36:
133:
281:, with congenital cataracts. He was able to see again at the age of twelve after a "couple of operations," but even as an adult his vision was only about 30% of normal. At one point, he formed his own version of the Harmonicats. The Don Les Harmonicats, which featured Mildred Mulcay (of the harmonica duo the Mulcays) and Lenny Leavitt. They released a Christmas album entitled
390:
Joe Mass Junior (1953–2018) played chord for the
Harmonicats one year, while on tour in California. He was a short-time member, but recorded audio tracks with Murad, and was featured on the Harmonicats' first DVD video performance and the re-release of "Collector's Item", with his brother, J.R. Mass.
329:
In the late 1950s, Bob
Herndon substituted for Al Fiore on chord harmonica while Al recovered from a heart attack. He can be seen with the Harmonicats playing "Peg O' My Heart" and "12th Street Rag", in 1958. As a side note, when Don Les left the group, Bob became Don's chord and harmonetta player
407:
Danny Wilson left his job at
General Motors to work with Murad around 1971. A bass harmonica player and longtime member of the SPAH organization, Wilson toured with the Harmonicats. However, he left shortly after joining. He, according to his archived website, was also with the Harmonicats for a
338:
Hugh "Stagg" or "Pud" McMann briefly toured with the
Harmonicats 1967 to 1969. Stagg, being a expert harmonicist, played both Harmonetta and 2nd chromatic for the quartet during this time. Stagg played the Harmonetta solo on "Parisienne Fantaisie" during the group's tour in Canada.
441:
Despite never being an official member of the Jerry Murad
Harmonicats, Chris Bauer performed on stage with the Harmonicats with his father, Bob, and Dick Gardner on bass. He also appeared on the Jerry Murad's Harmonicats
416:
Charles "Buddy" Boblink played chord with the group throughout the 1990s and until Murad's death in 1996. Buddy
Boblink died in 2023, just months before the annual SPAH Convention - of which he was a member.
213:, and Thompson once again took his place until Les was able to return full time later in the decade. In 1958, Al Fiore suffered his first heart attack and Bob Herndon filled in for him for several months.
462:, originally on Bill Putnam's Universal Records and then reissued on Vitacoustic Records, catalog number 1) brought them public attention and sold over one million copies by 1950, reaching No. 1 on the
358:
Dick
Gardner (bass harmonica) took over for Don Les in 1970 and remained with the Cats for over 20 years. Gardner was the last member of the group that was with the group over a decade.
216:
In the early 1970s, Don Les left the group and was replaced by Dick
Gardner, who stayed with the group for more than 20 years. Other members of the group included the following:
170:). In 1947, the group consisted of Murad, Fiore, Don Les on bass harmonica, and Cappy Lafell on Polyphonia. Around 1948 they became a trio, with Murad, Fiore and Les.
446:
album, as the second chromatic player. On the 50th anniversary of "Peg O' My Heart", Dick
Gardner, Bob Bauer, and Chris Bauer recorded a small six-song album.
425:
Pete
Pedersen was the main arranger for the group and remained the second chromatic player for many albums over the band's nearly 50 years of recording.
317:
Leon "Cappy" Laffel (1913–2002) was the Polyphonia player for the Harmonicats in 1947 and 1948. He left before 1950. He can be heard on songs such as "
205:
to fill in for Les on bass harmonica for a couple of weeks. Thompson went on to play with them at their residency gig at the Frontier Hotel in
873:
183:
magazine chart (peaking at No. 1) and sold more than two million copies the first year. It was the first record in history to use artificial
53:
100:
893:
72:
374:
George Miklas was originally a chord player for the group before leaving the group and returning later to play bass with the group.
79:
399:
Brother to Joe Mass Jr., Jerry "J.R." Mass played the bass harmonica for the Harmonicats one year, while on tour in California.
804:
321:" and "Always in My Heart". Cappy often played the number 261, 262/263, No. 6 and No. 7 Polyphonia and Chromatica harmonicas.
