Dave Somerville 1933-2015 (Co-Writer of "The Unknown Stuntman") - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Zoneboy · 07-16-2015, 10:24 AM

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Dave Somerville, former lead singer with 50’s doo-wop group The Diamonds, best known for “Little Darlin’,” died of pancreatic cancer at age 81 in hospital in Santa Barbara, according to his close friend, veteran east coast DJ Jimmy Jay, host of “The Rewind Show,” in a phone call to me.

The Diamonds, one of the most popular vocal groups of the late 50’s, scored 15 Top 40 hits between 1956 and 1961, including their version of “Why Do Fools Fall in Love” that was released in January 1956, a week after Frankie Lyman and The Teenagers’ classic version that nonetheless hit No. 2 on the Cashbox Top 40 and No. 12 on Billboard’s Hot 100.

The Diamonds also scored hits with the dance tune, “The Stroll” (No. 1 Cashbox, No. 4 Hot 100, No. 5 R&B chart) and “Silhouettes” (No. 10).

However, the song for which Somerville and The Diamonds will be best remembered is the 1957 doo-wop classic, “Little Darlin’,” with its high-pitched “La-la-la-la La La” falsetto and bass soliloquy. The song reached No. 2 on the Hot 10, where it stayed for eight weeks. It was also No. 2 on the Cash Box chart and the R&B chart and it hit No. 3 in Great Britain.

The Diamonds were members of the Vocal Group, the Doo Wop and the Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences Juno Halls of Fame.

Somerville tried his hand at acting in the 60’s. Leonard Nimoy was his drama coach and Somerville appeared on Nimoy’s show, “Star Trek” in the episode, “The Conscience of the King.” He also co-wrote “The (Ballad of the) Unknown Stuntman” that became the theme song to the 70’s Lee Majors TV series “The Fall Guy” (the song was co-written by the show’s producer Glen Larson, who was an old pal of Somerville’s going back to Larson’s days as original baritone with The Four Preps in the 50’s).

“There was no truer gentle in all of pop music, and no one with more friends than Dave,” said Jay, who visited the singer in the hospital last week and recorded his last words that the DJ will use in a tribute show. Somerville performed a full schedule until his final months. A tour of Australia set for this summer was canceled only days before he died.

07-16-2015, 10:24 AM	#1
Zoneboy RIP, I'LL NEVER FORGET YOU :( Moderator Forum Superstar Join Date: Jul 13, 2003 Location: AT HOME WISHING ALL THIS WAS JUST A DREAM AND THAT I'LL WAKE UP FROM THIS NIGHTMARE. Posts: 34,339	Dave Somerville 1933-2015 (Co-Writer of "The Unknown Stuntman") Link Dave Somerville, former lead singer with 50’s doo-wop group The Diamonds, best known for “Little Darlin’,” died of pancreatic cancer at age 81 in hospital in Santa Barbara, according to his close friend, veteran east coast DJ Jimmy Jay, host of “The Rewind Show,” in a phone call to me. The Diamonds, one of the most popular vocal groups of the late 50’s, scored 15 Top 40 hits between 1956 and 1961, including their version of “Why Do Fools Fall in Love” that was released in January 1956, a week after Frankie Lyman and The Teenagers’ classic version that nonetheless hit No. 2 on the Cashbox Top 40 and No. 12 on Billboard’s Hot 100. The Diamonds also scored hits with the dance tune, “The Stroll” (No. 1 Cashbox, No. 4 Hot 100, No. 5 R&B chart) and “Silhouettes” (No. 10). However, the song for which Somerville and The Diamonds will be best remembered is the 1957 doo-wop classic, “Little Darlin’,” with its high-pitched “La-la-la-la La La” falsetto and bass soliloquy. The song reached No. 2 on the Hot 10, where it stayed for eight weeks. It was also No. 2 on the Cash Box chart and the R&B chart and it hit No. 3 in Great Britain. The Diamonds were members of the Vocal Group, the Doo Wop and the Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences Juno Halls of Fame. Somerville tried his hand at acting in the 60’s. Leonard Nimoy was his drama coach and Somerville appeared on Nimoy’s show, “Star Trek” in the episode, “The Conscience of the King.” He also co-wrote “The (Ballad of the) Unknown Stuntman” that became the theme song to the 70’s Lee Majors TV series “The Fall Guy” (the song was co-written by the show’s producer Glen Larson, who was an old pal of Somerville’s going back to Larson’s days as original baritone with The Four Preps in the 50’s). “There was no truer gentle in all of pop music, and no one with more friends than Dave,” said Jay, who visited the singer in the hospital last week and recorded his last words that the DJ will use in a tribute show. Somerville performed a full schedule until his final months. A tour of Australia set for this summer was canceled only days before he died.
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