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Gary Usher

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Early Life

Gary Usher
Birth nameGary Lee Usher
Born(1938-12-14)December 14, 1938
Los Angeles, California, United States
DiedMay 25, 1990(1990-05-25) (aged 51)
Los Angeles, California, United States
GenresRock and roll, surf music
Occupation(s)Songwriter, record producer
Years active1960s–1990
Websitewww.garyusher.com

Gary Lee Usher (December 14, 1938 – May 25, 1990)[1] was an American rock musician, songwriter, and record producer, who worked with numerous California acts in the 1960s, including the Byrds, the Beach Boys, and Dick Dale. Usher also produced fictitious surf groups or hot rod groups, mixing studio session musicians with his own troops (Chuck Girard, Dick Burns and others). These bands included the Super-Stocks, with the hot-rod song "Midnight Run", and the Kickstands.[2]

Death

Gary with The Hondells in 1965

Sadly, Usher died of lung cancer at his home in his hometown of Los Angeles, California, on May 25 1990 at the age of 51.[3]

Selected discography

Production

Songwriting

  • "409" (1962, The Beach Boys)[1]
  • "Lonely Sea" (1962, The Beach Boys)[11]
  • "Ten Little Indians" (1962, The Beach Boys)[12]
  • "In My Room" (1963, The Beach Boys)[1]
  • "Malibu Sunset" (1963, The Beach Boys)
  • "Beach Party" (1963, Frankie Avalon)[13]
  • "Mag Wheels" (1963, Dick Dale and the Del-Tones)[14]
  • "We'll Run Away" (1964, The Beach Boys)[15]
  • "Comin' On Too Strong" (1965, Wayne Newton)[16]
  • "The Truth Is Not Real" (1968, Sagittarius)[17]
  • "The Blue Marble" (1969, Sagittarius)[18]
  • "Don't Give In to Him" (1969, Gary Puckett & The Union Gap)[19]
  • "(Friend)Ships" (1971, Gary Usher)
  • "Sanctuary" (1983, Celestium and later Laura Branigan and the J-Pop artist Reimy)[10]
  • "Let's Go To Heaven In My Car" (1986, Brian Wilson)[20] (Note - Gary Usher's son, Gary Usher Jr., played the guitar solo)
  • "Christmas Time" (1986, Brian Wilson)
  • "Let's Put the Fun Back in Rock'n Roll" (1986 co-written with Joseph Nicoletti Jr.) - Recorded by Frankie Avalon, Fabian & Bobby Rydell; "The Golden Boys of Rock"

References

  1. ^ a b c d e "Gary Usher Biography, Songs, & Albums". AllMusic. Retrieved 16 October 2021.
  2. ^ David N. Howard, Sonic Alchemy: Visionary Music Producers and Their Maverick Recordings, 2004, ISBN 147685209X: "Ever since Usher's early surf and hot rod days, he had been creating fictitious studio groups such as the Super-Stocks and the Kickstands, imaginary bands to sate the hungry surf and hot rod record-buying audience."
  3. ^ "Gary Usher; Co-Writer of Beach Boys Hits". Los Angeles Times. 2 June 1990.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Colin Larkin, ed. (1992). The Guinness Encyclopedia of Popular Music (First ed.). Guinness Publishing. p. 2565. ISBN 0-85112-939-0.
  5. ^ "Vinyl Album: Keith Allison - Keith Allison In Action (1967)". 45worlds.com. Retrieved 16 October 2021.
  6. ^ "Ann Davies – "An Esoteric Qabalistic Service" (1975, Gatefold, Vinyl)". Discogs.com. Retrieved 16 October 2021.
  7. ^ "The Ark - Chad & Jeremy | Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 16 October 2021.
  8. ^ "Wackering Heights - Wackers | Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 16 October 2021.
  9. ^ "Going Public - Bruce Johnston | Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 16 October 2021.
  10. ^ a b "Celestium - Sanctuary". 45cat.com. Retrieved 16 October 2021.
  11. ^ "Surfin' U.S.A. - The Beach Boys | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 16 October 2021.
  12. ^ "Surfin' Safari/Surfin' U.S.A. - The Beach Boys | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 16 October 2021.
  13. ^ "25 All-Time Greatest Hits - Frankie Avalon | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 16 October 2021.
  14. ^ "Mag Wheels - Dick Dale & His Del-Tones | Song Info". AllMusic. Retrieved 16 October 2021.
  15. ^ "All Summer Long - The Beach Boys | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 16 October 2021.
  16. ^ "Coming on Too Strong - Wayne Newton | Song Info". AllMusic. Retrieved 16 October 2021.
  17. ^ "Present Tense - Sagittarius | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 16 October 2021.
  18. ^ "The Blue Marble - Sagittarius | Song Info". AllMusic. Retrieved 16 October 2021.
  19. ^ "Greatest Hits [Deluxe] - Gary Puckett, Gary Puckett & the Union Gap | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 16 October 2021.
  20. ^ "Let's Go to Heaven in My Car - Brian Wilson | Song Info". AllMusic. Retrieved 16 October 2021.

Further reading

  • McParland, Stephen J. (2000). The California Sound - An Insider's Story. The Musical Biography of Gary Lee Usher. CMusic Publishing. ASIN B006VXTC3Q.
  • McParland, Stephen J. (2013). The Brian Wilson Project. Berlot. ISBN 978-2954483405.
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