297:
and started experimenting with chord harmonicas at the age of 13. Fiore played the rare old style layout or "reverse layout"
86:
898:
249:
270s and 64s, as well as the Musette, a harmonica made especially for him that replicates the sound qualities of a French
502:
68:
709:
162:
The band was founded in 1947. Originally they were named The Harmonica Madcaps and the group consisted of Jerry Murad (
878:
839:
787:
119:
888:
195:
57:
858:
93:
17:
494:
366:
Bob Bauer (chord harmonica) took over for George Miklas in 1985 and after Al Fiore left the group.
330:
with The New Don Les Harmonicats as well as The New Tennessee Philharmonicas with Mildred Mulcay.
190:
Pedersen and Gail Wallace remained contributors to the group throughout its existence, working on
258:
46:
779:
772:
756:
467:
179:
8:
479:
254:
253:. It is featured on their 1960s recording of "Parisienne Fantasy". Murad also played the
230:
163:
883:
455:
174:
729:, August 29, 1994; obit. & "Don Les" & "Interview with Don Les," pp. 249-250,
835:
783:
318:
382:
Al Data played chord with the group in its final days, until Murad's death in 1996.
166:), Bob Hadamik (bass harmonica), Pete Pedersen (chromatic harmonica), and Al Fiore (
616:
498:
301:
harmonica. He recorded the band's No. 1 hit, "Peg o' My Heart", on this harmonica.
238:
151:
527:
459:
347:
210:
202:
760:, April 5, 1947, p. 33, "Putnam Springs New Waxing Technique with 'Vitacoustic'"
509:'s Orchestra, had a solo hit with "The Story of Three Loves" (No. 14) in 1953.
506:
350:
joined The Harmonicats in 1951 on bass harmonica, but left after a short time.
270:
242:
867:
487:
463:
809:
483:
471:
298:
274:
167:
834:. San Francisco, California, United States: Chronicle Books. p. 127.
475:
191:
250:
234:
206:
147:
144:
35:
294:
173:
In 1947, during the record ban, the group recorded the hit song "
629:
Love Theme from El Cid and Other Motion Picture Songs and Themes
246:
184:
132:
433:
Frank Warner filled in at times playing the bass harmonica.
278:
209:
in the early 1950s. In the mid-1950s, Les suffered from a
245:
at first, and took up chromatic soon after. Murad played
241:
in 1918, and moved to America at the age of 2. He played
778:(2nd ed.). London: Barrie and Jenkins Ltd. p.
763:
201:
During 1949, when Don Les' father died, the band asked
177:" for Vitacoustic Records, which spent 21 weeks on the
309:
Bob Hadamik played the bass harmonica prior to 1946.
832:
Temples of Sound: Inside the Great Recording Studios
436:
60:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
771:
865:
505:" (No. 56) in 1961. Jerry Murad, accompanied by
478:recorded the song, he utilized the bathroom of
710:"Harmonicats leader dead at 76 - UPI Archives"
449:
552:Olé: South of the Border with the Harmonicats
493:Other charted hits for the group included "
859:Official website (Archived as of Feb.2011)
829:
269:Don Les (Dominic Leshinski) (1914–1994) (
120:Learn how and when to remove this message
769:
742:"Interview with Don Les," pgs. 250-251,
689:Great Themes from TV and Motion Pictures
131:
744:Harmonicas, Harps & Heavy Breathers
731:Harmonicas, Harps & Heavy Breathers
293:Al Fiore (chord harmonica) was born in
261:). He died of a heart attack in 1996.
14:
866:
283:Christmas with the Don Les Harmonicats
874:American instrumental musical groups
802:
58:adding citations to reliable sources
29:
830:Cogan, Jim; Clark, William (2003).
613:Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom White
503:Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom White
486:and became the first person to use
24:
894:Musical groups established in 1947
558:
517:
454:Their 1947 recording of the song "
25:
910:
852:
437:Honorable Mentions - Chris Bauer
420:
411:
369:
342:
34:
565:Harmonicats' Selected Favorites
490:creatively on a pop recording.
428:
402:
385:
353:
333:
312:
45:needs additional citations for
823:
796:
749:
736:
720:
702:
512:
324:
304:
224:
13:
1:
695:
157:
803:Weir, William (2012-06-21).
