Joe Bennett & The Sparkletones

This rock ‘n’ roll band came from Spartanburg, South Carolina, USA. Joe Bennett And The Sparkletones were a typical manifestation of the early days of rock ‘n’ roll, in which teenagers formed groups to create music that reflected their own interests and those interests often revolved around clothes. The group members, whose ages ranged from 14 to 17, were Joe Bennett (vocals, lead guitar), Howard Childress (rhythm guitar), Wayne Arthur (double bass) and Irving Denton (drums). ‘Black Slacks’, which hit number 11 R&B and number 17 pop in the summer of 1957, was the group’s only major hit. On the strength of it the group managed to reach number 42 in the chart with ‘Penny Loafers And Bobby Sox’. The recordings were made for ABC Records in New York with Don Costa producing. A switch to Paris Records in 1959 proved unsuccessful, as did an Elvis Presley tribute, ‘The King Is Coming Back’ (1959), under the pseudonym Billy and Eddie. The group broke up in 1960. © TiVo