New York, NY (Top40 Charts) Lightyear Entertainment announces a new agreement with The Cyrkle to release new 2020 recordings of their huge pop hits of the 1960's.
The Cyrkle opened for The
Beatles at Shea Stadium and Candlestick Park in 1966, and were managed by Brian Epstein and Nat Weiss. They were originally called The Rhondells, but
John Lennon suggested that they change their name to The Cyrkle, and they took his advice.
Their biggest hit, Red Rubber Ball, was written by
Paul Simon and Bruce Woodley, and rose to #2 on the Billboard Hot 100. Lightyear will release the 2020 recording of Red Rubber Ball on October 2, 2020.
The band's other huge hit was Turn Down Day, written by Jerry Keller and
David Blume, which rose to #16 on the Hot 100. This has also been newly recorded and will be released through Lightyear in November.
The Cyrkle were offered another
Paul Simon song but regretfully turned it down back in the day. But they have finally recorded The 59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin' Groovy) now, for the first time, and Lightyear will release it in January, 2021.
The recordings feature original members Don Dannemann and Mike Losekamp, joined by Pat McLoughlin, Mike Shoaf, Don White and Scott Langley.
Lightyear has quietly amassed a collection of big hit re-recordings by the original artists during the past few years, all released through the company's longstanding distribution deal with Caroline/Universal
Music Group. They include Jay Siegel's Tokens (The Lion Sleeps Tonight), The
Searchers (Needles and Pins), Irene Cara (Flashdance...What a Feeling), Rick Derringer (Rock & Roll Hootchie Koo), The McCoys (Hang On Sloopy), Jay & the Techniques (Apple,
Peaches Pumpkin Pie),
Herman's Hermits (I'm Into Something Good), the
Shadows of Knight (Gloria), the Rip Chords (Hey
Little Cobra), Frank Stallone (Far From Over), and the Beau Brummels (Laugh Laugh).
All of these Legacy Artist deals were facilitated by Rick Levy, veteran manager, music director, band leader, guitarist, and author, who currently tours (when Covid allows) with The Box Tops. Levy was Lightyear CEO
Arnie Holland's college roommate at the University of Pennsylvania.