394:
361:
259:orchestral melodic harmonica
7:
899:Musical groups from Chicago
805:"How humans conquered echo"
288:
69:"Jerry Murad's Harmonicats"
10:
915:
665:The Love Song of Tom Jones
495:Hair of Gold, Eyes of Blue
474:. When recording engineer
377:
264:
219:
770:Murrells, Joseph (1978).
524:Jerry Murad's Harmonicats
501:" (No. 21) in 1952, and "
229:Jerry Murad (1918–1996) (
141:Jerry Murad's Harmonicats
879:Columbia Records artists
774:The Book of Golden Discs
488:artificial reverberation
164:chromatic lead harmonica
136:The Harmonicats, c. 1950
889:Mercury Records artists
683:What's New Harmonicats?
659:Try a Little Tenderness
727:The Chronicle Telegram
671:That New Gang of Mine!
137:
27:American musical group
571:South American Nights
497:" (No. 15) in 1948, "
135:
635:Sentimental Serenade
601:In the Land of Hi-Fi
534:Harmonica Highlights
54:improve this article
589:Dolls, Dolls, Dolls
577:Command Performance
480:Universal Recording
243:diatonic harmonicas
231:chromatic harmonica
677:Harmonica Rhapsody
607:Harmonically Yours
595:Harmonicha Cha-Cha
546:Harmonica Classics
138:
653:The Soul of Italy
450:"Peg o' My Heart"
319:Ritual Fire Dance
255:Hohner Polyphonia
194:and occasionally
130:
129:
122:
104:
16:(Redirected from
906:
846:
845:
827:
821:
820:
818:
817:
800:
794:
793:
777:
767:
761:
753:
747:
746:(2000) Kim Field
740:
734:
733:(2000) Kim Field
724:
718:
717:
706:
691:(Columbia, 1969)
685:(Columbia, 1966)
679:(Columbia, 1965)
673:(Columbia, 1965)
667:(Columbia, 1964)
661:(Columbia, 1963)
655:(Columbia, 1963)
649:(Columbia, 1963)
647:Forgotten Dreams
643:(Columbia, 1962)
637:(Columbia, 1962)
631:(Columbia, 1962)
625:(Columbia, 1961)
239:Istanbul, Turkey
125:
118:
114:
111:
105:
103:
62:
38:
30:
21:
914:
913:
909:
908:
907:
905:
904:
903:
864:
863:
855:
850:
849:
842:
828:
824:
815:
813:
801:
797:
790:
768:
764:
754:
750:
741:
737:
725:
721:
708:
707:
703:
698:
623:Peg o' My Heart
609:(Mercury, 1960)
603:(Mercury, 1959)
597:(Mercury, 1958)
591:(Mercury, 1957)
585:(Mercury, 1956)
579:(Mercury, 1956)
573:(Mercury, 1956)
567:(Mercury, 1955)
561:
554:(Mercury, 1954)
548:(Mercury, 1952)
542:(Mercury, 1952)
536:(Mercury, 1952)
520:
515:
460:Mercury Records
456:Peg o' My Heart
452:
439:
431:
423:
414:
408:stint in 1978.
