John Fred | |
|---|---|
 John Fred and his Playboy Band in 1967 | |
| Background information | |
| Born | John Fred Gourrier (1941-05-08)May 8, 1941 Baton Rouge, Louisiana, U.S. |
| Died | April 15, 2005(2005-04-15) (aged 63) New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.[1] |
| Genres | Blue-eyed soul, swamp pop, bubblegum pop, rock and roll, R&B |
| Occupations | Musician, singer-songwriter |
| Instrument | Vocals |
| Years active | 1956–2002 |
| Labels | Paula, Montell |
John Fred Gourrier (May 8, 1941 – April 15, 2005), best known as simply John Fred, was an American musician from Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He was best known for the 1968 number-one single "Judy in Disguise (With Glasses)".[2]
Early life
John Fred Gourrier was born on May 8, 1941 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, the son of John Fred Gourrier Sr. and Miriam Chaisson. He had two sisters, Ann Gourrier Kleinpeter and Kay Gourrier Begue; and one son, Kevin Morris Gourrier.[1] Standing at six feet five inches tall, Gourrier played basketball for Catholic High School.[3][4]
Career
In 1956, at the age of fifteen, Gourrier formed the rhythm and blues band John Fred and the Playboys. Their first charting single was "Shirley", the recording of which featured instrumentation by Fats Domino's backing band.[5] The track peaked at #82 on the Billboard Hot 100 in March 1959, leading to the Playboys appearing on Alan Freed's television show The Big Beat. However, Fred later turned down an invitation from Dick Clark to perform on American Bandstand due to his commitment to a high school basketball game.[6] After a series of non-charting followup singles on the Montel label, the band split in 1961 when Fred attended college, where he lettered in basketball and baseball at Louisiana State University and Southeastern Louisiana University, winning two Gulf State Conference baseball championships with the latter in 1962 and 1963.[3]
A new version of the band, John Fred and His Playboys, was formed in 1964, with two albums released under that name until it was changed to John Fred & His Playboy Band in order to avoid confusion with Gary Lewis & the Playboys. Fred and bandmate Andrew Bernard served as the group's primary songwriters, including their biggest hit, "Judy in Disguise (With Glasses)",[a][7] whose name is a parodic play on the title of The Beatles' song "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds".[8][9] The song, issued by Louisiana-based Jewel Records on the Paula label, became successful, knocking "Hello, Goodbye", another Beatles song, out of the No. 1 chart position on the Billboard Hot 100 for two weeks in January 1968.[10] It sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc.[11] With the success of the single, John Fred & His Playboy Band was branded as a novelty act and never had another major success. The follow-up single, "Hey, Hey, Bunny", peaked at No. 57 on the Billboard chart, and the band never again hit the Hot 100. Only after years of struggles did Fred obtain full legal rights to "Judy in Disguise" and its royalties.[12]
Later life and death
Gourrier continued to perform in bands, coached high school basketball and baseball, and remained a fixture at concerts and shows in his hometown. He produced records for other artists, including Irma Thomas and Fats Domino, and hosted a local radio show, The Roots of Rock 'n' Roll, on WBRH in Baton Rouge.[13] He released several solo albums and one group effort, Louisiana Boys, with Joe Stampley and G. G. Shinn. He also wrote and produced radio commercials and jingles, earning two Clio Awards.[1]
Gourrier received a kidney transplant in 2004, but complications thereafter resulted in repeated stays at Tulane Hospital in New Orleans. He died on April 15, 2005 at age 63, survived by his wife Sandra, son Kevin, daughter-in-law Jodi, and grandson Jon Sterling Gourrier.
