The original Four Tops formed in 1954 and the starting line up for The Temptations hit the scene in 1961. Since then both groups have had 40 Top 100 hits, careers that have spanned decades, and enough original recording members to still use the famous band names (it’s actually a state law in Massachusetts).

Being on the music scene at mostly the same time, The Temptations and The Four Tops were naturally competing for record sales, radio play, and concert-goers – but now they regularly tour together. This partnership came about in the 1980s when both groups appeared in a televised Battle of the Bands … and I just found footage of that event!

The event also featured other popular doo-wop groups, but The Temtpations and The Four Tops are clearly the stars (and quite funny). They show up about 4 minutes in. (Also, I’m pretty sure that’s Bill Cosby MCing.)

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zkXi-hIdYME&feature=related

- JS

Bowzer (of Sha Na Na) will be bringing his amazing doo-wop show back to the Melody Tent this summer, but before that he’ll be co-hosting a series of Doo-Wop shows on PBS this month!

The series is called “MY MUSIC: ROCK, POP, AND DOO-WOP” and will highlight music made famous in the 1960s. Bowzer will be co-hosting the series (which premieres this Saturday, March 5!) with Ronnie Spector of The Ronettes. The show will feature live performances from Doo-Wop legends as well as “lost footage from archives around the world that hasn’t been seen since originally aired,” according to the show’s executive producer. At lease 20 artists are slatted to be included.

Read more about “MY MUSIC: ROCK, POP, AND DOO-WOP” in this Huffington Post piece (it’s all the way at the bottom) and check your local PBS listings and make sure you don’t miss it!

Until then, here’s a little taste of Bowzer’s 2010 show to get you excited!

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b9kS8qg83xQ

- JS

With the lineup in this year’s Bowzer’s Original Doo Wop Party it’ll be a surprise if they manage to fit in a song that wasn’t a hit! Charlie Thomas’ Drifters, Danny & The Juniors, Jay Seigel & The Tokens, Little Joe Cook, and The Crystals all have ample material to choose from to keep you singing along.

Add Bowzer and Lennie Baker to the mix and you not only get Bowzer & The Stingrays, but two influential members of Sha Na Na! And when Lennie and Bowzer get together, it’s like they never left the Doo Wop heyday.

We’ll be doing some of the duets that we did together with Sha Na Na. And, of course, we’ll sing ‘Blue Moon,’ which is our signature song. Lennie and I have always gotten along very well and so everything floods back instantly when we reunite and it is almost like we never stopped working together.

Read more about the show, how Bowzer gets Lennie out of retirement, and how Bowzer ensures all the bands on his tour actually feature people you remember (Lennie was also a member of Danny & The Juniors!) in Wicked Local.

Come to Bowzer’s Original Doo Wop Party on Sunday, August 1!