Alex Hassilev
Encyclopedia
Alex Hassilev is one of the founding members of the group The Limeliters
and produced the rock
album The Zodiac : Cosmic Sounds
. He was educated at Harvard and the University of Chicago
. He is an actor with a number of film and television appearances to his credit. He is also a musician, switching from the guitar to the banjo. He speaks fluent French, Russian and Spanish and has contributed many foreign language songs to the Limeliters' repertoire.
The original Limeliters (Lou Gottlieb
, Alex Hassilev and Glenn Yarbrough
) had numerous reunion tours throughout the 1970s. In the early 1980s, Alex and Lou wanted to keep the Limeliters together on a more full time basis. They brought on tenor Red Grammer
, who stayed with the Limeliters for the next 10 years.
In about 1990, Red left the group to devote more time to a career as a singer of children's songs, and he has had a very successful career in that field. Alex and Lou found Rick Dougherty to take Red's place, another tenor.
In 1996, Gottlieb died of cancer. Alex and Rick decided to keep the group going, and brought on Bill Zorn to take Lou's place in the Limeliters. Zorn had played with the Kingston Trio in the 1970s, and then went to England to focus on his music there.
In 2004, Bob Shane
of the Kingston Trio
was forced to retire due to health reasons. Bill Zorn left the Limeliters and joined the Kingston Trio. At about this time, Rick Dougherty also left the Limeliters to go on tour with Glenn Yarbrough, and former Brothers Four member Dick Foley. Alex sued both Zorn and Dougherty over their leaving the group, but the case eventually resolved. Dougherty then joined Bill Zorn in the Kingston Trio, replacing Bob Haworth.
After Zorn and Dougherty left the group, Hassilev brought on Mack Bailey and Andy Corwin to take their spot in the Limeliters. In 2006, Alex retired from the group, and brought on Gaylan Taylor to take his place. However, occasionally he makes a special appearance with the Limeliters.
The Limeliters
The Limeliters are an American folk music group, formed in July 1959 by Lou Gottlieb , Alex Hassilev , and Glenn Yarbrough . The group was active from 1959 until 1965, when they disbanded. After a hiatus of sixteen years Yarbrough, Hassilev, and Gottlieb reunited and began performing as...
and produced the rock
Rock and roll
Rock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...
album The Zodiac : Cosmic Sounds
The Zodiac : Cosmic Sounds
The Zodiac : Cosmic Sounds was a collaborative concept album on the theme of the signs of the Zodiac...
. He was educated at Harvard and the University of Chicago
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
. He is an actor with a number of film and television appearances to his credit. He is also a musician, switching from the guitar to the banjo. He speaks fluent French, Russian and Spanish and has contributed many foreign language songs to the Limeliters' repertoire.
The Limeliters
When the Limeliters first broke up at the height of their fame in 1963, Alex Hassilev turned to acting and operating a recording studio in his home, producing records for a variety of other artists as well as the Limeliters. He appeared in the 1966 movie The Russians are Coming, The Russians are Coming as Hrushevsky, a Soviet sailor. For over thirty years he has been a successful record producer and songwriter, and today he continues to produce many of the Limeliters' recordings.The original Limeliters (Lou Gottlieb
Louis Gottlieb
Dr. Louis Gottlieb was bassist and lofty comic spokesman for The Limeliters. He was considered one of the so-called "new comedy" performers such as Mort Sahl, Nichols and May, and Lenny Bruce: a new generation of unabashed intellectuals.Lou's special trademark on stage was a delightful burlesquing...
, Alex Hassilev and Glenn Yarbrough
Glenn Yarbrough
Glenn Yarbrough is an American folk singer. He was the lead singer with The Limeliters between 1959 and 1963, and had a prolific solo career, recording on various labels.-Biography:...
) had numerous reunion tours throughout the 1970s. In the early 1980s, Alex and Lou wanted to keep the Limeliters together on a more full time basis. They brought on tenor Red Grammer
Red Grammer
Red Grammer is a singer and songwriter. He is best known for his music for the children. His music teaches human values including truthfulness, responsibility, kindness and fairness...
, who stayed with the Limeliters for the next 10 years.
In about 1990, Red left the group to devote more time to a career as a singer of children's songs, and he has had a very successful career in that field. Alex and Lou found Rick Dougherty to take Red's place, another tenor.
In 1996, Gottlieb died of cancer. Alex and Rick decided to keep the group going, and brought on Bill Zorn to take Lou's place in the Limeliters. Zorn had played with the Kingston Trio in the 1970s, and then went to England to focus on his music there.
In 2004, Bob Shane
Bob Shane
Bob Shane is an American singer and guitarist and, with Nick Reynolds' passing in October 2008, the only surviving founding member of The Kingston Trio. In that capacity, Shane became a seminal figure in the revival of folk and other acoustic music as a popular art form in the U.S...
of the Kingston Trio
The Kingston Trio
The Kingston Trio is an American folk and pop music group that helped launch the folk revival of the late 1950s to late 1960s. The group started as a San Francisco Bay Area nightclub act with an original lineup of Dave Guard, Bob Shane, and Nick Reynolds...
was forced to retire due to health reasons. Bill Zorn left the Limeliters and joined the Kingston Trio. At about this time, Rick Dougherty also left the Limeliters to go on tour with Glenn Yarbrough, and former Brothers Four member Dick Foley. Alex sued both Zorn and Dougherty over their leaving the group, but the case eventually resolved. Dougherty then joined Bill Zorn in the Kingston Trio, replacing Bob Haworth.
After Zorn and Dougherty left the group, Hassilev brought on Mack Bailey and Andy Corwin to take their spot in the Limeliters. In 2006, Alex retired from the group, and brought on Gaylan Taylor to take his place. However, occasionally he makes a special appearance with the Limeliters.