America’s Little DarlinsPaul Myers wrote: The success of Canadian talent isnot something that has occurred since the creation ofCanadian content regulations, as beneficial as theyhave certainly been. It's a fact - believe it or not - that30 years ago, Canadian vocal groups dominated thecharts, not only in Canada and the United States, butalso in Europe. All the groups - the Crew-Cuts, TheDiamonds, and The Four Lads - came from Toronto,and between them they had a total of 38 Top 40 hitson the Billboard charts, a success record that has yetto be equaled by any other Canadian artists.The Diamonds had the longest track record of all,although they hit the Top 10 only three times (with"Little Darlin", "The Stroll" and "Silhouettes"). Butthere were a total of fifteen Top 40 hits - a string thatran from March 1956, right through to August 1961.Now the Canadian Academy of Recording Arts andSciences is honouring the original members of allthree groups with the Hall of Fame Award - and at thesame time bringing together singers who, in somecases, have not met each other in more than adecade.The Diamonds, similarly, haven't sung together foryears - Dave Somerville, the group's mainspokesman figures it's been twelve or thirteen yearssince they worked together. Somerville remains in themusic business in Los Angeles, doing voice-overs forcommercials and writing; he recently completed a co-writing assignment for the theme for The Fall Guy,and a movie project. Bill Reed runs a one-stop recorddistribution company in Florida - and the other twomembers, Phil Levitt and Ted Kowalski, both work asengineers in Toronto; they are the only two of the 12singers being honoured at the Junos who still live inCanada. The members of these groups are excitedabout the Hall of Fame Award; the chance to meeteach other again after years is a remarkable reunion.The music the made - three decades ago - helpedpave the path for rock and roll in North America; theirachievements merit the highest honour the Canadianmusic industry can bestow. - 19841984 - The DiamondsThis is the page from the Canadian Music Hall of Fame website that was written in 1984, the year of the Diamonds' induction.