Tracey Dey
Encyclopedia
Tracey Dey was an American girl group
pop singer of the early and mid-1960s. Born Nora Ferrari, and hailing from Yonkers, New York, she was attending college at Fordham University when producer Bob Crewe
became aware of a demo tape she had recorded.
) composition. The song was a timely cash-in on the press and fan interest surrounding the Elizabeth Taylor
film, "Cleopatra" and became a national hit. The follow-up, "Here Comes The Boy" (co-written by Eddie Rambeau
, Bud Rehak and Bob Crewe
, the writers of Diane Renay
's "Navy Blue" smash) also made the national charts.
Dey released nine solo singles between 1962 and 1966, none of which became major hits in her own time but which have since been hailed as some of the best of the girl group era. Many of her tunes were written by Crewe and Bob Gaudio
, who was the keyboardist and main songwriter for The Four Seasons
. Her records were released on Vee Jay, Liberty
, Amy
, and Columbia. Dey also released two singles with Gary Knight, a Crewe songwriting associate, as Dey And Knight. For several years in the mid-1960s, she was a regular television attraction on The Clay Cole
Show
The majority of the material has been re-released on compact disc via a shared collection with Marcie Blaine but it is now out of print. Several tracks are available on various compilations: "I Won't Tell", can be found on the Rhino Records box set One Kiss Can Lead To Another: Girl Group Sounds, Lost & Found; "Long Time, No See", is included in the Castle Pulse box set, "Chapel of Love and Other Girl Group Gems"; "Teenage Cleopatra", is included on the Ace compilation, "Early Girls, Volume 4"; "Marching Home", can be found on the Ace compilation, "Where The Girls Are, Volume 5"; "Jerry (I'm Your Sherry)", is on Ace compilation, "The Answer To Everything: Girl Answer Songs of the 60's".
Until 2007, her whereabouts were considered unknown despite much interest and speculation from the fans of the rarer examples of the girl group sound.
Leaving behind the music business and the Tracey Dey moniker in the late sixties, Ferrari completed a Masters degree in Theater Arts at Columbia University and, for awhile, taught college courses. She later began acting and writing screenplays and had a small part in the 2007 film, Reservation Road
.
She is no relation to Susan Dey
of Partridge Family fame.
With Gary Knight as Dey And Knight
Girl group
A girl group is a popular music act featuring several young female singers who generally harmonise together.Girl groups emerged in the late 1950s as groups of young singers teamed up with behind-the-scenes songwriters and music producers to create hit singles, often featuring glossy production...
pop singer of the early and mid-1960s. Born Nora Ferrari, and hailing from Yonkers, New York, she was attending college at Fordham University when producer Bob Crewe
Bob Crewe
Bob Crewe is an American songwriter, dancer, singer, manager, record producer and fine artist. He is known for producing, and co-writing with Bob Gaudio, a string of Top 10 singles for The Four Seasons...
became aware of a demo tape she had recorded.
Career
Crewe signed her to his production company, Genius Inc., and had her record "Jerry (I'm Your Sherry"), an "answer" to The Four Seasons' "Sherry", which Crewe had also produced. Released by The 4 Season's label, Vee Jay, the record reportedly received airplay on New York radio but did not become a national hit. The follow-up, also on Vee Jay, was "Long Time, No See" but it failed to chart. Her breakthrough came at Liberty Records with "Teenage Cleopatra", a Beverly Ross (of Ronald and Ruby and cowriter of their hit, "Lollipop"; best known as by The ChordettesThe Chordettes
The Chordettes were a female popular singing quartet, usually singing a cappella, and specializing in traditional popular music. The Chordettes were one of the longest lived vocal groups with beginnings in the mainstream pop and vocal harmonies of the 1940s and early 1950s...
) composition. The song was a timely cash-in on the press and fan interest surrounding the Elizabeth Taylor
Elizabeth Taylor
Dame Elizabeth Rosemond "Liz" Taylor, DBE was a British-American actress. From her early years as a child star with MGM, she became one of the great screen actresses of Hollywood's Golden Age...
film, "Cleopatra" and became a national hit. The follow-up, "Here Comes The Boy" (co-written by Eddie Rambeau
Eddie Rambeau
Eddie Rambeau is an American singer, songwriter, and actor.-Career:While performing in a high-school musical he had written, Rambeau met songwriter and musician Bud Rehak, who went on to become his manager...
, Bud Rehak and Bob Crewe
Bob Crewe
Bob Crewe is an American songwriter, dancer, singer, manager, record producer and fine artist. He is known for producing, and co-writing with Bob Gaudio, a string of Top 10 singles for The Four Seasons...
, the writers of Diane Renay
Diane Renay
Diane Renay , born Renee Diane Kushner, is an American pop singer, best known for her 1964 hit song, "Navy Blue".-Career:...
's "Navy Blue" smash) also made the national charts.
