Formed in 1947 in Malden, Massachusetts, pop vocal quartet The Ames Brothers was founded by Gene, Vic, Joe, and Ed Urick. Initially calling themselves The Amory Brothers, the group’s name was shortened to The Ames Brothers and the Urick’s began to use Ames as their stage last names. Their career began when they performed for the troops at various US Army and Navy bases before taking up a residency at The Fox and Hounds club in Boston. They moved their act to New York City and were discovered by Milt Gabler at Decca Records. The Ames Brothers became the first artists to record for Decca offshoot label Coral Records. After a series of marginally successful singles between 1947 and 1949 but finally scored a massive hit in 1950 with “Rag Mop,” which hit number 1 on the Hot 100. Their next single, “Sentimental Me,” was also a chart topper in 1950, but they didn’t have another number 1 single until 1953’s “You, You, You.” They continued to release singles throughout the rest of the 1950s, hitting the Top 10 with “The Man with the Banjo” (1954), “The Naughty Lady of Shady Lane” (1954), “Tammy” (1957), and “Melodie D’Amour (Melody of Love)” (1957). After 15 years together, The Ames Brothers split up in 1963. Ed Ames became a popular solo artist and an actor, appearing as a regular on the first four seasons of the TV series Daniel Boone, from 1964 until 1967. Vic Ames died in a car accident on January 23, 1978, at the age of 52. Gene Ames died of cancer on April 26, 1997, at the age of 73. Joe Ames died of a heart attack on December 22, 2007, at the age of 86. Ed Ames died on May 21, 2023, at the age of 95.
