welch expects that Villagers’ reaction to “Since I Fell For You” will be a familiar one. “When people hear the song, they smile. It brings back so many memories.”
The same holds true for “Rhythm of the Rain,” which topped many record charts in 1963. John Claude Gummoe grew up in Cleveland Ohio. He served in the Navy and joined the group, the Cascades.
In 1962, the Cascades were looking for a song and Gummoe remembered one he wrote while he was in the Navy.
“I was on a ship, standing watch, and we were near Alaska,” Gummoe said in a telephone interview. “It was late at night and we were having a bad storm. I just wrote down some lyrics. I wanted it to be romantic, but sad.”
The result included these lyrics: “Listen to the rhythm of the falling rain/telling me just what a fool I’ve been/I wish it would go and let me cry in vain/And let me be alone again/The only girl I care about has gone away/Looking for a brand new start/But little does she know that when she left that day/Along with her she took my heart.”
The words were filled with regret but the music had a steady tempo and upbeat sound like rain gently beating against a window. Among the studio musicians who played on the record was future singing star Glen Campbell on guitar.
“Rhythm of the Rain,” sold over a million copies and was a worldwide hit. The Cascades and Gummoe would never match its success again, although their follow-up record, “The Last Leaf” sold well.
“Things happen in this business, so much of it is luck and timing,” he said. “But I look upon ‘Rhythm of the Rain’ as a great blessing. It kept the wolf from the door. Even now, 50 years later, it gets a lot of airplay on the radio and people still want to hear it.”
Gummoe more or less retired from singing about 15 years ago. But then he kept getting calls to sing the song. The Cascades were a smash in the Philippines, and about 10 years ago, Gummoe was invited to tour in that country. He drew huge crowds and has been going back ever since. He plays a few shows in the U.S. and “Rhythm of the Rain” always touches a nerve, for the singer as well as the fans.
“You have a song like that and your life is never the same, ”Gummoe, 75, said. “Making that record was a magical experience. The time was right, the musicians were great and everything just came together. It’s a very simple song but the harmony is outstanding.”
Now, Gummoe is bringing the song to The Villages.
“I’ve never been there before but I’ve heard that people in The Villages love music. I know they’ll remember ‘Rhythm of the Rain.’ It’s an old song, but it still matters.”
Just like John Gummoe and Lenny Welch.
