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The Four Lads were a popular vocal quartet in the 1950s. They are perhaps best known for the song “Istanbul (Not Constantinople),” as well as “Moments to Remember,” “Standing on the Corner” and “No, Not Much.” In 1975 the Four Lads were listed by Billboard magazine as 167th of the top 200 recording acts of the previous 30 years. They were inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame in 1984 and the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2003.
Background and Formation
First known as the Four Dukes, the group was formed in 1947 in Toronto by Jimmy Arnold (lead tenor, born 4 January 1932; died 15 June 2004), Bernie Toorish (tenor and arranger, born 2 March 1931), Frank Busseri (baritone, born 10 October 1932; died 28 January 2019), and Connie Codarini (bass, born 1930; died 28 April 2010). All attended St Michael's Cathedral Choir School in the 1940s, where they studied with John Ronan.
Early Career
After their CBC Radio debut in 1949 on Elwood Glover's Canadian Cavalcade, they appeared for some 30 weeks at a New York nightclub, Le Ruban Bleu. They also began recording for Columbia as background voices on such hits as Johnnie Ray's “Cry” (1951) and “Little White Cloud” (1951) and Frankie Laine's “Rain, Rain, Rain” (1954), all arranged by Toorish.
Career Highlights
Remaining with Columbia, the Four Lads had their first independent success with “The Mocking Bird” (1952) and their second with “Istanbul (Not Constantinople)” (1953). Of about 20 singles released by 1959, all characterized by the group's expert and closely harmonized singing, hits included “Skokiaan” (1954), “Standing on the Corner” (1956), “Who Needs You” (1957), and the million-sellers “Moments to Remember” (1955) and “No, Not Much” (1956). The group also made many LPs for Columbia, Kapp, and Dot.
In 1975 the Four Lads were listed by Billboard magazine as 167th of the top 200 recording acts of the previous 30 years.
Five of the Four Lads songs earned gold record status in the United States:
- "Istanbul (Not Constantinople)" (1953)
- "Moments to Remember" (1955)
- "No, Not Much" (1956)
- "Standin' on the Corner" (1956)
- "Who Needs You?" (1957)
Though performing mainly in the US, they continued to appear in Canada; for example, they sang with the St. Michael's Boys Choir on CBC-TV's Music 60 Presents the Jack Kane Hour on 1 February 1960. (see also Jack Kane.)
Codarnini was replaced in 1962 by Johnny D'Arc, and Toorish in the early 1970s by Sid Edwards, both of whom were American. The group continued to appear in US and Canadian clubs in the 1980s, but Frank Bussari was the only member from the original group.
Honours
The Four Lads, together with their contemporaries, the Crew Cuts and the Diamonds, were inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame in 1984. The Four Lads were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2003.
