Biography
The Kalin Twins, consisting of Herbert and Harold, specialized in harmonious vocals that evoked a pop-centered adaptation of the Everly Brothers' approach, placing several engaging singles on the charts during 1958, one of which reached the Top Five. They ranked among the more effective groups that bridged rock & roll with mainstream pop, despite never equaling the Everlys in impact.
Born in the same era as Elvis Presley, Herbert and Harold hailed from a middle-class setting farther north than the Mississippi native. Their preferences naturally leaned toward pre-Elvis pop styles—much like certain aspects of Presley's own inclinations—and their output aligned more closely with the milder third wave of rock & roll represented by Bobby Darin, Paul Anka, and Dion DiMucci.
Raised in Port Jervis, NY, the brothers began chasing music professionally while still teenagers. Their listening centered on Tony Bennett, Johnny Ray, and Nat King Cole, since R&B was off-limits at home, although they encountered occasional sides by LaVern Baker, Ruth Brown, and other R&B artists of the day without those tracks shaping their core tastes. Plans for a recording career waited until Hal completed his Army service, after which the pair relocated to Washington, D.C., in 1957. There they connected with songwriter Clint Ballard, who secured them a deal with Decca Records.
Their debut session occurred in December 1957, once the rock & roll surge had peaked, prompting the label to steer them toward teen-oriented material with a contemporary beat. The initial tracks failed to register, yet three months later they scored with "When," a memorable romantic pop/rocker boasting a strong rhythm (originally slated as a B-side) that climbed to number five in the United States and number one in England.
Appearances on The Milt Grant Show, Washington's counterpart to American Bandstand, brought national exposure and spots on the era's standard package tours. "Forget Me Not," rushed into release while the duo promoted their breakthrough, proved far less successful. Their follow-up, the dreamy and memorable "It's Only the Beginning," came nearer the Everly Brothers' sound but for the added chorus behind the brothers. Around the same time they cut two originals, "Clickety Clack" and "Oh! My Goodness."
By mid-1959 the Kalins worked in Nashville under Owen Bradley on songs including those by Felice and Boudleaux Bryant, earlier suppliers of Everly Brothers material. The Bryants' "Sweet Sugar Lips," the duo's last chart entry at number 97, approached the Everlys' style most closely with its gentle country-rooted rock featuring Hank Garland on guitar and Floyd Cramer at the piano. On tour the Kalins also played England, supporting Cliff Richard.
Stateside, the Kalin Twins continued recording through 1962, reuniting at one point with their former guide Clint Ballard. Standouts from the later phase included their version of "Zing, Went the Strings of My Heart," which echoed "When," and their expansive take on "Picture of You," already a hit in England for Brit-rocker Joe Brown (Paul McCartney has also performed it, though never formally in concert). They additionally preserved a collection of unreleased Nashville sides with Garland and Cramer that delivered sturdy pop/rock.
As the 1960s opened, the Kalins shifted from teen-focused songs toward more adult repertoire. Though their domestic footprint stayed slight, their English number-one success with "When" likely shaped the trajectory and possibly the sound of the Brook Brothers, a British sibling duo on Pye Records whose style closely mirrored their own. Recording stopped after 1962, yet three decades afterward the brothers still appeared as a pop-nostalgia attraction for crowds in their fifties.
Born in the same era as Elvis Presley, Herbert and Harold hailed from a middle-class setting farther north than the Mississippi native. Their preferences naturally leaned toward pre-Elvis pop styles—much like certain aspects of Presley's own inclinations—and their output aligned more closely with the milder third wave of rock & roll represented by Bobby Darin, Paul Anka, and Dion DiMucci.
Raised in Port Jervis, NY, the brothers began chasing music professionally while still teenagers. Their listening centered on Tony Bennett, Johnny Ray, and Nat King Cole, since R&B was off-limits at home, although they encountered occasional sides by LaVern Baker, Ruth Brown, and other R&B artists of the day without those tracks shaping their core tastes. Plans for a recording career waited until Hal completed his Army service, after which the pair relocated to Washington, D.C., in 1957. There they connected with songwriter Clint Ballard, who secured them a deal with Decca Records.
Their debut session occurred in December 1957, once the rock & roll surge had peaked, prompting the label to steer them toward teen-oriented material with a contemporary beat. The initial tracks failed to register, yet three months later they scored with "When," a memorable romantic pop/rocker boasting a strong rhythm (originally slated as a B-side) that climbed to number five in the United States and number one in England.
Appearances on The Milt Grant Show, Washington's counterpart to American Bandstand, brought national exposure and spots on the era's standard package tours. "Forget Me Not," rushed into release while the duo promoted their breakthrough, proved far less successful. Their follow-up, the dreamy and memorable "It's Only the Beginning," came nearer the Everly Brothers' sound but for the added chorus behind the brothers. Around the same time they cut two originals, "Clickety Clack" and "Oh! My Goodness."
By mid-1959 the Kalins worked in Nashville under Owen Bradley on songs including those by Felice and Boudleaux Bryant, earlier suppliers of Everly Brothers material. The Bryants' "Sweet Sugar Lips," the duo's last chart entry at number 97, approached the Everlys' style most closely with its gentle country-rooted rock featuring Hank Garland on guitar and Floyd Cramer at the piano. On tour the Kalins also played England, supporting Cliff Richard.
Stateside, the Kalin Twins continued recording through 1962, reuniting at one point with their former guide Clint Ballard. Standouts from the later phase included their version of "Zing, Went the Strings of My Heart," which echoed "When," and their expansive take on "Picture of You," already a hit in England for Brit-rocker Joe Brown (Paul McCartney has also performed it, though never formally in concert). They additionally preserved a collection of unreleased Nashville sides with Garland and Cramer that delivered sturdy pop/rock.
As the 1960s opened, the Kalins shifted from teen-focused songs toward more adult repertoire. Though their domestic footprint stayed slight, their English number-one success with "When" likely shaped the trajectory and possibly the sound of the Brook Brothers, a British sibling duo on Pye Records whose style closely mirrored their own. Recording stopped after 1962, yet three decades afterward the brothers still appeared as a pop-nostalgia attraction for crowds in their fifties.
Albums
