Len Barry

Singer, songwriter, blueeyed soul BORN 1942

The man born Len Borisoff co-founded Philly doowoppers The Dovells in 1957, who scored the million-selling, Number 2 hit Bristol Stomp in 1961. Four more Top 40 hits followed, including Do The New Continental (as featured in John Waters’ Hairspray movie in 1988) and the 1963 Number 3 You Can’t Sit Down. Later the same year, as Len Barry, he embarked on a solo career, and reached UK Number 3 with 1-2-3 in 1965, and Number 10 with Like A Baby the following year. Both tracks continue to find favour on the Northern soul scene. Barry recorded his last solo album, Ups

And Downs, for Buddah in 1972, and later moved into production and songwriting. His co-credits included the 1982 Fat Larry’s Band hit Zoom, Love Town for Booker Newberry III in 1983, and Sylvester’s 1986 dance hit Someone Like You. He was working on new music and a book project at the time of his death.