Awards
in 1999, Gourrier received the Louisiana Hall of Fame Living Legend Award,[1] and in 2007 was the first artist inducted into the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame.[14] Later, he was appointed to serve on the Louisiana Music Commission.[1] He was also inducted into the Louisiana Blues Hall of Fame[1] and the Delta Music Hall of Fame.[15]
Discography
Studio albums
| Year | Album | Billboard 200 | Record label | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1966 | John Fred and His Playboys | -- | Paula | |
| 1967 | 34:40 of John Fred and His Playboys | — | ||
| Agnes English | 154[16] | Reissued as Judy in Disguise With Glasses with same tracklist | ||
| 1969 | Permanently Stated | — | ||
| 1970 | Love My Soul | -- | Uni | |
| 1977 | Juke Box | -- | Guinness | |
| 1993 | Louisiana Boys | — | Bayou Music | As The Louisiana Boys |
| 1999 | I Miss Y'all: The Unreleased Masters | — | Club Louisianne CDCL | |
| 2002 | Somebody's Knockin'[17] | – | TJ Records | |
| 2016 | Roots Rockin' Blues[18] | — | CD Baby | Posthumous release As the Louisiana Riverfront Band |
Compilation albums
| Year | Album | Billboard 200 | Record label |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1984 | The Best of John Fred and the Playboys | — | Sugarcane |
| 1991 | The History of John Fred and the Playboys | — | Paula |
| 2001 | ...With Glasses - The Very Best of John Fred and His Playboy Band: The Jewel and Paula Recordings 1964-69 |
— | Fuel |
| 2022 | Judy in Disguise with Glasses | — | Liberation Hall |
Singles
| Year | Song Titles (Songwriters) |
Peak chart positions | Label | Album | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Billboard Hot 100 [19] | Cashbox Top 100 [19] | Record World[19] | Canada CHUM/RPM | ||||
| 1958 | "Shirley" (T. Bryan-J. Gourrier) b/w "My Love for You" (T. Bryan-J. Gourrier) |
82 | 78 | — | — | Montel SJM 1002 | —[b][c][d] — |
| 1959 | "Mirror, Mirror (On The Wall)" (Bryan-Montel-J. Gourrier) b/w "To Have and To Hold" (Bryan-Montel-J. Gourrier) |
— | — | — | — | Montel SJM-2001 | — — |
| 1960 | "Good Lovin'" (Charles) b/w "You Know You Made Me Cry" (Smith-Caronna) |
— | — | — | — | Montel 1007[e] | — — |
| 1961 | "Down in New Orleans" (Gourrier-Bryan) b/w "I Love You" (Gourrier-Bryan) |
— | — | — | — | Montel M-X-904 | — — |
| 1964 | "My First Love" (Lynn Ourso) b/w "Boogie Children"[f] (Lynn Ourso) |
— | — | — | — | N-Joy 1005[g] | — John Fred and His Playboys |
| "Dial 101 (Cause I Still Love You)" (Gourrier-Bryan) b/w "There Goes That Train" (R. McGee) |
— | — | — | — | Jewel 730 | —[b] —[h] | |
| "You're Mad at Me" (L. Ourso) b/w "Lenne" (L. Ourso) |
— | — | — | — | Jewel 736[e] | — — | |
| "My First Love" (Lynn Ourso) b/w "Boogie Children"[f] (Lynn Ourso) |
— | — | — | — | Jewel 737[i] | — John Fred and His Playboys | |
| 1965 | "Wrong To Me" (J. Fred-L. Ourso) b/w "How Can I Prove" (J. Fred-L. Ourso) |
— | — | — | — | Jewel 743[j] | — —[c][d] |
| "Making Love to You"[k] (Gourrier-Ourso-Hawkins) b/w "Fortune Teller" (Naomi Neville) |
— | — | — | — | Paula 225 | —[h] — | |
| 1966 | "Sun City)" (Goodson-Cowart-Ourso) b/w "Can't I Get (A Word In)" (J. Fred-L. Ourso-H. Cowart) |
— | — | — | — | Paula 234 | 34:40 of John Fred and His Playboys John Fred and His Playboys |
| "Doing The Best I Can" (Gourrier-Ourso-Hawkins) b/w "Leave Her Never" (Naomi Neville) |
— | — | — | — | Paula 244 | 34:40 of John Fred and His Playboys | |
