The Virtues were an early American rock & roll band from Philadelphia, Penn… Read Full Bio ↴The Virtues were an early American rock & roll band from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
The group formed around leader Frank Virtue (1922–1987), who played the violin as a child and took up the guitar and the double bass as a teenager. He continued with the latter as a member of the Philadelphia Orchestra and studied orchestration at Temple University. He enlisted in the Navy in 1945 and became bandleader of the Regular Navy Dance Band in Bainbridge, Maryland. He was discharged in 1946 because his father, who had been diagnosed with cancer, could no longer support his family. Virtue considered putting together a big band but, due to financial constraints, assembled an amplified trio instead, with Ralph Frederico on the piano and Steve Rossi on the guitar. Virtue named the band the Virtuoso Trio after their formation in 1947.
The Virtuoso Trio toured the regional club circuit for the better part of a decade, playing as far as Canada and making regular appearances on Philadelphia radio and television. They performed as a backup ensemble for Patti Page, Rosemary Clooney, Dick Haymes, June Christy, and others.[1] When local Pennsylvanians Bill Haley & the Comets hit big in the mid-1950s, Virtue found a receptive audience in the teenagers who loved the nascent rock & roll craze.
By this time, the group's lineup had expanded, with Virtue on the bass, John Renner on the saxophone, Jimmy Bruno on the guitar, Joe Vespe on the drums, and Dave Kaplin as an occasional vocalist. Under the name the Virtues, they released a rock reworking of Arthur "Guitar Boogie" Smith's country hit "Guitar Boogie" in 1958 under the title "Guitar Boogie Shuffle", on the Hunt label. The instrumental became a major hit in the U.S., peaking at #27 on the Black Singles chart and #5 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1959. The single also became a sheet music smash, selling well worldwide. Several singles followed – "Flippin", "Boogie Woogie", "Vaya con Dios" – but none of them succeeded; the group was signed by ABC-Paramount, but their only return to the charts was with the 1962 release "Guitar Boogie Shuffle Twist" (U.S. #95). Towards the end of 1962, Virtue disbanded the group and pursued a career as a record producer and recording engineer. His studio, Virtue Recording Studios, located at 1618 N. Broad St., was one of the top studios in Philadelphia for a number of years until closing in the early 1980s. Producing and mixing(with his wife Mary Anne Virtue)groups such as "Society's Child", a top 40 band from the Wilmington, Delaware area. His original studio, in the basement of his house on Fayette Street, was where "Guitar Boogie Shuffle" was originally recorded.
Collectables Records released a collection of Virtues instrumentals in 1993 as Guitar in Orbit.
The group formed around leader Frank Virtue (1922–1987), who played the violin as a child and took up the guitar and the double bass as a teenager. He continued with the latter as a member of the Philadelphia Orchestra and studied orchestration at Temple University. He enlisted in the Navy in 1945 and became bandleader of the Regular Navy Dance Band in Bainbridge, Maryland. He was discharged in 1946 because his father, who had been diagnosed with cancer, could no longer support his family. Virtue considered putting together a big band but, due to financial constraints, assembled an amplified trio instead, with Ralph Frederico on the piano and Steve Rossi on the guitar. Virtue named the band the Virtuoso Trio after their formation in 1947.
The Virtuoso Trio toured the regional club circuit for the better part of a decade, playing as far as Canada and making regular appearances on Philadelphia radio and television. They performed as a backup ensemble for Patti Page, Rosemary Clooney, Dick Haymes, June Christy, and others.[1] When local Pennsylvanians Bill Haley & the Comets hit big in the mid-1950s, Virtue found a receptive audience in the teenagers who loved the nascent rock & roll craze.
