Daryl Hall & John Oates Live At The Apollo

The Record

The History of THE APOLLO

The release of "Daryl Hall & John Oates Live At The Apollo With David Ruffin And Eddie Kendrick" marks the resurgence of one of New York's— and the world's—most fabled cultural centers. Dormant since Parliament/ Funkadelic closed the house on March 1,1980, the Apollo has only now reopened to once again assume its legendary stature.

Located on 125th Street in Harlem between Seventh and Eighth Avenues, The Apollo, formerly Hurtig & Seamen's Burlesque House, opened on Jan. 26,1934 with "Jazz a la Carte" featuring Harlem showman Ralph Cooper, Aida Ward, Benny Carter and his Orchestra, and 16 Gorgeous Hot Steppers. For the next five decades the Apollo was home for every major black performing artist in every field of entertainment, as well as the stomping ground for many top white acts and entrepreneurs who borrowed heavily from the immense array of talent on stage.

On June 29,1983, the Apollo was declared a cultural landmark. Following a $10.5 million renovation, it is now called The Apollo Theatre Television Center, its primary function being television and video production. But the Wednesday night amateur shows and Friday night concerts have been reinstituted at the Theater, in keeping with cherished tradition.


DARYL HALL • JOHN OATES

The most successful duo in rock history, Daryl Hall and John Oates have accomplished the remarkable feat of topping all four record industry charts: Pop, Dance, Adult Contemporary, and Black. They have done it by masterfully combining their first love of classic soul music with an unfailing melodic sense and Hall's patented "blue-eyed soul" lead vocals.

Native Philadelphians, the two first met in 1967 during "battle of the bands" competition at the Adelphi Ballroom, where Oates' group the Masters went up against Hall's Temptones (named after his idols The Temptations). Steeped in '60s soul music from frequenting the Uptown Theater (Philly's equivalent of The Apollo) and absorbing the city's own developing soul sound, the duo, after three albums for Atlantic, began a long run of gold and platinum LPs for RCA in 1975 with "Daryl Hall/John Oates." As "Daryl Hall & John Oates Live At The Apollo With David Ruffin and Eddie Kendrick" amply demonstrates, every song in their concert repertoire is a bona fide, category crossing smash.


The Story of RUFFIN and KENDRICK

When you think of the greatest soul groups from the Motown era, the Temptations is surely one of the first to come to mind. Besides handing down more than 20 gold singles and albums during their 1964-1971 heyday, the Temptations also provided two of the music's most enduring vocalists in David Ruffin and Eddie Kendrick.

Born in 1941 in Meridian, Miss., Ruffin was part of a family gospel group as a teenager and toured with all of the biggest spiritual groups at the time. His 1964-1968 tenure as lead singer of the Temps resulted in some of their biggest hits, including "My Girl," Ain’t Too Proud to Beg," and "I wish It Would Rain."

Kendrick, who grew up in Birmingham, moved to Detroit after graduating high school to pursue a singing career. His ethereal high leads and harmonies graced such classic Temps tunes as "Get Ready," "Just My Imagination," and "I'm Gonna Make You Love Me" (with the Supremes).

Both Ruffin and Kendrick had successful solo careers after leaving the Temps, but it was their work with that group which became signposts for a generation.

(c) RCA Records 1985