Gary Lewis & The Playboys - Count Me In

It would be difficult to find a rock & roll star -- and that was what he was for two years in the mid-'60s -- less likely than Gary Lewis, or a less probable chart-topping act than Gary Lewis & the Playboys. Lewis himself was possessed of a limited singing range and didn't have what could be considered good looks, yet with a lot of help he managed to make some exceptionally good (and good-selling) records out of Los Angeles, in the midst of the British Invasion, and teenagers loved him. He was the son of actor/comedian/director/producer Jerry Lewis, who was then one of the most popular entertainers in the country. Gary Lewis was born in 1946, before his father's ascent to the top of the entertainment world, but by the time he reached his teens -- and had begun playing drums and leading a combo of his own, which included Dave Walker on rhythm guitar and Dave Costell on lead, Al Ramsey on bass, and John West on the cordovox (a kind of electric accordion) -- Jerry Lewis was a major star and one of the hottest box office and television attractions in the world. He could get a television series on the air, and networks and sponsors opening their checkbooks to back it, just by indicating he wanted to do one, and get a movie made by writing -- or just okaying -- a script. If he had any peer in the business in those days, it was Frank Sinatra.

The younger Lewis and his band got a gig during the summer of 1964 playing at Disneyland, and that engagement, coupled with some urging by the elder Lewis, helped get the band a hearing from Snuff Garrett, a top producer based at Liberty Records. Garrett saw some possibilities for the group and encouraged them to work in the studio at developing a sound. Gary Lewis even got some pointers in his approach to his instrument by no less a figure than Buddy Rich. It finally happened for them late in 1964 with a song called "This Diamond Ring," co-authored (with the Drifters in mind) by a young Al Kooper. The resulting record, on which Lewis sang (with lots of doubling of his voice) and he and the Playboys played on some of the basic tracks, but which mostly featured Hal Blaine on timpani and arranger Leon Russell dubbing much of what was left, was a career-making smash.

That song hit number one on the charts in early 1965, right in the middle of the British invasion, and introduced Lewis to the public. It also gave him a singing persona that was especially appealing to preteens and younger teenagers, as a kind of likable nerd, a sort of '60s pop culture Ur-nebbish, not too far from the pose adopted by Peter Noone of Herman's Hermits on songs like "Mrs. Brown, You've Got a Lovely Daughter." Every boy under age 16 whose voice ever tightened up or even squeaked slightly while pondering asking out a girl they liked -- or who simply feared being unlucky in love -- could identify with the persona that Lewis presented, while girls adored him as someone "safe." In a sense, Lewis was a successor to such teen pop idols as Fabian and Frankie Avalon, with a touch of Beaver Cleaver-ish or Wally Cleaver-ish nerdiness that fit the early to mid-'60s. It was all a long way from what the Rolling Stones or even the Beatles (apart from Ringo) were doing at the time, but it found an audience that also included parents and other post-teen listeners, who appreciated the smoothness and attractiveness of Garrett and Russell's work as producer and arranger, respectively. Some of the music was a little sappy -- "Save Your Heart for Me" wasn't even soft rock, but what one might call "wimp rock" -- but a lot of it was beautiful AM pop.

The original Playboys, later augmented by Jim Keltner on drums, held together for the first seven singles, and Lewis' career remained on track throughout 1966 with an enviable string of hits, including the beautiful "She's Just My Style," which was sort of his graduation from the nerd persona, as well as the point when he gave up playing drums to front the group as a full-time singer. Garrett and Russell kept the records coming and the airplay coming back, and the group even wangled a movie appearance in A Swingin' Summer, a teen comedy notable for a pre-nose job Raquel Welch in a key role. Lewis might have sustained his career well into the decade, had not the draft intervened. Called into the armed forces in December of 1966, he was forced to record when on leave, and an attempt at extending his career with recordings completed before going overseas failed. ~ Bruce Eder, All Music Guide

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[Robyn Culp]

I finally found John11948. Now I can subscribe and get all these great tunes to check out. Teensoundman I think was the one that mentioned you but I forgot the exact name and figured one day I would run into this. So this is that day ! Robyn on the team now.

[John1948Five]

Welcome aboard Robin!

[Casha Filomena]

John you seem to be a true appasionato of music--

[John1948Five]

Yes, I suppose I am, Casha.

[Upsiditus7]

Believe me, if Gary Lewis didn't have a famous father he would NOT have been a rock star, although I must say this IS a great song.

[John1948Five]

That may or may not be true. Gary Lewis and The Playboys was a very good band and deserved their fame. On the other hand they definitely got a lot of early breaks due to Gary's father. It's tough for even excellent bands to break out so you might be right.

[jtswhip]

WIN!!! This song is SO GREAT! This is,hands down,my favorite oldie ever. I love it so much and I wasn't even born when it came out. I don't believe in magic,but if I did,this song would be what magic is to me. It is a flawless piece of music and thank you for sharing it.

[malachaisaac]

Saturday 10/9/11 was one of the best days in my life when i went to the Gary Lewis & Billy J. Kramer tribute for John Lennon!!! I got to meet both of them after the show, take pictures with them, and i got their autographs!!! i actually cried when i was leaving from getting to meet Gary Lewis!!!

[spacepatrolman]

yes gary had drum lessons with buddy rich so did tony bennetts son who had a couple of rock groups before becoming tony bennetts manager carl radle was a pot smoker he died of a brain tumor buddy rich was a pot smoker he died of 3 brain tumors bob marley was a pot smoker he died of a brain tumor but I know someone who didnt smoke and died of a brain tumor first they said cellular phones caused brain tumors then they said they didnt then they said they dont know

[spacepatrolman]

2:01 1:08 listen to the live version of each time by the searchers it sounds like they have interpolated this riff into the guitar part 1:02

[spacepatrolman]

listen to gene pitneys version of count me in all day long I do 

[spacepatrolman]

he had a tv special and said he switched from drums to guitar because the fans couldnt see him back there on the drums

[zachjansen5]

Lots of hit singles lots of member so gary lewis john west tom tripplehorn carl radle dave costell

[sauquoit13456]

On this day in 1965 {March 21st} Gary Lewis and the Playboys performed "Count Me In" on the CBS-TV program 'The Ed Sullivan Show'...

Around two weeks later on April 3rd it entered Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart; eventually it peaked at #2 {for 2 weeks} and spent 11 weeks on the Top 100...

It reached #49 in Australia...

Playboy bassist Allan Ramsay passed away on November 27th, 1985 at the young age of 42...

R.I.P. Mr. Ramsay and Mr. Sullivan {1901 - 1974}...