Hudson Brothers

Hudson Brothers
The Hudson Brothers, (l-r) Brett, Bill, Mark with Captain Kangaroo (bottom), 1975
Background information
Also known as The New Yorkers, Everyday Hudson, Hudson, The Hudsons
Origin Portland, Oregon, United States
Genres Pop
Years active 1965–1981
Labels Scepter, Jerden, Warner Bros. Records, Decca, Lionel, Playboy, Rocket, Casablanca, Arista, Elektra, Columbia Records
Past members Bill Hudson
Brett Hudson
Mark Hudson

The Hudson Brothers is an American music group formed in Portland, Oregon in the 1970s and consisting of Bill Hudson, Brett Hudson and Mark Hudson. Their popular songs have included "So You Are a Star" (1974), "Rendezvous" (1975), "Lonely School Year" (1975), and "Help Wanted" (1976).

History

Their first musical group, The New Yorkers, was named after the Chrysler automobile after the winning of a "battle of the bands"-type contest. In spring 1967 they released "When I'm Gone" (SCE-12190) on Scepter Records, following that in August 1967 with "Mr. Kirby" (SCE-12199) and then "Show Me the Way to Love" (SCE-12207) in autumn 1967. By October 1968, The New Yorkers had switched to Jerry Dennon's Pacific Northwest label Jerden Records and issued "Adrianne" (#906), following that up with "Land of Ur" (#908) in March 1969. Later in 1969 The New Yorkers also recorded "Lonely" (#7318) for Warner Bros. Records and "I Guess the Lord Must Be in New York City" (#32569) for Decca Records.

On Decca Records they changed their name to Everyday Hudson in early 1970, releasing "Love Is the Word" (#32634).

For the release in spring 1971 of "Love Nobody" on Lionel Records (L-3211), their name was shortened to Hudson. This name was also used in 1972 after switching to the newly re-activated Playboy Records, with the release of "Leavin' It's Over" (originally "Leave and It's Over", the song was mislabeled by Playboy, and it has never been corrected) (P-50001), Billboard Bubbling Under Chart #110. In 1973, Hudson signed with Elton John's record label named The Rocket Record Company and released "If You Really Need Me" (MCA-40141), which was recorded in France and produced by Bernie Taupin and mixed by Andy Scott. It was followed by "Sunday Driver" (MCA-40317).

Their first record release as The Hudson Brothers came in September 1974 with their chart record "So You Are a Star" on Casablanca Records (NES 0108; Billboard #21), followed by "Coochie Coochie Coo" (NES 816) in 1975, Bubbling Under Chart #108. They rebounded slightly that same year with "Rendezvous" (#26 U.S. Billboard Hot 100) from the Ba-Fa album. They returned to The Rocket Record Company for more 45 RPM charted songs in 1975 with producer Bernie Taupin, later switching to Arista Records in 1976. Yet another name change back to Hudson came in 1980 on Elektra Records. (The "Hudsons" which recorded for Columbia in 1983 is not the same group.)

Television and movies

One of their earliest appearances on television, as The Hudson Brothers, was back in the summer of 1972, for the TV game show What's My Line?, where they introduced "hot pants" to the American daytime television viewing audience, wearing them during the performance of one of their songs, in a short promo (no pun intended). Hot Pants (short, "briefs"-length women's, and, sometimes, men's leg-wear) are, typically, made of more expensive or exotic materials, such as crushed-velvet). They were a short-lived fashion rage in the summer of that year.

They starred in The Hudson Brothers Show, a TV variety hour Wednesday nights on CBS starting July 31, 1974 to August 28, 1974, followed by The Hudson Brothers Razzle Dazzle Show on CBS Saturday mornings, from September 7, 1974 to August 30, 1975, in a half-hour format. Video Service Corp. released the complete Razzle Dazzle series on DVD on June 17, 2008. The brothers also guest-starred on The Love Boat.

The three then starred alongside Robert "Bob" Monkhouse, a comedy actor best known in the United States for the Carry On franchise of comedy films, in Bonkers!, a half-hour syndicated comedy show in 1978, produced in Britain by ATV (Jack Burns was its American producer) and distributed by ITC. They also starred in Hysterical, a horror-comedy film released in 1983, and appeared together in the 1978 comedy film Zero to Sixty.

Personal lives

Bill Hudson was married to Goldie Hawn from 1976 to 1980 and is the father of actors Oliver Hudson and Kate Hudson. He later married Cindy Williams; they divorced in 2000. Mark Hudson was successful as a writer/producer for acts such as Aerosmith and Ringo Starr.

While Bill and Mark are still involved with music, Brett is married and producing TV shows while handling other functions in the music scene.

Discography

  • 1972: Hudson (Playboy Records)
  • 1974: Totally Out of Control (The Rocket Record Company, Billboard #179)
  • 1974: Hollywood Situation (Casablanca Records, Billboard #176) With hit single 'So You Are a Star' : #21 U.S. Billboard Hot 100.
  • 1975: Ba-Fa (The Rocket Record Company, Billboard #165) With hit single 'Rendezvous' : #26 U.S. Billboard Hot 100.
  • 1978: The Truth About Us (Arista Records)
  • 1978: TV's Hudson Brothers (First American Records; (consisting of the Jerden-era singles)
  • 1980: Damn Those Kids (Elektra Records; released under the name Hudson)
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