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Members include Donald "Gus" Backus (born c. 1942 in Southhampton, Long Island, NY); Chuck Jackson (born on July 22, 1937, in Winston-Salem, NC); Corinthian "Kripp" Johnson (born c. 1933 in Cambridge, MD; died on June 22, 1990, in Pontiac, MI); Dave Lerchey (born c. 1946 in New Albany, IN); Clarence Quick (born c. 1944 in Brooklyn, NY); Norman Wright (born on October 31, 1937, in Philadelphia, PA). Addresses: Agent--Mars Talent Agency Inc., 27 L'Ambiance Court, Bardonia, NY 10954, phone: (561) 743-1990, fax: (561) 743-1993. Booking--Lustig Talent Enterprises, P.O. Box 770850, Orlando, FL 32877, phone: (407) 816-8960, fax: (407) 816-8959, e-mail: delvikings@lustigtalent.com.

Perhaps the most memorable doo wop songsters, the Del Vikings--also spelled Del-Vikings, Dell Vikings, or Dell-Vikings--epitomized the sweet, carefree sound of the 1950s with their phrase "Dom, dom, dom, dom, dom-dee-doobie, dom." While other groups rose and quickly passed into oblivion, the Del Vikings produced dozens of recordings, including two classic hits, and continued performing into 2001. One of the first R&B harmony groups to evolve doo wop from rock 'n' roll, they maintained a distinctive sound that jelled with "Come Go with Me" and "Whispering Bells," two chart-toppers that still appeal to a wide range of listeners.

The original quintet--first tenor Corinthian "Kripp" Johnson, second tenor Don Jackson, baritones Bernard Robertson and Samuel Paterson, and bass Clarence E. Quick--began performing at the Pittsburgh Air Force Base camp hall in 1955 and won a base talent contest the next year. The group derived its name from an interest in the Viking navigators of medieval history and appended "Del" to give the name more style. Two less credible accounts of their naming suggests that they liked paperbacks published by Viking Press or followed a Brooklyn basketball team named the Vikings. After Paterson and Robertson transferred to Germany, the remaining trio added two substitutes. Tenor Norman Wright, an 18-year-old Philadelphian, got his start singing pop tunes like "Mule Train" informally on streets and at his Air Force base in Amarillo, Texas. While serving in Amarillo, he formed a harmony group. After being transferred to Pittsburgh, he tried out with the Del Vikings, who were impressed that he could "sing 'Hey Senorita' better than any of 'em," Wright recalled on the Destination Doo-Wop website. Quick chose Wright as the group's lead singer. The fifth member, baritone David Lerchey, the only Caucasian in the group, integrated the quintet, which joined the Meadowlarks and the Mariners as one of the first singing doo wop groups to mix races.

From national competitions in New York and Bermuda, the Del Vikings advanced in popularity with a boost from Pittsburgh radio disc jockey Barry Kaye. Under his direction, they recorded nine songs a cappella, including Quick's "Come Go with Me" and Johnson's "How Can I Find True Love." Snubbed by major labels, they signed with Joe Auerbach's Fee Bee, a small recording company based in Pittsburgh, and rerecorded their original set accompanied by Joe Lopes and Gene Upshaw. Auerbach leased their signature tune to Dot Records, which issued it in 1957.

Rocketing to number four of the pop charts, "Come Go with Me" remained strong for 31 weeks. By juggling free days from servicing jets on the flight line, the rising Del Vikings toured the nation and scored as a feature of the Easter revue for Alan Freed's Brooklyn Paramount shows. Air Force officials halted the group's performance in uniform--the military only wanted the group to perform in uniform if they were doing official recruitment gigs. Wishing to avoid becoming an Air Force singing group, the members contented themselves with gigs in Pittsburgh, juggling their differing schedules until they finished their military service. With the departure of Don Jackson, they recruited second tenor Donald "Gus" Backus, lead singer on "Cool Shake."

The group's history is pocked with internal disagreements. Their manager attempted to break the contract with Fee Bee on the grounds that all of the members except Johnson were under 21 years old when they signed with Auerbach. A new contract with Mercury Records produced a confusing split: the Dell-Vikings (spelled with two "l"s and a hyphen), including Jackson and Johnson, recorded "Whispering Bells" for Dot Records in 1957, when their song rose to nine on the charts. Two others, "Willette" and "I Want to Marry You," were less successful. The Del-Vikings (one "l" and a hyphen), featuring Backus, Blakely, Lerchey, Quick, and Wright, joined Mercury and released "Cool Shake" and "Sunday Kind of Love." Kaye further muddled group identity by remixing the original demo tape with orchestral background as an LP bearing the Luniverse Records label; he also issued a 45 of "Hey Senorita" and "Over the Rainbow."

The squabble went to court, where a judge awarded the name Del Vikings and any variants to Mercury. The group became the first to have three hits on the charts at one time, a feat later achieved by Elvis Presley and the Beatles. Further variants placed Joe Lopes in Lerchey's place during a cameo appearance with Fats Domino and the Diamonds in the film Big Beat, released in 1957. Dot Records' Dell-Vikings harmonized Arthur Budd, Ed Everette, and Chuck Jackson with Don Jackson and, at the court's insistence, renamed themselves the Versatiles. The group soon fizzled out. By 1959, when the Mercury contract expired, Johnson formed a sextet with Willie Green, Ritzy Lee, Douglas White, Billy Woodruff, and Quick. The new group signed with ABC-Paramount but never achieved the musical magic of the original Del Vikings.