405:
397:
388:
380:
372:
364:
356:
348:Johnny Thompson
345:
336:
327:
315:
307:
291:
267:
227:
222:
211:detached retina
203:Johnny Thompson
175:Peg o' My Heart
168:chord harmonica
160:
126:
115:
109:
106:
63:
61:
51:
39:
28:
23:
22:
15:
12:
11:
5:
912:
902:
901:
896:
891:
886:
881:
876:
862:
861:
854:
853:External links
851:
848:
847:
840:
822:
795:
788:
762:
748:
735:
719:
700:
699:
697:
694:
693:
692:
686:
680:
674:
668:
662:
656:
650:
644:
638:
632:
626:
620:
610:
604:
598:
592:
586:
580:
574:
568:
560:
557:
556:
555:
549:
543:
540:Harmonica Hits
537:
531:
519:
516:
514:
511:
507:Richard Hayman
451:
448:
438:
435:
430:
427:
422:
419:
413:
410:
404:
401:
396:
393:
387:
384:
379:
376:
371:
368:
363:
360:
355:
352:
344:
341:
335:
332:
326:
323:
314:
311:
306:
303:
290:
287:
273:) was born in
271:bass harmonica
266:
263:
226:
223:
221:
218:
159:
156:
128:
127:
42:
40:
33:
26:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
911:
900:
897:
895:
892:
890:
887:
885:
882:
880:
877:
875:
872:
871:
869:
860:
857:
856:
843:
841:0-8118-3394-1
837:
833:
826:
812:
811:
806:
799:
791:
789:0-214-20512-6
785:
781:
776:
775:
766:
759:
758:
752:
745:
739:
732:
728:
723:
715:
711:
705:
701:
690:
687:
684:
681:
678:
675:
672:
669:
666:
663:
660:
657:
654:
651:
648:
645:
642:
639:
636:
633:
630:
627:
624:
621:
618:
614:
611:
608:
605:
602:
599:
596:
593:
590:
587:
584:
583:The Cats Meow
581:
578:
575:
572:
569:
566:
563:
562:
553:
550:
547:
544:
541:
538:
535:
532:
529:
525:
522:
521:
510:
508:
504:
500:
496:
491:
489:
485:
481:
477:
473:
470:
469:
465:
461:
457:
447:
445:
434:
426:
421:Pete Pedersen
418:
412:Buddy Boblink
409:
400:
392:
383:
375:
370:George Miklas
367:
359:
351:
349:
343:John Thompson
340:
331:
322:
320:
310:
302:
300:
296:
286:
284:
280:
276:
272:
262:
260:
256:
252:
248:
244:
240:
236:
232:
217:
214:
212:
208:
204:
199:
197:
193:
188:
186:
182:
181:
176:
171:
169:
165:
155:
153:
149:
146:
142:
134:
124:
121:
113:
102:
99:
95:
92:
88:
85:
81:
78:
74:
71: –
70:
66:
65:Find sources:
59:
55:
49:
48:
43:This article
41:
37:
32:
31:
19:
831:
825:
814:. Retrieved
810:The Atlantic
808:
798:
773:
765:
755:
751:
743:
738:
730:
726:
722:
713:
704:
688:
682:
676:
670:
664:
658:
652:
646:
640:
634:
628:
622:
612:
606:
600:
594:
588:
582:
576:
570:
564:
551:
545:
539:
533:
523:
492:
484:echo chamber
466:
453:
443:
440:
432:
429:Frank Warner
424:
415:
406:
403:Danny Wilson
398:
389:
386:Joe Mass Jr.
381:
373:
365:
357:
354:Dick Gardner
346:
337:
334:Stagg McMann
328:
316:
313:Cappy Laffel
308:
299:Hohner Chord
292:
282:
268:
228:
215:
200:
192:arrangements
189:
178:
172:
161:
140:
139:
116:
107:
97:
90:
83:
76:
64:
52:Please help
47:verification
44:
513:Discography
476:Bill Putnam
325:Bob Herndon
305:Bob Hadamik
257:(a type of
225:Jerry Murad
18:Harmonicats
868:Categories
816:2021-08-24
696:References
559:12" albums
518:10" albums
158:Background
110:March 2024
80:newspapers
884:Harmonica
757:Billboard
499:Charmaine
468:Billboard
395:J.R. Mass
362:Bob Bauer
251:accordion
233:) was an
207:Las Vegas
196:recording
180:Billboard
148:harmonica
617:Columbia
289:Al Fiore
237:born in
235:Armenian
145:American
143:were an
714:Upi.com
641:Fiesta!
619:, 1960)
530:, 1950)
528:Mercury
378:Al Data
295:Chicago
265:Don Les
220:Members
150:-based
94:scholar
838:
786:
482:as an
275:Lorain
247:Hohner
185:reverb
96:
89:
82:
75:
67:
472:chart
444:Magic
152:group
101:JSTOR
87:books
836:ISBN
784:ISBN
464:U.S.
279:Ohio
73:news
458:" (
154:.
56:by
870::
807:.
782:.
780:39
712:.
285:.
277:,
198:.
187:.
844:.
819:.
792:.
716:.
615:(
526:(
123:)
117:(
112:)
108:(
98:·
91:·
84:·
77:·
50:.
20:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
