Doo-wop group The Earls – sometimes credited as Larry Chance and The Earls – formed in The Bronx, New York in 1960. Founder and frontman Larry Chance grew up in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and had attended high school with future stars Frankie Avalon, Chubby Checker, and Danny & The Juniors’ Danny Rapp. He moved with his family to The Bronx in 1957 and formed doo-wop group The Hi-Hatters. The group evolved into The Earls in 1960 and was discovered while singing on a street corner in front of a subway station. Their first single, “Life is But a Dream,” was released in 1961 and the group promoted it with appearances on Murry the K’s radio show and the popular TV series American Bandstand hosted by Dick Clark. That was followed by later in the year by “Looking for My Baby,” but the band’s third single, “Remember Then” (1962), was the song that put them on the map and remains a staple on doo-wop playlists six decades later. Released on the Old Town Records label, the song reached number 24 on Billboard’s Hot 100 in 1963. However, after several more singles – including 1963’s “Never,” “I Believe,” and “Eyes” – the doo-wop sound fell victim to the ascendency of The Beatles and the British Invasion in 1964 and The Earls fell off of the record charts. However, the group continued to play live even when Larry Chance pursued a solo career. The group reunited under the name Larry Chance and The Earls and became a popular live act in the 1970s and 1980s when oldies package tours became popular. Larry Chance remained the only original member throughout the band’s existence, although some members were with the group for a significant number of years. Larry Chance and The Earls released several self-financed albums in their later years that they sold on their website and at live appearances. Larry Chance died on September 6, 2023, at the age of 82.
