Keep On Dancing!

The Gentrys

The lead vocal in “Keep On Dancing” by Larry Raspberry solidified the Gentrys’ reputation as a genuine garage group! And, of course, Raspberry would go on to other memorable moments in music when his Gentry days were finished.

The Gentrys were high school classmates, attending Treadwell High School in Memphis, Tennessee. They formed their group, the Gents in 1963 and then became the Gentrys.

Original members were:

• Jimmy Johnson (trumpet)
• Jimmy Hart (vocals)
• Bobby Fisher (sax and keyboards)
• Bruce Bowles (vocals)
• Larry Wall (drums)
• Pat Neal (bass)
• Larry Raspberry (guitar, lead vocals)

Jimmy Hart would later become a ‘big-time wrestler with the WWE and would manage many other wrestlers. He would use his music talents to compose theme songs for other WWE wrestlers. Hart would be the one to step up as leader of the Gentrys when they reformed in 1969 with several new members. As a wrestler he would be known as “The Mouth of the South”.

Hart The Mouth

The Gentrys were the 1964 champions in the Memphis 1964 Battle of the Bands. As a result of that, they secured a recording contract and cut their first single with Youngstown Records.

Their recordings would be picked up for national distribution by MGM and their second recording “Keep On Dancing” would soar into the Top 10 of the Hot 100 peaking at number 4! They would be added to national tours with the Beach Boys, Sonny and Cher and appeared on popular TV shows.

Like garage band the Castaways, the Gentrys would appear in the motion picture “It’s A Bikini World” in 1967 where they performed “Spread It On Thick” their follow up song to “Keep On Dancing”.

The Gentrys were signed by the legendary Sun label in 1970 cutting a seven singles and one long play. By 1970 Sun was no longer owned by legendary Sam Phillips – He sold the label to Shelby Singleton in 1969.

Larry Raspberry would later join the “Alamo” who recorded one long play. He became more famous as the leader of “Larry Raspberry and the High Steppers” in the 1970’s.

Gentrys’ Discography

45 – Youngstown – Sometimes b/w Little Drops Of Water – 1965

45 – Youngstown – Keep On Dancing b/w Make Up Your Mind – June, 1965

45 – MGM – Keep On Dancing – Number 4 Hot 100 – Make Up Your Mind – August, 1965

45 – MGM – Spread It On Thick – Number 50 Hot 100 b/w Brown Paper Sack – Number 101 Bubbling Under – December, 1965

45 – MGM – Everyday I Have To Cry – Number 77 Hot 100 b/w Don’t Let It Be (This Time) – April, 1966

45 – MGM – A Woman of the World b/w There Are Two Sides To Every Story – August, 1966

45 – MGM – You Make Me Feel So Good – Number 130 Bubbling Under b/w There’s A Love – June, 1967

45 – MGM – I Can See b/w 90 Pound Weakling – June, 1967

45 – Bell – I Can’t Go Back To Denver – Number 132 Bubbling Under b/w You Better Come Home – April, 1968

45 – Bell – Thinking Like A Child b/w Silky – September, 1968

45 – Bell – Midnight Train b/w You Tell Me You Care – November, 1968

45 – Sun – Why Should I Cry – Number 61 Hot 100 b/w I Need Love – November, 1969

45 – Sun – Cinnamon Girl – Number 52 Hot 100 b/w I Just Got the News – March, 1970

45 – Sun – He’ll Never Love You – Number 116 Bubbling Under b/w I Hate To See You Go – August, 1970

45 – Sun – The Goddess of Love – Number 119 Bubbling Under b/w Friends – November, 1970

45 – Sun – Wild World – Number 97 Hot 100 b/w Sunshine – January, 1971

45 – Sun – God Save Our Country b/w Love You All My Life – May, 1971

45 – Capitol – Let Me Put This Ring Upon Your Finger b/w Changin’ – September, 1972

45 – Stax – Little Gold Band b/w All Hung Up On You – August, 1974

45 – Stax – High Flyer b/w Little Gold Band – Number 129 Music Vendor – June, 1975

LP – MGM – Keep On Dancing – Number 99 LP Charts – December, 1965

LP – MGM – Gentry Time – 1966

LP – MGM – The Gentrys – 1970

LP – Sun – The Gentrys – 1970

45 – Sweden – 1965

45 Japan – 1965

45 – Germany – 1966

45 – France – 1968

45 – Netherlands – 1971