Dey released nine solo singles between 1962 and 1966, none of which became major hits in her own time but which have since been hailed as some of the best of the girl group era. Many of her tunes were written by Crewe and Bob Gaudio
Bob Gaudio
Robert John "Bob" Gaudio is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and record producer, and the keyboardist/backing vocalist for The Four Seasons.-Early career:...
, who was the keyboardist and main songwriter for The Four Seasons
The Four Seasons (group)
The Four Seasons are an American rock and pop band who became internationally successful in the mid-1960s. The Vocal Group Hall of Fame has stated that the group was the most popular rock band before The Beatles...
. Her records were released on Vee Jay, Liberty
Liberty Records
Liberty Records was a United States-based record label. It was started by chairman Simon Waronker in 1955 with Al Bennett as president and Theodore Keep as chief engineer. It was reactivated in 2001 in the United Kingdom and had two previous revivals.-1950s:...
, Amy
Amy Records
right|thumb|dj copy of Kinetic Energy 1969 Amy 45Amy Records was a record label formed in 1960 as a subsidiary of Bell Records. Artists who had success on Amy included Al Brown's Tunetoppers with "The Madison" ,a dance tune in 1960, Joey Powers with "Midnight Mary" , Del Shannon's 1964 recordings...
, and Columbia. Dey also released two singles with Gary Knight, a Crewe songwriting associate, as Dey And Knight. For several years in the mid-1960s, she was a regular television attraction on The Clay Cole
Clay Cole
Clay Cole was an American host and disk jockey, best known for his eponymous television dance program, The Clay Cole Show, which aired in New York City on WNTA-TV and WPIX-TV from 1959 to 1968.-Origins:...
Show
The majority of the material has been re-released on compact disc via a shared collection with Marcie Blaine but it is now out of print. Several tracks are available on various compilations: "I Won't Tell", can be found on the Rhino Records box set One Kiss Can Lead To Another: Girl Group Sounds, Lost & Found; "Long Time, No See", is included in the Castle Pulse box set, "Chapel of Love and Other Girl Group Gems"; "Teenage Cleopatra", is included on the Ace compilation, "Early Girls, Volume 4"; "Marching Home", can be found on the Ace compilation, "Where The Girls Are, Volume 5"; "Jerry (I'm Your Sherry)", is on Ace compilation, "The Answer To Everything: Girl Answer Songs of the 60's".
Until 2007, her whereabouts were considered unknown despite much interest and speculation from the fans of the rarer examples of the girl group sound.
Leaving behind the music business and the Tracey Dey moniker in the late sixties, Ferrari completed a Masters degree in Theater Arts at Columbia University and, for awhile, taught college courses. She later began acting and writing screenplays and had a small part in the 2007 film, Reservation Road
Reservation Road
Reservation Road is a 2007 film directed by Terry George and based on the book of the same title by John Burnham Schwartz, who, along with George, adapted the novel for the screenplay. The film, starring Joaquin Phoenix and Mark Ruffalo, deals with the aftermath of a tragic car accident...
.
She is no relation to Susan Dey
Susan Dey
Susan Dey is an American actress, known primarily for her roles in film and television. Her more prominent parts came as elder daughter, Laurie Partridge, on the 1970s sitcom The Partridge Family, and as Grace Van Owen, a California assistant district attorney and judge on the dramatic series, L.A...
of Partridge Family fame.
Singles
As Tracey Dey- "Jerry (I'm Your Sherry) / "Once In A Blue Moon" (1962) Vee Jay #467
- "Long Time, No See / "Jealous Eyes" (1963) Vee Jay #506
- "Teenage Cleopatra" / "Who's That (A Dream Smiled At Me)"(1963)Liberty #55604 - US Billboard Hot 100Billboard Hot 100The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
#75 - "Here Comes The Boy" / "Teddy's The Boy I Love" (1963) Amy #894 - US Billboard Hot 100Billboard Hot 100The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
#93 - "Gonna Get Along Without You NowGonna Get Along without Ya Now"Gonna Get Along Without Ya Now" is a popular song written by Milton Kellem, and published in 1951. Originally written in English, has been done in several styles and tempos....
" / "Go Away" (1964) Amy #901 US Billboard Hot 100Billboard Hot 100The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
#51 - "Hangin' On To My Baby" / "Ska-Doo-Dee-Yah" (1964) Amy #908 - US Billboard Bubbling Under #107 (released 6/64)
- "I Won't Tell" / "Any Kind Of Love" (1964) Amy #912 (released 9/64)
- "Blue Turns To Grey" / "Didn't Ya" (1964) Amy #917
- "Hanky Panky" / "Shakin' The Blues Away" (1965) Amy #928
- "Marchin' Home" / "Teddy's The Boy I Love" (1966) Columbia #43889
With Gary Knight as Dey And Knight
- "Young Love" / "I'm Gonna Love You Tomorrow" (1965) Columbia #43466
- "Sayin' Something'" / "Ooh Da La Da Lay" (1966) Columbia #43693