Brooklyn Repertory Ensemble Passport To Brooklyn CD

HERB RYALSIf you ask Herb Ryals when he first fell in love with music, he'd probably say "It must have happened when I was born. Herb recall his mother telling him that before he could talk, he would hum along with the songs constantly playing on the radio in the Ryals home. Both his mother and father could sing and his sisters were singing in perfect harmony as far back as Herb can remember. A native of Georgia, and being raised in the deep south, Herb was influenced by a broad range of singers and musicians (including big band, country, blues, rock and roll and more). His first performance was at the age of 3 where sang "God Bless America" at a cantata in Albany, Georgia. He taught himself to play piano and saxophone while still a teenager and was playing professionally by the age of 18. At 20, he landed his first recording contract with a newly-formed record label in Memphis, Tn. Known as Pepper Records. He recorded a remake of the standard " Heart and Soul", which was successful enough to send him on tour with artists Frankie Avalon, Chuck Berry, Johnny Horton, Ferlin Huskey and many others. Herb worked as a singer, songwriter and musician in Memphis, Nashville, Atlanta, New Orleans and New York. He recorded "The Luckiest Guy" and "Suzanne" (with Jerry Willis) on Dot Records in 1961 (both songs which had considerable success in Europe). In 1968, Herb recorded "Like the falling Rain" released on RCA Victor and "Goodbye Maria" was recorded in the early 70"s (released on Atco Records). When Elvis Was in Germany, Herb played live with Elvis' backing band members, Bill Black and Scotty Moore. Several of Herb's songs were recorded by other artists, such as Arthur Alexander and Roy Hamilton. Herb ahas worked with top producers such as Noel Ball in Nashville (who produced hits "Sugar Shack", "You Better Move On" and "Anna"). In New York, he worked with producer Paul Vance (who produced hits "Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini" and "catch a falling Star"). In the 1980's, Herb recorded his version of Percy Sledge hit "warm and Tender Love", which placed him in billboard magazine.