The Three Suns

Reputed to be then-First Lady Mamie Eisenhower's favorite performers, the Three Suns were a popular musical group of the mid-twentieth century (1940s - 1960s) whose soft, intimate style was the result of their unusual (for the time) basic instrumentation of guitar, Hammond organ, and accordion. Although the instrumentation and line-up of the group changed over the years, the original personnel consisted of brothers Al (1915 - 1965) and Morty (1917 - 1990) Nevins and their cousin, Artie Dunn (1922 - 1996), on guitar, accordion, and organ, respectively. Their theme song, "Twilight Time," summed up the group's sound perfectly: Quiet, intimate, and easy to dance to. Other hits included "Hindustan" and "Peg O' My Heart." The group was at the height of its popularity in the 1950s, when Al Nevins, perhaps the most musically astute of the three (he had trained as a concert violinist and later became a major figure, before his early death, as an arranger/producer or such artists as Neil Sadaka), stepped behind the scenes to serve as the group's arranger and producer. During this time, they began experimenting with new sounds, such as adding additional instruments, working with full orchestras, and, later on, taking advantage of effects that the new stereo technology could exploit. Through it all, their fans remained loyal, as did their label, RCA Victor. Best-selling albums during this period included "Fever and Smoke," Movin' and Groovin'," "Midnight for Two," "A Ding Dong Dandy Christmas," "Everything Under the Sun," "On a Magic Carpet," "Let's Dance with the Three Suns," "Warm and Wonderful," "The Happy-Go-Lucky Sound," and, inevitably, "The Best of the Three Suns."