The Magnificent Men 1964-1973



The term "blue-eyed soul" was coined for white singers who were singing in the new soul style of the 1960s - acts like The Rascals, The Soul Survivors and The Righteous Brothers, who were probably the first act to have that tag appended to them. 

I followed The Magnificent Men (MagMen) during the mid 60's all around New Jersey and Pennsylvania.  Then came my draft notice in 1968 and I lost track of them, except for purchasing their  LPs and 45s.  I always wondered what happened to the MagMen when my tour was up in late 72.  

This year, 2023, Dave Bupp joined one of my facebook groups - UGHA - Ronnie I Production. I was surprised to see that name.  So, I spent some time doing some research, LP notes, internet, books, rags, etc and I decided to created this "The Magnificent Men" Tribute Page.

So! Before there was Daryl Hall, before there was Michael McDonald, before there was Robert Palmer, before there was Boz Scaggs, before the Young Rascals and before The Great Tower of Power there were "Our Blue-Eyed Soul Brothers - The Magnificent Men".


Who were the Magnificent Men?
Start Here
for their documentary that was never released.

Then listen to all of their music here.


In 1964, The Magnificent Men, (often abbreviated to the ‘Mag Men’), was formed from the improbable combination of two integrated bands. York, Pennsylvania's Del-Chords, a seven member group that featured singers Dave Bupp and Adrian "Buddy" King and Harrisburg's nine-member Endells, led by drummer Bob Angelucci. The Endells released one single, ‘Vicky’, in 1963 and the Del-Chords released ‘Everybody’s Gotta Lose Someday’ in 1964.

By the end of the year, Bupp, King, Angelucci, and some of the Endells began playing as the all-white Magnificent Seven, a change spurred by the unwillingness of some in both bands to become fulltime musicians, a quest for a new collective sound, and the reluctance of some club owners to book mixed bands. From the latter band were culled singers Dave Bupp and Buddy King from the Del-Chords, with instrumental backing provided by the former Endells (Jim Seville, Bob Angelucci, Bill Richter, Tom Hoover, Terry Crousare and Tom Pane). The group's original keyboardist was Tom Hoover. Tom left the group after the first album.

That year, a Harrisburg entrepreneur, Dick Phelan, began booking top rhythm and blues acts to play at his newly built Raven Teen Club and hired the Magnificent Seven as the house band.

They signed to Capitol Records and ‘Peace Of Mind’ was released in 1965. The follow-up single was ‘Maybe, Maybe Baby’, radio exposure for which brought them to the Apollo Theatre in New York. Their legendary performance here drew James Brown up from the audience, joining them in a 45-minute set. In 1965, the Magnificent Men, were the only white act to ever headline New York 's legendary Apollo Theatre, the Howard Theater in Washington, D. C. and the Uptown Theater in Philadelphia (where they recorded their legendary live LP) and the other major stops on the rhythm and blues "chitlin circuit". Unfortunately, they were signed to Capitol Records, who literally had no idea what to do with them.



However, the group was facing difficulty in outgrowing their local popularity, with ‘Stormy Weather’ failing and ‘I Could Be So Happy’ only managing a meagre number 93 in the Billboard charts. Joining the Motortown Revue as its only white act, their next effort was ‘The Sweet Soul Medley’, a version of the Arthur Conley standard reworked to include nods to their favorite groups of the day.

But on a national level, nobody knew who these guys were. Despite the regional success of their first two 45s, neither of them charted nationally, on either the pop or R&B charts (in fact, they only charted twice in their whole career, with "I Could Be So Happy", which hit #93 pop, and "Sweet Soul Medley", taken from the live LP, which was their biggest pop hit at #90. They never hit the national R&B chart). Their first two LPs, The Magnificent Men and Live!, were decent sellers, but again, neither one charted.

In October, 1967, the group decided to travel to Chicago to try and change their fortunes, working with producer Carl Davis and arranger Sonny Sanders on a session. One song was released from that session, and this was it. "Nobody Treats Me The Way You Do" was written by Marvin Smith, lead singer of The Artistics.


Capitol couldn't have cared less. After two LPs and a bunch of 45s that didn't chart, the group's welcome was wearing thin. So Capitol pushed the group towards what used to be called "supper-club soul" - standards with a slightly soulful bent. This direction came to fruition on the group's third Capitol LP, The World Of Soul, an uneven album in which great group originals such as "So Much Love Waiting" and "It's Got To Be Love" were mixed in with standards such as "September Song", "Alfie" and "Everybody's Got A Home But Me".


Released in early 1968, the LP bombed, and the novelty of a white group singing soul was beginning to wear off.  Funk and harder-edged soul were beginning to take over, and the Mag Men were left behind.