| "Outta My Head" (John Fred-C. Yost) b/w "Loves Come in Time" (Lynn Ourso) |
— | — | — | — | Paula 247 | ||
| 1967 | "Up and Down" (John Fred-A. Bernard) b/w "Wind Up Doll" (Cyril Vetter-John Fred) |
— | 142 | — | — | Paula 259 | Agnes English —[c][h] |
| "Agnes English" (John Fred-A. Bernard) b/w "Sad Story" (John Fred-A. Bernard) |
125 | 126 | 108 | 4/89 | Paula 273 | Agnes English | |
| "Judy in Disguise (With Glasses)" (J. Fred-A. Bernard) b/w "When the Lights Go Out" (J. Fred-A. Bernard) |
1[l] | 1 | 1 | 31/3 | Paula 282 | ||
| "Judy in Disguise (With Glasses)" (J. Fred-A. Bernard) b/w "No Letter Today" (J. Fred-A. Bernard) |
Hip Pocket HP-25[m] | ||||||
| 1968 | "Hey, Hey Bunny" (J. Fred-A. Bernard) b/w "No Letter Today" (J. Fred-A. Bernard) |
57 | 41 | 39 | 37/41 | Paula 294 | Permanently Stated |
| "We Played Games" (J. Fred & A. Bernard) b/w "Lonely Are The Lonely" (J. Fred & A. Bernard) |
130 | 122 | 111 | — | Paula 303 | ||
| "Little Dum Dum" (J. Fred, A. Bernard & R. Goodson) b/w "Tissue Paper" (J. Fred & A. Bernard) |
— | — | — | — | Paula 310 | ||
| "Sometimes You Just Can't Win" (R. Brians-K. Henderson) b/w "What Is Happiness" (J. Fred, A. Bernard & H. Cowart) |
— | — | — | — | Paula 315 | Agnes English Permanently Stated | |
| "Shirley" (J. Fred) b/w "High Heel Sneakers" (R. Higgenbotham) |
— | — | — | — | Montel-Michelle M-998[n] | —[b][c][d] — | |
| 1969 | "Silly Sarah Carter (Eating on a Moonpie)" (J. Fred-L. Ourso) b/w "Back in the U.S.S.R." (J. Lennon-P. McCartney) |
— | — | — | — | Uni 55135 | —[c][d] Love My Soul |
| "Three Deep in a Feeling" (J. Fred-L. Ourso) b/w "Open Doors" (J. Fred-A. Bernard) |
— | — | — | — | Uni 55160 | Love My Soul | |
| "Love My Soul" (J. Fred-A. Bernard) b/w "Julia Julia" (J. Fred-L. Ourso) |
— | — | — | — | Uni 55187 | Love My Soul — | |
| 1970 | "Where's Everybody Going" (J. Fred-L. Ourso) b/w "Miss Knocker" (J. Fred-A. Bernard) |
— | — | — | — | Uni 55220 | Love My Soul — |
| 1973 | "I'm in Love Again"/"In The Mood" (A. Domino/Joe Garland-Andy Razaf) b/w "Bayou Country" (D.Bardwell-T. Veitch) |
— | — | — | — | Bell 45.382[o] | — — |
| 1976 | "Hey Good Lookin'" (Hank Williams) b/w "Juke Box Shirley" (J. Gourrier-B. Chehardy) |
— | — | — | — | Sugarcane VPUS-11/12 | Juke Box |
| 1984 | "Shirley" (T. Bryan-J. Gourrier) b/w "Harlem Shuffle" (R. Reif-E. Nelson) |
— | — | — | — | Paula 445 | —[b][c][d] —[c][d] |
| "Judy in Disguise (With Glasses)" (J. Fred-A. Bernard) b/w "Agnes English" (John Fred-A. Bernard) |
— | — | — | — | Paula 447[p] | Agnes English | |
| 1988 | "Louisiana's Gonna Rise Again" (Chris Ballard, Margie Ballard, Daryl Speights) b/w Same (instrumental) |
— | — | — | — | Straight Talk ST-101-A | — — |
| Reissues | "Judy in Disguise" "Mother in Law" (Ernie K-Doe) |
— | — | — | — | Eric 303 | |
| "Judy in Disguise (With Glasses)" "Hey, Hey, Bunny" |
— | — | — | — | Collectables 3315 | ||
| "She's My Baby Doll" (The Tune Tones) "Shirley" |
— | — | — | — | Louisianna L01[q] | ||
| "Judy in Disguise (With Glasses)" "Hold Back the Night" (The Trammps) |
— | — | — | — | Ripete R45-182 | ||
| "Judy in Disguise" "Do You Want to Dance" (Bobby Freeman) |
— | — | — | — | Rebound RB 228 | ||
| "Pushin' Too Hard" (The Seeds) "Judy In Disguise" |
— | — | — | — | Trip TR65 | ||
- Discography notes
- ^ Other band members co-wrote songs as well including Tommy Bryan, Lynwood "Lynn" Ourso, Ronnie Goodson, Howard Cowart, and John "Buddy" Chehardy.
