Happenings, The

Hailing from Paterson, New Jersey, The Happenings were a vocal harmony group who specialised in reviving classic songs.

Bob Miranda, Ralph DiVito, David Libert and Thomas Giuliano met while in military service at Fort Dix, New Jersey, and after leaving the service they formed The Four Graduates.

As well as working as session singers, the quartet also recorded a couple of singles for Crystal Ball Records and Rust, the latter being produced in 1963 by members of The Tokens.

When The Tokens formed their own B.T. Puppy label they signed the group, now called The Happenings, and their second release, a revival of The Tempos’ 1959 hit See You In September, reached #3 on the US charts in July 1966.

Despite the fact that their distinctively dated yet somehow contemporary style seemed so out of place with other late 60s groups, The Happenings strung together an enviable nine US chart entries between 1966 and 1969.

The biggest of these were their revivals of Steve Lawrence’s Go Away Little Girl (#12 in October 1966), George Gershwin’s I Got Rhythm (#3 in April 1967) and Al Jolson’s My Mammy (#13 in July 1967).

Bernie LaPorta replaced Ralph DiVito as baritone vocalist in 1968.

By the 1980s, Bob Miranda and Thomas Giuliano were fronting a new lineup of the group touring on oldies shows.

Bob Miranda
Lead vocals
Ralph DiVito
Baritone vocals
David Libert
Bass vocals
Thomas Giuliano
Tenor vocals
Bernie LaPorta
Baritone vocals

Video