The rest of their Capitol singles failed significantly to embellish their reputation and in 1969 the Magnificent Men moved to Mercury Records. The Magnificent Men released their final album, the LP Like A Ten Cent Movie in 1970. When David Bupp left he was replaced by Stan Sommers (ex-Del-Satins) but the group did not record again.

After losing several members, they disbanded for good in 1973. 


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1983
After 14 Years The Magnificent Men Reunited

It was a crisp, autumn night in Harrisburg, PA. Saturday, October 6, 1983 to be exact. On that fall evening, The Magnificent Men reunited after 14 years to play an explosive show at The Forum before an audience of thousands of hard-core soul fans. One of my proudest moments was to be asked to join The Mag Men as their bass player and share the stage with them that night. It has been my extreme pleasure to continue working with them in various projects ever since. This clip of "Cowboys To Girls" is like a tribute to Gamble & Huff's "Philly Sound" that was so "boss" in the 60s. Enjoy!!!!

A reunion concert took place in 1983

Recorded "live" at The Forum in Harrisburg, PA in October, 1983, Members include: Dave Bupp - Lead Vocals, Buddy King - Vocals & Trumpet, Tom Pane - Sax & Vocals Bob Angelucci - Drums / Leader, Thom "Daddy C" Colson - Bass, Dan O'Hara - Keyboards Tom DiMartile - Guitar

All Videos on YouTube

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2007

In November, 2007, a show in Harrisburg was filmed for a documentary called This Magnificent Moment that has never been released.






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2020

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Discography 
The Magnificent Men Recorded 4 LPs.

1967 - The Magnificent Men "Live" 

 

Side A

Show Me 
I'm Gonna Miss You
Just Be True
Doin' The Philly Dog
Stormy Weather
Sweet Soul Medley:
Ooh Baby Baby, Ain't To Proud To Beg
I Can't Help Myself, People Get Ready

Side B

You Don't Know Like I Know
Misty
Whispers
Peace Of Mind
I've Been Trying
Function At The Junction


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1967 - The Magnificent Men


 

Side A

Misty
Much, Much More Of Your Love
Peace Of Mind
Just Walk In My Shoes
Maybe, Maybe Baby
Stormy Weather

Side B

I Wish You Love
I Got News
Cry With Me Baby
Do A Justice To Your Heart
Keep On Climbing

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1968 - The World of Soul

 

Side A

By The Time I Get To Phoenix
So Much Love Waiting
Alfie
Tired Of Pushing
Nobody Treats Me The Way You Do
Everybody's Got A Home But Me

Side B

I Found What I Wanted In You
Nobody Can Turn Me Around
September Song
I Could Be So Happy
It's Got To Be Love
A Change Is Gonna Come

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1970 - Better Than A Ten Cent Movie

 

Side A

Lay Lady Lay
Still Good
Name of My Sorrows
Holly Go Softly
Short Cut To Route 178B
Cloud Nine

Side B

Whatever It Takes
Gone Away
Cookie Man
Love You More Than You'll Ever Know
Open Up & Get Richer
No Salvation (No Hiding Place For The Man)


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The 45 RPMs - The Singles




Capitol 5608 - All Your Lovin's Gone To My Head / Peace Of Mind - 1966

Capitol 5732 - Maybe, Maybe Baby / I've Got News For You – 1967

Capitol 5812 - Stormy Weather / Much Much More Of Your Love – 1967

Capitol 5905 - I Could Be So Happy / You Changed My Life – 1967

Capitol 5976 - Sweet Soul Medley (Part 1) (Sweet Soul Music / Ain't To Proud To Beg / Ooh Baby Baby / I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch) / Sweet Soul Medley (Part 2) (Sweet Soul Music / People Get Ready) - 1967

Capitol 2062 - Forever Together / Babe, I'm Crazy 'Bout You – 1967

Capitol 2134 - By The Time I Get To Phoenix / Tired Of Pushing – 1967

Capitol 535 742-8 - Keep On Climbing - 1967

Capitol 2202 - I Found What I Wanted In You / Almost Persuaded – 1968

Capitol 2319 - So Much Love Waiting / Save The Country – 1968


Odds an Ends

 
Mercury 72988 - Holly Go Softly / Open Up And Get Richer – 1969

Mercury 72988 - Holly Go Softly / Whatever It Takes – 1970

Mercury 73028 - Lay Lady Lay / What Ever It Takes – 1970

Major League 4411 - I Wanna Know / There's Something On Your Mind – 1987

Major League ? - I Wanna Know / Old Man River – 1987

Major League Mlr-4411 - I Wanna Know / There's Something On Your Mind /// Since I Lost My Baby / Old Man River - 1987 (12" Special "Souvenir" Release)


Email - Mitch@NMMitch.com - for updates and corrections - always a work in progress.






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