"The Four Young Men"
Wayne Moore
Ernie, Darrell & Gib
"The Four Young Men" |
Their first single release was a novelty tune written and performed by the group with Wayne on lead vocals. The name of the first release was "You been torturing me". It made number 72 on the top 100 national charts and was also recorded by "The Hollywood Argyles".
As a group, The Four Young Men also sang and arranged back up vocals on the song "You're the reason (I don't sleep at night)", a hit country to pop crossover on Captiol Records, by Bobby Edwards.
Some singles were released:
| Four Young Men singles |
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1960: - BOBBY EDWARDS & FOUR YOUNG MEN: You're the reason/I'm a fool for loving you (Crest 1075) - FOUR YOUNG MEN: You been torturing me / See them laugh (Crest 1076) 1961: - FOUR YOUNG MEN: Sweetheart of senior high / Just for tonight (Crest 1083) - FOUR YOUNG MEN: That man Paul / Garden in the rain (Dore 621) 1962 (Released as "YOUNG MEN FOUR"): - YOUNG MEN FOUR: Don't be bashful, little girl/Goodbye, bye, bye, bye (Crest 1109) - YOUNG MEN FOUR: Davey Jones / Once there was love (Star Delta SDR-1002) - YOUNG MEN FOUR: The walk/Still walkin (Star Delta SDR-1003) |
Note: Wayne Moore is playing lead guitar on "The walk" and "Still walkin". Glen Campbell is playing lead guitar on "Sweetheart of senior high".
"The walk" is also available on the German rockabilly compilation CD "Party Date" released on the "Buffalo Bop" label.
"You're The Reason" with Bobby Edwards has hit the country chart. It gave Bobby Edwards his only top ten country hit when he took it to No. 4 in 1961 (and also to No. 11 on the pop chart). The Bobby Edwards version, originally on the "Crest" label just became available again on the Time/Life 2-CD set "Classic Country- The 60's Treasures" (R808-17). The Bobby Edwards song and "Don't be bashful, little girl" by the Four Young Men was released on a various artists CD with the title "Talk About A Party! - The Crest Records Story" (RockStar RSRCD 017). "You're the reason" is also on the album "The best of Crest Records Vol. 2 - Rockin' & Rollin'" (Rockstar LP 1003) released 1981 and also on the CD "The golden age of american rock'n'roll - Special country edition (CDCHD 845) released by Ace Records . "I'm a fool for loving you" is on the album "The best of Crest Records Vol. 1 - Can you bob" (Rockstar LP 1002) released 1980.
Note: The song " Goodbye bye bye" was later re-recorded by "THE DUDES" under the title "Let's not pretend anymore" with different arrangement and tempo!
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Note: Picture (above in the middle) of the Four Young Men was taken on stage in Frescno, Calif. for an audience of 5.000 people.
The group's last two singles as The Young Men Four introduced them to Gary Paxton, formerly half of the Skip & Flip (Skip Battin and Gary Paxton) recording duo. Paxton was just starting his producing career and recorded the band for the Star Delta label - this label was owned by Dale Davis. This time the results had a strong folk flavor,"Once There Was Love" and "Davey Jones".
Note: "The walk" was written by Darrell Cotton in response to the call from president JFK for everyone to walk for health.
Five of those songs (You been torturing me/See them laugh/Just for tonight/Don't be bashful little girl/Goodbye, bye bye) were written by Darrell Cotton, Floyd (Gib) Guilbeau, Wayne Moore & Ernie Williams. There are two more songs written by the same foursome which are all published by the same company (Presley Special Account / Unichappel Music Inc.):
 Gib, Ernie |
| Unreleased Four Young Men single |
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- THE FOUR YOUNG MEN: The FBI / The great war (?) "The FBI" was later recorded under the name "Private Investigator" by Donnie (Dean) Hinson and was written by Gib, Darrell and Wayne. |
The Four Young Men did sessions with other people like Jimmy Bowen, Jody Reynolds etc..., that Glen Campbell was lead guitar player. They were on the same label at one time - Crest Records.
The Jimmy Bowen (yes, the famous Nashville producer!!!) single with The Four Young Men was released 1961 and recorded at "Gold Star":
| - JIMMY BOWEN: Don't drop it/Somebody to love (Crest 1085) |
Note: It's been listed that Eddie Cochran played guitar on several Crest sides by "The Four Young Men", he was a busy session guitarist at the time and was with the same Publishing Co. as "The Four Young Men", so it may well be true. Several of those sides have also appeared on Cochran bootleg albums like French "Crest Sessions".
 Studio in Hollywood |
 With choreographer John Gregory |
 "Millionairs Club" |
Here's some info from Wayne and Ernie to the Millionairs Club picture (right) taken in Beverly Hills:
Soon after the last single release the FOUR YOUNG MEN were looking for a more contemporary name ...