Len Barry Biography
Leonard Borisoff, 6 December 1942, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. Barry began his career as the anonymous vocalist on the Bosstones' 1958 single "Mope-Itty Mope" before joining the Dovells between 1961 and 1963. As a solo artist, his white soul vocals were best exemplified on the scintillating chart-topper "1-2-3" and the similarly paced "Like A Baby". With his sharp suits and clean-cut image, Barry seemed a Philadelphia teen-idol chronologically cut adrift in 1965, and his contention that long-haired groups were on the way out caused a few ripples in the pop press. Although he enjoyed another minor hit in the USA with the West Side Story anthem "Somewhere", the song had already charted in the UK courtesy of P.J. Proby. During the psychedelic boom of the late 60s, Barry went out of fashion and gradually toned down his lively stage act for cabaret purposes. By the end of the decade and through the 70s, he moved into production work.
Source: The Encyclopedia of Popular Music by Colin Larkin. Licensed from Muze.
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