So long, and thanks for all the Niblets
Not as socially momentous, perhaps, as yesterday's passing of Rosa Parks, but nonetheless sad, is the news of the death of singer and voice actor Len Dresslar.
You may not recognize Mr. Dresslar's name or face, but if you've watched TV commercials anytime in the past 40 years — or eaten canned vegetables during the same period — you certainly know his voice. Dresslar provided the familiar "Ho! Ho! Ho!" of the Jolly Green Giant throughout his lengthy career.
More significantly to me as a fan and performer of a cappella music, Dresslar was the bass vocalist in the phenomenal vocal ensemble Singers Unlimited. The Singers were a four-voice recording unit assembled by legendary singer and arranger Gene Puerling in 1967, primarily to record advertising jingles. In addition to Dresslar and Puerling, tenor Don Shelton (who, along with Puerling, had been a member of the '50s vocal quartet The Hi-Lo's) provided the third male voice, while the amazing Bonnie Herman sang all of the female voice parts. Innovators in studio multitracking, Puerling and the Singers Unlimited combined countless overdubs to create an incredibly vast ensemble sound that belied the fact that only four singers were involved.
In addition to their advertising work, the Singers Unlimited recorded several popular albums, four of which — including their seminal Christmas album, appropriately titled Christmas — contained no instrumental accompaniment. While the bulk of the Singers' music is available today only in the compilation package Magic Voices, the Christmas album still turns up in the holiday music section of many CD retailers. If you love lush harmonies and perfect vocal blend, it's worth hunting down.
You may not recognize Mr. Dresslar's name or face, but if you've watched TV commercials anytime in the past 40 years — or eaten canned vegetables during the same period — you certainly know his voice. Dresslar provided the familiar "Ho! Ho! Ho!" of the Jolly Green Giant throughout his lengthy career.
More significantly to me as a fan and performer of a cappella music, Dresslar was the bass vocalist in the phenomenal vocal ensemble Singers Unlimited. The Singers were a four-voice recording unit assembled by legendary singer and arranger Gene Puerling in 1967, primarily to record advertising jingles. In addition to Dresslar and Puerling, tenor Don Shelton (who, along with Puerling, had been a member of the '50s vocal quartet The Hi-Lo's) provided the third male voice, while the amazing Bonnie Herman sang all of the female voice parts. Innovators in studio multitracking, Puerling and the Singers Unlimited combined countless overdubs to create an incredibly vast ensemble sound that belied the fact that only four singers were involved.
In addition to their advertising work, the Singers Unlimited recorded several popular albums, four of which — including their seminal Christmas album, appropriately titled Christmas — contained no instrumental accompaniment. While the bulk of the Singers' music is available today only in the compilation package Magic Voices, the Christmas album still turns up in the holiday music section of many CD retailers. If you love lush harmonies and perfect vocal blend, it's worth hunting down.
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