By this time, the group's lineup had expanded, with Virtue on the bass, John Renner on the saxophone, Jimmy Bruno on the guitar, Joe Vespe on the drums, and Dave Kaplin as an occasional vocalist. Under the name the Virtues, they released a rock reworking of Arthur "Guitar Boogie" Smith's country hit "Guitar Boogie" in 1958 under the title "Guitar Boogie Shuffle", on the Hunt label. The instrumental became a major hit in the U.S., peaking at #27 on the Black Singles chart and #5 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1959. The single also became a sheet music smash, selling well worldwide. Several singles followed – "Flippin", "Boogie Woogie", "Vaya con Dios" – but none of them succeeded; the group was signed by ABC-Paramount, but their only return to the charts was with the 1962 release "Guitar Boogie Shuffle Twist" (U.S. #95). Towards the end of 1962, Virtue disbanded the group and pursued a career as a record producer and recording engineer. His studio, Virtue Recording Studios, located at 1618 N. Broad St., was one of the top studios in Philadelphia for a number of years until closing in the early 1980s. Producing and mixing(with his wife Mary Anne Virtue)groups such as "Society's Child", a top 40 band from the Wilmington, Delaware area. His original studio, in the basement of his house on Fayette Street, was where "Guitar Boogie Shuffle" was originally recorded.
Collectables Records released a collection of Virtues instrumentals in 1993 as Guitar in Orbit.
Guitar Boogie Shuffle
The Virtues Lyrics
Instrumental
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it
More Genres
No Artists Found
More Artists
Load All
No Albums Found
More Albums
Load All
No Tracks Found
Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Search results not found
Song not found
sauquoit13456
On this day in 1959 {April 21st} "Guitar Boogie Shuffle" by the Virtues peaked at #5 {for 2 weeks} on Billboard's Top 100 chart...
The Virtues had one other Top 100 record, "Guitar Boogie Shuffle Twist", it reached #96 in March of 1962 and stayed on the Top 100 for one week...
Group leader Frank Virtuoso passed away at the age of 71 on June 11th, 1994...
May he R.I.P.
*And from the 'For What It's Worth' department; the Billboard Top 10 for April 21st, 1959:
At #1. "Come Softly To Me" by the Fleetwoods
#2. "(Now and Then There’s) A Fool Such As I" by Elvis Presley
#3. "Venus" by Frankie Avalon
#4. "Pink Shoe Laces" by Dodie Stevens
#5. the above "Guitar Boogie Shuffle"
#6. "The Happy Organ" by Dave 'Baby' Cortez
#7. "I Need Your Love Tonight" by Elvis Presley
#8. "Tell Him No" by Travis and Bob
#9. "Sorry (I Ran All the Way Home)' by the Impalas
#10. "Turn Me Loose" by Fabian
Plus, in 1959 there was one other 'Guitar' record on the Top 100 chart, "Lonely Guitar" by Annette, it reached #50 on July 21st, 1959...
And what the heck, in 1959 there was also an artist named Guitar on the Top 100, Bonnie Guitar, her "Candy Apple Red" peaked at #97 in December of 1959 and stayed on the chart for two weeks...
Claude Lapointe
After 62 yrs, this song is still awesome!
Dan Casey
Where did the time go Claude? The music was so much better then. Thanks for listening and commenting.
Ronald Vaughan
this song is UNSTOPPABLE
Bruce Bergman
If you had a band circa 1958, this was a must to perform-one of the really wonderful and essential instrumentals of the era. Virtue was a fine guitarist.
Dan Casey
In the beginning of Rock, the Sax was the main instrument, but that quickly gave way to the guitar. This is a prime example of that. This is one of my favorite guitar songs. Thanks for your comments Bruce.
Richard Grassia
Jimmy Bruno was the guitarist! Father of jazz guitarist Jimmy Bruno! Virtue played the bass
Ronald Vaughan
@Richard Grassia HEAVY song.....they did ARTHUR SMITH proud....
Bruce Bergman
@Richard Grassia Thanks for the correction.
Lynn Glidewell
I was seven in 1959 but I remember this tune blasting from car radios and Jukeboxes everywhere.It was thrill when I learned how to play it in later years.
Dan Casey
This was a favorite of mine. Thanks for listening.