Bob Relf
Robert Nelson Relf (January 10, 1937 – November 20, 2007) was an American R&B and soul musician. Best known as half of the soul music duo Bob & Earl whose song, Harlem Shuffle was released in the US in 1963 and in the UK in 1964. It was re-released 1969 reaching No 7 in the UK charts. Relf's recording of the song "Blowing My Mind to Pieces" was written by Lou Barreto as well as being produced by Lou Barreto and Rod Bumgardner. The song became popular on the Northern soul scene in the UK in the 1970s. Musical career Relf attended Fremont High School, Los Angeles, and in 1954 joined fellow pupils Sam Jackson, Ted Brown and Ronald Brown in forming a doo wop group, The Laurels. They recorded on the Combo and the Cash Record labels. Their "Our Love" an operatic ballad on the Cash label was described by the music writer Jim Dawson as one of Relf's best recordings – "a strange, lugubrious performance that sounds like nothing else". Relf's solo recording of "Little Fool" followed in 1956 without success. He spent short stints with the Crescendoes, the Upfronts, Valentino and the Lovers (Donna Records) The Hollywood