The Earls
Polished Bronx street-corner harmonies and romantic baritone leads. Classic doo-wop that captures the bittersweet snap of 1960s New York nights.
Polished Bronx street-corner harmonies and romantic baritone leads. Classic doo-wop that captures the bittersweet snap of 1960s New York nights.
The Earls represent the quintessential sound of the Bronx street corner, where vocal harmony was a way of life. Their music is defined by a rich, resonant blend of voices that feels both communal and deeply personal. It is the sound of a specific era in New York history, characterized by tight vocal arrangements, rhythmic snapping, and a production style that emphasizes the natural reverb of the city streets.
What sets them apart is the leadership of Larry Chance, whose baritone lead provided a more muscular and grounded foundation than many of their high-tenor-led contemporaries. They managed to bridge the gap between the raw, early doo-wop of the 1950s and the more polished, pop-oriented production of the early 1960s. Their signature use of nonsense syllables as rhythmic instruments creates a playful yet disciplined sonic architecture.
Start with 'Remember Then' to hear their most iconic rhythmic hook, then move to 'Life Is But a Dream' for a masterclass in the romantic balladry that made them legends of the oldies circuit. It is music for anyone who finds beauty in the simplicity of a well-placed harmony and the crackle of a vintage recording.
The Earls, often credited as Larry Chance and the Earls, is an American popular music group formed in The Bronx, New York. In a career spanning over 60 years they formed in the early 1960s, though their roots can be traced back to 1957 in a group called the High-Hatters. They were one of the most accomplished white doo-wop groups of the early 1960s, especially in their home state of New York. In 1962, they became known for their signature hit single "Remember Then", which still remains a staple of doo-wop music. Later in their career they experienced moderate success with songs such as "Life Is But a Dream", "Never" and "I Believe". In the 1970s and 1980s, an oldies revival scene began and the Earls re-experienced success and became one of the most requested popular groups in the doo-wop genre. The group still continues to perform. Other recordings include "Looking For My Baby" and "Kissing." Albums included Remember Me Baby, The Earls: Today, The Earls – Live, Earl Change, and Streets of the Bronx. Since the group's inception in the early 1960s, singer Larry Chance fronted and led the Earls, being the sole continuous and only original remaining member of the group, until his death in 2023.
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