Stage Names - Real Names

admin · Post by **admin** » Sun Jun 26, 2005 12:17 pm

Johnny Rivers had his biggest hit with "Poor Side Of Town" reaching the number one spot in October 1966 in the US.

I didn't realize until recently that his real name was John Ramistella from New York City. He was born on July 7, 1942.

Are there anymore artists with a Stage Name that differs from their real name? Perhaps just a few. Let's hear who they are.

royclough · Post by **royclough** » Sun Jun 26, 2005 12:29 pm

Peter the list would be endless

But here's one or two

Bob Dylan - Robert Zimmerman

Bobby Vee - Robert Thomas Veeline(released one album under that name)

Billy J Kramer - William Ashton - Released one single under that name

Frank Allen (Searchers) - Francis McNeice

Del Shannon - Charles Westover

Cliff Richard - Harry Webb

Hank Marvin - Brian Rankin

Bruce Welch - Bruce Cripps

Ronald Wycherley - Billy fury

Reg Smith - Marty Wilde

Scastles · Post by **Scastles** » Sun Jun 26, 2005 12:47 pm

Arnold Gerry Dorsey is (more crooner than creative artist)?...(bet Roy knows). And Priscilla White? She had a couple of hits in the UK, under her opposite last name.

royclough · Post by **royclough** » Sun Jun 26, 2005 1:05 pm

Englebert Humperdinck and Cilla Black

Actually Stan I have a couple of tracks by Gerry Dorsey, think I'll post one,so you can judge if he was to become the big name he did eventually.

brammy · Post by **brammy** » Sun Jun 26, 2005 1:27 pm

How in the world could anyone decide to change their name TO Englebert Humperdinck? (it was originally Arnold George Dorsey)

admin · Post by **admin** » Sun Jun 26, 2005 1:38 pm

Agreed Roy this list would be very lengthy. But we have the inclination and the time to post a few.

brammy · Post by **brammy** » Sun Jun 26, 2005 1:38 pm

Marilyn Manson (Brian Warner)
Sting (Gordon Sumner)
George Michael (Georgios Panayiotou)
Meatloaf (Marvin Lee Aday)
Elton John (Reginald Kenneth Dwight)
Bono (Paul Hewson)

Scastles · Post by **Scastles** » Sun Jun 26, 2005 1:39 pm

I'd kinda like to hear those, Roy. I wanna say that at the time in the mid to late '60's, I believe Parrot Records (the US labels anyway) had two successful artists, the Zombies and old Arnold. And as Kent asked, why did he go with Englebert?

brammy · Post by **brammy** » Sun Jun 26, 2005 1:40 pm

And lets not forget Johnny Silver, Paul Ramon, Carl Harrison, Stu DeStael.

ozover50 · Post by **ozover50** » Sun Jun 26, 2005 1:59 pm

Kent: Englebert Humperdinck was a classical composer who's major work was the opera 'Hansel and Gretel', first performed in 1893. Arnold did actually draw his stage name from him.

Scastles · Post by **Scastles** » Sun Jun 26, 2005 2:11 pm

Answers that one. Guess, if it were the 19th century, we could ask why Mrs Humperdinck named her kid Englebert? Must not have liked him a whole lot.

ozover50 · Post by **ozover50** » Sun Jun 26, 2005 2:17 pm

Good call, Stan. Maybe he was just plain bulk ugly!!

jingle_jangle · Post by **jingle_jangle** » Sun Jun 26, 2005 2:44 pm

Gerry Dorsey was going nowhere fast with his boring name. It was his brilliant manager who came up with the Humperdinck name. He thought at the time--whoit do I have to lose?

The rest is history and Van Heusen is very thankful (he would have up to 150 shirts torn off his back every tour...)

lshaia · Post by **lshaia** » Sun Jun 26, 2005 2:44 pm

Ringo Starr
The Edge (I guess his friends call him "The")
The Ramones (all of 'em)
? of ? and the Mysterians (99 Teardrops, a great song)

ozover50 · Post by **ozover50** » Sun Jun 26, 2005 2:54 pm

Bono - Paul Hewson

Correct, Paul.... and Bonds have a lot to thank Tom Jones for also!!

And the manufacturer of Satchmo's handkerchiefs!!