Monday, June 07, 2010

New CD release by Ron Dante of The Archies

The newest CD by Ron Dante, lead singer of The Archies ("Sugar, Sugar") and The Cuff Links ("Tracy") as well as producer extraordinaire (Barry Manilow, Cher, Pat Benatar), is actually an enhanced version of some old Favorites - but what an enhancement it's turning out to be!  Fans of the handsome, talented and eternally youthful singer are going to be delighted with this latest offering, scheduled for release on June 15, 2010.  Favorites will feature twenty (count 'em!) tracks, combining most of those originally released on the CD's previous incarnation with a hefty helping of bonus cuts including some never-before-released gems, like remakes of the Elvis hit "That's Alright, Mama" and Bo Donaldson & The Heywoods' "Billy, Don't Be a Hero."

Ron Dante is a gifted singer who manages to make every song he records his own while still remaining faithful to the original - a tricky feat that not every vocalist can pull off.  But, then, we must keep in mind that Ron's early days in the music biz were spent at the legendary Brill Building in New York City, working with such heavyweights as Don Kirshner and Jeff Barry, and rubbing elbows with the likes of Carole King, Jerry Lieber, Mike Stoller, Ellie Greenwich, and Neil Sedaka.  We must also keep in mind that Ron managed to have two Top-Ten hits at the same time ("Sugar, Sugar" and "Tracy," in 1969) while few people outside the hallowed hallways of the Broadway music palaces knew that it was Ron doing the singing on those records!  Ron's anonymity continued even as "Sugar" went on to sell six million units, becoming the RIAA Record of the Year and earning a gold disc; fortunately, once Ron stepped out from behind the scenes, releasing his first solo album, Let Me Bring You Up, in 1970, he was never to disappear into the shadows again.  (To read more about Ron's incredible career, check out his official website, rondante.com, as well as Laura's Ron Dante Fan Pages.)

Ron's had quite a few solo album releases over the years, including a fair number within the past decade.  His voice still sounds as strong and youthful as ever.  The original version of Favorites was released in early 2000 and is now out of print, and rare enough to sell for around the $75.00 mark when and if a copy can be found.  Happily, now we can all enjoy Ron Dante's Favorites for a fraction of that amount!  Click on the graphic above to reserve your copy on Amazon.com.

The official front and back covers appear below.