Pop Archives

Lonnie Lee & The Leemen - When The Bells Stop Ringing (1962)

(Johnny Sardo - Frankie Sardo)
Australia Australia
#15 Sydney #13 Adelaide #19 Perth

Single on Leedon.

Rock'n'roll star Lonnie Lee, born David Lawrence Rix in western New South Wales in 1940, had his first hit in 1959, Ain't It So, written with Johnny O'Keefe. With his backing band The Leemen, he followed this with a number of national hits. In Sydney, for example, he charted eight times from 1959 to 1962, notably with Starlight, Starbright (1960, #3) and I Found A New Love (1960, #2). Like many early Aussie rockers, he moved on to country music.

Further reading: 1. LonnieLee.com. 2. Lonnie Lee page from Howlspace [archived].

Thanks to Terry Stacey for suggestion and research.


Frankie Sardo - When The Bells Stop Ringing (1960)

(Johnny Sardo - Frankie Sardo)
USA USA
Original version

Single on 20th-Fox, written by the artist and his brother.

After attracting attention in some US markets with brother Johnny’s composition Fake Out (1958), Frankie Sardo (b.1939) joined Buddy Holly’s Winter Dance Party tour, with The Big Bopper and Richie Valens. He was the opener at the Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake, Iowa on 2 February 1959, the last show before the day the music died.

Frankie Sardo released at least eight singles 1958-62 on various labels including ABC and United Artists. Beyond his career as  a rock’n’roll singer, he has often worked in the film industry, including as an independent film producer under the name Frankie Avianca after his mother’s side of the family.

References, further reading: 1. Label shot and audio at Oldies Teen Sound (commentary in Japanese). 2. The Frankie Sardo Story at Rock’n’Roll Hall of fame. 3. Frankie Sardo biography and discography at BuddyHollyAndThe Crickets.com. 4. Frankie Avianca at IMDb. 5. Some US & Canadian radio chart placings via ARSA search.


Sandy Blair - When The Bells Stop Ringing (1963)

(Johnny Sardo - Frankie Sardo)
USA USA
Later version

Single on Bobby.

Further reading: Label shot and audio at Oldies Teen Sound (commentary in Japanese).

It’s hard to say whether this Bobby is the label of that name from Tyler, Texas.