{{Short description|American soul musical group}} {{Use mdy dates|date=January 2020}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Bob & Earl | image = | caption = | image_size = | alias = | origin = [[Los Angeles, California]], United States | genre = {{Flatlist| *[[Rhythm and blues|R&B]] *[[Soul music|soul]]}} | years_active = 1957–1973 | label = {{Flatlist| *[[Class Records|Class]] *Marc *[[Loma Records|Loma]] *[[Uni Records|Uni]]}} | website = | current_members = | past_members = [[Earl Nelson (singer)|Earl Nelson]]<br>Bobby Byrd (aka [[Bobby Day]])<br>[[Bob Relf|Bobby Relf]] (aka Bobby Garrett and Bobby Valentino) }}
'''Bob & Earl''' were an American music singing [[duet (music)|duo]] in the 1960s, best known for writing and [[sound recording and reproduction|recording]] the original version of "[[Harlem Shuffle]]".<ref name="Larkin">{{cite book|title=[[Encyclopedia of Popular Music|The Virgin Encyclopedia of Popular Music]]|editor=Colin Larkin|editor-link=Colin Larkin (writer)|publisher=[[Virgin Books]]|date=1997|edition=Concise|isbn=1-85227-745-9|page=158}}</ref><ref name="AllMusic">{{cite web|last1=Eder|first1=Bruce|title=Biography|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/bob-earl-mn0000046450/biography|publisher=[[AllMusic]]|access-date=13 June 2022}}</ref>
==Career== The original duo were [[Bobby Day]] (born Robert James Byrd) and [[Earl Nelson (singer)|Earl Nelson]]. They had both been members of [[The Hollywood Flames]], a prolific [[doo-wop]] group in Los Angeles, California whose major [[chart-topper|hit]] was "[[Buzz-Buzz-Buzz]]" in 1958, on which Nelson sang lead.<ref name="Larkin"/> By 1957, Byrd had started a parallel solo career, writing and recording for contractual reasons as [[Bobby Day]].<ref name="Larkin"/> He wrote and recorded the original version of "[[Little Bitty Pretty One]]", and had a hit of his own with "[[Rockin' Robin (song)|Rockin' Robin]]" (1958).<ref name="Larkin"/> In 1957, Day/Byrd and Nelson began recording together as Bob & Earl, on the Class record label. However, these releases had relatively little success, and Day/Byrd restarted his solo career.
In 1962, Nelson recruited a second "Bob", [[Bob Relf|Bobby Relf]], who also used the stage names of Bobby Garrett and Bobby Valentino. Relf had already led several Los Angeles based acts in his career, including the Laurels, the Upfronts, and Valentino and the Lovers. The latter two groups also featured the then pianist and [[bass (vocal range)|bass]] singer [[Barry White]].
This duo of Relf and Nelson recorded several [[single (music)|singles]] for different labels, before "Harlem Shuffle" in 1963.<ref name="Larkin"/> The song was written by Relf and Nelson, [[arrangement|arranged]] by [[Gene Page]],<ref name=katz>{{cite web|author=White, Barry|url=http://thekatztapes.com/barry-white/|title=Telephone interview with Larry Katz|date=June 1, 1995|website=The Katz Tapes|accessdate=June 4, 2015|archive-date=July 4, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220704083214/http://thekatztapes.com/barry-white/|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name=val>{{cite news|author=Nelson, Valerie J.|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2008-jul-25-me-nelson25-story.html|title='Harlem Shuffle' co-writer was part of the soul duo Bob & Earl|work=[[Los Angeles Times]]|date=July 25, 2008|access-date=January 16, 2016|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080924062526/http://articles.latimes.com/2008/jul/25/local/me-nelson25|archive-date=September 24, 2008}}</ref> and produced by [[Fred Sledge Smith|Fred Smith]]. It was based on a number called "Slauson Shuffletime" (named after a boulevard in Los Angeles) by another Los Angeles singer, Round Robin.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/obituaries/article3047219.ece|title=The Times & The Sunday Times|website=The Times|date=December 14, 2007|access-date=June 15, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080724213006/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/obituaries/article3047219.ece|archive-date=July 24, 2008}}</ref> When released on the Marc label, "Harlem Shuffle" became a modest hit on the US ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' [[record chart|chart]]. However, its main success came as late as 1969, when it was re-released in the UK and became a [[Top 40|Top Ten]] hit there.<ref name="Larkin"/> [[George Harrison]] is reported to have called it his favorite record of all time.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rockabillyeurope.com/references/messages/earl_nelson.htm|title=Earl Nelson|website=Rockabillyeurope.com|access-date=June 15, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060908121707/http://www.rockabillyeurope.com/references/messages/earl_nelson.htm|archive-date=September 8, 2006}}</ref>
In 1964, the duo signed to Loma Records.<ref>{{cite magazine|date=November 7, 1964|title=Signings|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SSAEAAAAMBAJ&dq=loma+march+1964+billboard&pg=PA10|magazine=Billboard|pages=10}}</ref> They recorded for the label but no singles were released. By 1965, Nelson had achieved further success as a solo artist under the alias of Jackie Lee with "[[The Duck (song)|The Duck]]", a hit dance [[gramophone record|record]] which reached No. 14 in the U.S.<ref name="Larkin"/> When "Harlem Shuffle" became successful on reissue, Nelson and Relf reunited as Bob & Earl to tour.<ref name="Larkin"/> The duo split up for the last time in the early 1970s. Relf composed the song "Bring Back My Yesterday", recorded by Barry White on his first [[20th Century Records]] album, 1973's ''[[I've Got So Much to Give (album)|I've Got So Much to Give]]''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/ive-got-so-much-to-give-mw0000115402|title=I've Got So Much to Give – Barry White | Songs, Reviews, Credits|publisher=[[AllMusic]]|access-date=October 17, 2019}}</ref>
==Discography== ===Studio albums=== * ''Harlem Shuffle'' (1964) * ''Bob & Earl'' (1969)
===Singles=== {| class="wikitable" |- ! scope="col" rowspan="2"| Year ! scope="col" rowspan="2"| Title ! scope="col" colspan="4"| Peak chart positions |- ! style="width:40px;"| <small>[[Billboard Hot 100|US Pop]]</small><br><ref>{{cite web|title=Bob & Earl Top Songs / Chart Singles Discography|url=https://www.musicvf.com/Bob+%2526+Earl.art|website=Music VF|access-date=13 June 2022}}</ref> ! style="width:40px;"| <small>[[UK Singles Chart|UK]]</small><br><ref>{{cite web|title=BOB & EARL - full Official Chart History|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/13578/bob-and-earl/|publisher=[[Official Charts Company]]|access-date=13 June 2022}}</ref> |- | rowspan="1"| 1957 | "That's My Desire" | align=center | ― | align=center | ― |- | rowspan="2"| 1958 | "Sweet Pea" | align=center | ― | align=center | ― |- | "When She Walks" | align=center | ― | align=center | ― |- | rowspan="2"| 1962 | "Oh Baby Doll" | align=center | ― | align=center | ― |- | "Don't Ever Leave Me" | align=center | 85 | align=center | ― |- | rowspan="1"| 1963 | "[[Harlem Shuffle]]" <small>(original release)</small> | align=center | 44 | align=center | ― |- | rowspan="3"| 1964 | "Puppet on a String" | align=center | 111 | align=center | ― |- | "Your Time Is My Time" | align=center | ― | align=center | ― |- | "The Sissy" | align=center | ― | align=center | ― |- | rowspan="1"| 1966 | "Baby It's Over" | align=center | ― | align=center | ― |- | rowspan="2"| 1969 | "Everybody Jerk" | align=center | ― | align=center | ― |- | "Harlem Shuffle" <small>(reissue)</small> | align=center | ― | align=center | 7 |- | rowspan="2"| 1970 | "Pickin' Up Love's Vibrations" | align=center | ― | align=center | ― |- | "Honey, Sugar, My Sweet Thing" | align=center | ― | align=center | ― |- | rowspan="1"| 1973 | "I Can't Get Away" | align=center | ― | align=center | ― |- | colspan="6" style="text-align:center; font-size:9pt;"| "—" denotes releases that did not chart. |}
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * {{Discogs artist}} * [https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/earl-nelson-half-of-bob--earl-880270.html Obituary of Earl Nelson] in ''The Independent'', 30 July 2008
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Bob and Earl}} [[Category:African-American musical duos|Bob and Earl]] [[Category:Musical duos from California|Bob and Earl]] [[Category:Northern soul musicians|Bob and Earl]] [[Category:1957 establishments in California]] [[Category:American rhythm and blues musical groups]] [[Category:American soul musical groups]] [[Category:Class Records artists]] [[Category:Jay Boy artists]] [[Category:Loma Records artists]] [[Category:Musical groups established in 1957]] [[Category:Musical groups from Los Angeles]] [[Category:Rhythm and blues duos]] [[Category:Sue Records artists]] [[Category:Uni Records artists]]