The Four Preps

Known for their polished West Coast approach, the Four Preps earned lasting recognition through multiple entries on the Top 100 during the closing years of the 1950s and the opening of the 1960s. Among those tracks were “Twenty Six Miles (Santa Catalina),” “Big Man,” “Down by the Station,” “Lazy Summer Night,” “Got a Girl,” “It Ain’t Never,” “Moon River,” “Lollipops and Roses,” “My Special Angel,” and additional releases. Their most enduring effect appears in the vocal arrangements Brian Wilson later refined for the Beach Boys, which directly extended the Four Preps’ harmonic style.

Capitol Records A&R executive Nik Venet first encountered the original lineup—Bruce Belland, Ed Cobb, Marv Ingraham, and Glen Larson—during a 1956 Hollywood High School talent show, after which the quartet secured an extended recording agreement. Before the year closed, the group placed its debut single, “Dreamy Eyes,” on the charts. Lineup adjustments followed when David Somerville, previously the lead singer of the Diamonds, replaced the departing Larson. Across the eight-year span from 1956 to 1964 the Four Preps reached the Top 100 on thirteen occasions, yet by the middle of the decade their style had begun to appear dated. Their final charting single, “A Letter to the Beatles,” represented an effort to remain current, yet the era of button-up sweaters, crew cuts, and four-part vocal harmonies was fading. The group continued issuing recordings through 1967.

Following the ensemble’s dissolution, Bruce Belland pursued a multifaceted career. His compositions have been interpreted by numerous performers, among them Willie Nelson, Johnny Mathis, Roy Clark, Sammy Davis, Lena Horne, Donny Osmond, T.G. Shepherd, Herman’s Hermits, the Mouseketeers, and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. He expanded into television, becoming a prominent Hollywood scriptwriter and appearing for four seasons on Ozzie and Harriet. Belland later served as a senior network television programming executive, supplied numerous voices for animated productions including the Disney feature Jungle Book, received the Presidential Medal of the Arts, and was recognized in the Congressional Record for co-authoring the Official Anthem of the Bi-Centennial of the U.S. Constitution.

Ed Cobb likewise accumulated an extensive list of accomplishments. He earned thirty-two gold and platinum certifications through production or engineering work with the Lettermen, the Standells, Fleetwood Mac, Steely Dan, and Pink Floyd, received three Grammy nominations, and secured two Record of the Year Awards for Sound. His production, co-production, and songwriting credits have generated more than forty million in combined sales, encompassing landmark tracks such as “Dirty Water,” “Every Little Bit Hurts,” “Sometimes Good Guys Don’t Wear White,” and “Tainted Love.” Cobb has also distinguished himself as a champion horse breeder and was elected president of the Idaho Racing Commission.

Beyond his recordings, Somerville has taken on numerous dramatic roles in series including Star Trek, The Fall Guy, Quincy, McCloud, and General Hospital while establishing himself as one of Hollywood’s most sought-after voice-over performers.

A fresh incarnation of the act, the New Four Preps, now appears on the oldies circuit. Its roster comprises Belland, Cobb, Somerville—collectively known as “the three tenors of Pop”—and Jim Yester of the Association. Together the members account for cumulative record sales exceeding one hundred million, twenty-nine hit singles, fifteen gold albums, and thirteen Grammies.