In 1972, during a renaissance of rock's oldies, Quick rereleased "Come Go with Me" in New York City on the Scepter label. The following year, George Lucas's pop classic film American Graffiti featured the song as an example of classic doo wop. In 1980, Johnson built a new Dell-Vikings sound featuring John Byas, Lee, Lerchey, and Wright and, in 1985, produced a new hit, "Share the Night." Another film, Rob Reiner's Stand by Me, released in 1986, featured Del Viking sounds.

After Quick's death in 1985 and Johnson's demise five years later, the surviving smooth doo wop sound derived from Norman Wright, who performed in a quartet with his sons Norman "Skip" Wright Jr. on guitar, Anthony "Beaver" Wright on bass, and Mike Machado on drums. A friend of the Wright brothers, Machado had played in a band with them before joining the group, mixing with other pros, and learning from what he described on Destination Doo-Wop as Norman Wright's "whole sense of professionalism." Skip Wright earned and maintained a music high around age ten, when he talked up the Del Vikings at school and helped promote doo wop among younger listeners and moviegoers. The group thrilled audiences with a performance of "Come Go with Me" at the 1996 Summer Olympic Games in Atlanta, Georgia.

The current Del Viking hybrid keeps a string of bookings in the United States, Europe, and Asia, in part because of their high-energy performances of song and dance. Another source of demand comes from nostalgia movies and reruns of television programs like Happy Days. Skip's brother, Anthony, who is two years his junior, credits the Public Broadcasting System (PBS) Doo-Wop 50 television special in December of 1999 with reviving interest in the Del Vikings and boosting a new millennium's renaissance.

by Mary Ellen Snodgrass

The Del Vikings's Career

Group formed, c. 1955; recording of "Come Go with Me" evolved the doo wop sound, 1956; split into Del Vikings and Dell-Vikings, 1957; had three hit singles on the charts simultaneously, 1957; "Come Go with Me" rereleased by Scepter, 1972; "Come Go with Me" featured in film American Graffiti, 1973; the new Dell-Vikings produced "Share the Night," 1985; music featured in film Stand by Me, 1986; music played at Summer Olympic Games, 1996; performed in Public Broadcasting System (PBS) television special Doo-Wop 50, 1999.

Famous Works

Recent Updates

January 29, 2005: Group member David Lerchey died on January 29, 2005, in Hallandale, Florida, of cancer. He was 67. Source: Entertainment Weekly, February 11, 2005, p. 19.

Further Reading

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The Del Vikings Lyrics

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over 12 years ago

I am the wife of "Sweet Lou" Velez, of Clarence Quicks Del-Vikings. Lou came into the group in 1975, Clarence placed him in charge in "1980" Clarence passed away in May of "1983", before he passed he requested Lou continue the group in "1987" Louis "Sweet Lou" Velez INCORPORATED the DEL_VIKINGS, Productions Inc,. The Corporation members along with "Sweet Lou" were Arthur "Kookie" Martinez, Frank Ayers Lloyd "Butch" Phillips,Henry "Dickie" Harmon. "Sweet Lou" passed away in May of 2008, Arthur "Kookie" Martinez, & Les Levine still perform under the name. Shelly Wengrovsky, Lewis McMillan, Robert Walker, were brought in to replace, Louis "Sweet Lou" Velez & Sir Reginald "Reggie" Walker, who was formerly of the Del-Roys. Add by: Anna Velez / President, DEL-VIKINGS, Productions Inc.

almost 14 years ago

i'm sorry to report this but Norman Wright lead singer of the Del vikings has passed away, 10-31 10. rip!

almost 14 years ago

I regret to inform you that Norman A Wright, the orignal lead singer of The Del Vikings passed away on April 23, 2010 in Morristown, New Jersey. He was my father in-law.

almost 14 years ago

No one seems to remember Clarence Quicks Del-Vikings or just don`t want to know. I Arthur (kookie) Martinez along with Lou (Sweet Lou) Velez joined Clarence Quick, William Blakely and Herbert Mc Queen in 1975 and I am still performing today. We recorded a new CD in 1990 called Rock `n` Roll Remembered. Norman and his Sons know who we are. Feel free to e-mail me if you would like to know more. Kookie

over 14 years ago

I love the delvikings on doo wop sorry to hear tat one of the member has died they were a very good group and i liked thie song Come and go with me RIP DAVIS LERCHEY.

over 14 years ago

My name is Mike Fenton. I live in England, have owned many of the Del-Vikings records for years. I write a column and do interviews with 50s legends for Now Dig This magazine. I am a musician by profession and at one time I taught school in Norman Wright's hometown, Philadelphia. I am going to be in the USA very soon and would love to meet up with Norman Wright and interview him about his days with the DEl Vikings. I am hoping leaving this message will assist me in locating Norman. Can anyone help - a phone number would be great !

almost 16 years ago

Hi Fans this Tony Wright Normans youngest son and Bass player and Vocals of the Del Vikings.No Dad is alive and well .He has retired from the road and says hello to all his fans.Look out for my brother and i new line up of the Del Vikings yes Mike is still with us.So we are going to keep the good name of the Del Vikings going Strong for our fans Thanks.The Del VikingPS hi Joe we love You.

about 15 years ago

Has Norman passed away and what ever happened to Gus?

over 15 years ago

When was Fred Wynn with the Del Vikings?

about 16 years ago

I AM JOE LOPES. I TOOK THE PLACE OF GUS BACKUS, NOT DAVE LERCHEY. GUS WAS TRANSFERRED TO GERMANY LEAVING AN OPENNING IN THE VOCAL GROUP. SINCE I KNEW ALL THE SONGS, CLARENCE QUICK, THE LEADER, PUT ME INTO THE GROUP AND I NO LONGER PLAYED THE GUITAR WITH THEM. I WAS ON GUITAR ON "COME GO WITH ME" AND "WHISPERONG BELLS"