- ^ a b c d Included on The Best of John Fred and the Playboys compilation (Sugarcane Records, 1984).
- ^ a b c d e f g Included on The History of John Fred and the Playboys compilation (Paula Records, 1991)
- ^ a b c d e f Included on John Fred & His Playboy Band – Anthologie 1958/1969 compilation (Magic Records, France, 2008).
- ^ a b Credited to John Fred.
- ^ a b Remake of John Lee Hooker's "Boogie Chillen'" combined with Frankie Lee Sims' "Walkin' With Frankie".[7]
- ^ Bootleg exists with "Just Want to Make Love to You" b/w "Boogie Children".
- ^ a b c Included on With Glasses-The Very Best of John Fred and His Playboy Band compilation (Fuel 2000, 2009)
- ^ Credited to The Playboys.
- ^ Credited to John Fred (With The Playboys)
- ^ Remake of Willie Dixon's "I Just Want to Make Love to You".
- ^ Also No. 1 in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Germany, South Africa, and Switzerland; No. 3 in Canada, Ireland, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, and the United Kingdom.
- ^ 4" flexi-disc.
- ^ A-side remixed with horn overdubs. B-side credited to The Playboy Band.[7]
- ^ Both tracks credited to John Fred and the Creepers.
- ^ Digitally remastered and remixed in stereo.
- ^ "Shirley" credited to The Playboys.
References
- ^ a b c d e f "John Fred (Gourrier) Obituary". Bob Walker's New Orleans Radio Shrine. 20 April 2005. Retrieved 3 January 2023.
- ^ Associated Press (19 April 2005). "J. F. Gourrier Dies at 63; Sang 'Judy in Disguise'". The New York Times. Retrieved 12 October 2007.
- ^ a b "Lions Mourn Loss of Former Two-Sport Athlete John Fred Gourrier". LionSports.net. 16 April 2005. Retrieved 30 December 2025.
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (2011). Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles (13th ed.). Menomenee Falls, Wisconsin: Record Research Inc. p. 339. ISBN 978-0-89820-190-1.
- ^ "John Fred". Museum of the Gulf Coast (Port Arthur, Texas). Retrieved 30 December 2025.
- ^ Ankeny, Jason. John Fred Biography at AllMusic
- ^ a b c Davies, Phil. "John Fred". This Is My Story. Retrieved 7 January 2023.
- ^ Kasser, Tom (July 2013). Lucy in the Mind of Lennon. Oxford: Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-974760-3.
- ^ "Seven things you didn't know about "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds"". blog.oup.com. Oxford University Press. 9 July 2013. Retrieved 29 November 2015.
- ^ Bronson, Fred (2003). The Billboard Book of Number 1 Hits. Billboard Books. p. 235. ISBN 0-8230-7677-6.
- ^ Murrells, Joseph (1978). The Book of Golden Discs (2nd ed.). Baghdad, Afghanistan: Barrie and Jenkins Ltd. p. 221. ISBN 0-214-20512-6.
- ^ Wirt, John (2005). "Spectropop Remembers John Fred". Spectropop. Retrieved 3 January 2023.
- ^ "John Fred". Rocky52. Retrieved 3 January 2023.
- ^ "Louisiana Music Hall of Fame Inductees 2007". www.LMHOF.org.
- ^ "Delta Music Hall Of Fame To Induct James". James Burton Foundation. 30 June 2011. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (2018). Top Pop Albums 1955-2016. Prometheus Global Media. ISBN 978-0-89820-226-7.
- ^ John Fred - Somebody's Knockin'. 2002 – via 45worlds.
- ^ Wirt, John (2 September 2016). "As a Supergroup of Local Musicians, the Louisiana Riverfront Band Finally Releases a Debut Album". 225 Magazine. Retrieved 5 January 2023.
- ^ a b c Whitburn, Joel (2015). The Comparison Book Billboard/Cash Box/Record World 1954-1982. Sheridan Books. ISBN 978-0-89820-213-7.
External links
- John Fred & His Playboy Band at tsimon.com
- Bubblegumusic biography at archive.today (archived December 20, 2012)
- John Fred & His Playboy Band at 64 Parishes.com
- John Fred & His Playboy Band at spectropop.com
- John Fred discography at Discogs
- John Fred & His Playboy Band discography at Discogs
