Biography
Kenny & the Cadets emerged as a project closely tied to the Beach Boys without amounting to a disguised version of that group, a distinction that has long puzzled discographers. While the Beach Boys were briefly signed to Candix Records in early 1962, producer Bruce Morgan recruited several members to overdub vocals onto instrumental backing tracks he had already cut with additional players. Brian Wilson handled the lead on “Barbie,” supported by backup vocals from Carl Wilson, Al Jardine, the Wilsons’ mother Audree Wilson, and bass vocalist Val Poliuto, though Mike Love and Dennis Wilson took no part in the session. For the companion track “What Is a Young Girl Made Of?,” Brian Wilson again supplied the lead without involvement from any other Beach Boys.
Both songs, written by Bruce Morgan, appeared as a single credited to Kenny & the Cadets in early 1962. “Barbie” followed the doo-wop style prevalent in the early 1960s and featured Brian Wilson’s characteristically high lead, whereas the brisker “What Is a Young Girl Made Of?” presented standard early-1960s teen pop. The release failed to register commercially. Within months the Beach Boys themselves had moved to Capitol Records and reached the Top Twenty by late 1962. The two Kenny & the Cadets recordings later surfaced on various anthologies devoted to the group’s pre-Capitol Candix material.
Both songs, written by Bruce Morgan, appeared as a single credited to Kenny & the Cadets in early 1962. “Barbie” followed the doo-wop style prevalent in the early 1960s and featured Brian Wilson’s characteristically high lead, whereas the brisker “What Is a Young Girl Made Of?” presented standard early-1960s teen pop. The release failed to register commercially. Within months the Beach Boys themselves had moved to Capitol Records and reached the Top Twenty by late 1962. The two Kenny & the Cadets recordings later surfaced on various anthologies devoted to the group’s pre-Capitol Candix material.