The Freshmen

The Freshmen were among the more successful examples of what was known in Ireland and England as a show band -- ensembles of usually a little more than half-a-dozen players, pounding out dance-friendly renditions of contemporary rock & roll and, even more so, R&B and soul. In the United States, such groups as Bill Deal & the Rhondels made names for themselves in places like Virginia Beach and Myrtle Beach, SC, and, in the case of Deal and company, even got to record some great sides (and every once in a while, the real article, such as Maurice Williams, would also ply their tr...