1970 Vanity Fare – Early In The Morning
Four school friends in Kent formed a band in 1966 using the name The Avengers. The group recorded a few demos but did not release any singles.
After changing their name to The Sages, the band released a single on RCA Victor that failed to chart.
One last name change to Vanity Fare and a move to Page One Records resulted in the group’s first hit record in the UK. The Sunrays reached #20 in the UK and #51 in the US in 1965 with their recording of I Live For The Sun. Vanity Fare covered the song, and their 1968 single also reached #20 in the UK. It did not chart in the US.
The group released (I Remember) Summer Morning and Highway Of Dreams, but neither single did well.
The British songwriter, arranger, and producer Mike Leander had been working with British groups beginning in 1963. Peter and Gordon recorded one song he co-wrote in 1966, Lady Godiva.
Mike began working with Eddie Seago, and the first song the pair wrote together was Early In The Morning. Vanity Fare recorded the song in 1969 and it became their first million-selling single. The record peaked at #8 in the UK, #12 on the US Hot 100, and #4 on the US Adult Contemporary chart in early 1970.
The group added a keyboard player on their next single, and the result was a top ten single in the US, Hitchin’ A Ride.
Two more singles failed to reach the charts in the US, after which their record company finally issued (I Remember)Summer Morning in the states. The single did not do well on the Hot 100, peaking at only #98, but peaked at #22 on the Adult Contemporary chart.
Occasional singles and countless lineup changes followed, but the group never again had a chart hit in the US or the UK.
A current band still appears as the Vanity Fare, even though none of the original members are involved.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vanity_Fare
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Early_in_the_Morning_(Vanity_Fare_song)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hitchin%27_a_Ride_(Vanity_Fare_song)
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