Don Julian

Don Julian & the Meadowlarks' biggest hits were the L.A.-area hit "Please (Say You Love Me)" and "The Jerk" for John Dolphin's Money label, which came not only with dance steps of its own, but Julian's encouraging lyrical instructions. Unlike many teenagers, Julian grew up in a non-musical family, and didn't sing in the church choir or have any formal vocal training to speak of. He was a high-school track star, and it was during school that he met up with the first group of Meadowlark singers: Randolph Jones (later a member of both the Penguins and the Coasters), Earl Jones, Ronald Barrett, and Billy Pruett. The group's lineup changed numerous times over the years, however, with Julian being the only constant member. Around 1952, the foursome formed a vocal group, originally calling themselves the Soulinaires, but they later decided that the name was too "church-sounding" and changed it to the Meadowlarks, this at a time when many of the popular vocal groups of the day had "bird" names. Cornel Gunter of the Flairs (and later one of the Coasters) introduced the group to Modern Records' Bihari brothers in 1957, who subsequently released two singles on their RPM subsidiary. Despite the fact that Maxwell Davis, Modern's legendary producer, was working with the group and writing all of their vocal arrangements, Julian felt the label wasn't promoting them and he began looking for a new label. After auditioning for Dootone label owner "Dootsie" Williams, the Meadowlarks earned a recording contract; Julian also ended up working for Dootone as a shipping clerk and learned even more about the record business. In early 1954, the success of Don Julian & the Meadowlarks' first single "Heaven and Paradise" -- while the group was still in high school -- changed their lives forever....