The Hondells

The Hondells were a 60s surf/hot rod rock band from Los Angeles, California. The group was initially formed as a studio outfit by music producer and songwriter Gary Usher in 1964. Among the musicians who were involved in the studio incarnation of the Hondells were Glen Campbell, Hal Blaine, Richard A. Podolor, Joe Kelly, Chuck Girard and Curt Boettcher. The band scored their sole big hit with the extremely bouncy and catchy "Little Honda" in 1964; this song was written by Brian Wilson and Mike Love of The Beach Boys fame and peaked at #9 on the Billboard pop charts. Usher quickly assembled a legitimate version of the group to capitalize on the success of "Little Honda". Ritchie Burns, who had sung backing vocals on "Little Honda", was promoted to lead singer of this particular band. However, since Burns was still working in a bank at the time he became a full-fledged member, he didn't appear on the group's cover photo on their self-titled album; he had friends pose as band members, instead. The Hondells not only appeared on such popular 1960s music variety TV programs as Shindig! (1964) and American Bandstand (1952) but also popped up as themselves and performed a few songs in the enjoyably silly "Beach Party" comedy features Beach Ball (1965), Beach Blanket Bingo (1965) and Ski Party (1965). Moreover, the band sang the title tune during the opening and ending credits of the film Winter A-Go-Go (1965). Alas, the group was unable to match the success of "Little Honda": the follow-up song "My Buddy Seat" only went to #87 on the Billboard pop charts while their cover of The Lovin' Spoonful's "Younger Girl" stalled at #52. The Hondells as both a band and a name were retired in 1970.