December 10, 2008

Dennis Yost, R.I.P.

I was sad to learn of the death Sunday of Dennis Yost, lead singer of the sixties group, Classics IV. Yost suffered from brain damage after a fall in 2005.

Oldies groups can survive on the basis of one hit, but Dennis Yost's longevity came not just from his hits -- Stormy, Spooky, and Traces, in particular -- but from his extraordinary, unmistakable voice.

Here's a clip of Yost in his prime (vocally, not sartorially), lip-syncing Traces: