They're dancing in the street

Tickets for tonight's and Thursday's induction concerts will be available at Cafaro Field.
By HAROLD GWIN
VINDICATOR SHARON BUREAU
SHARON, Pa. -- The crowd chanted, "Push, push," as Mary Wilson of The Supremes fame made an effort to put her handprints in cement in front of the Columbia Theatre on West State Street.
Wilson, herself a previous inductee into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame and a host of this year's induction ceremony, was the first in a long line of performers to make her mark in cement as part of Tuesday's induction events.
The hall of fame owns the Columbia, closed since its entry was destroyed in a 1981 fire, and plans to one day reopen it as a performing arts center.
"This is about the original groups, those that made the music," Wilson said of the recognition offered by the hall.
"This is a home for harmony and you're all part of our family," music publisher Jay Warner, co-host of this year's event, told the inductees.
"This is an honor," said Martha Reeves of Martha Reeves & amp; The Vandellas, one of this year's inducted groups.
It's the first time the group has had its hands and feet placed in cement for history, she said.
Reaction
"I'm blessed and thanking God to be here," Reeves said as she made her way into the hall for the induction ceremony. She and her group had their biggest hits in the 1960s, recording such songs as "Heat Wave," "Dancing in the Street" and "Nowhere to Run," and still perform today.
"I'm just thrilled we're going to be recognized for what we did," said Russ Giguere of The Association, another inductee group this year.
This is the first time all of the members of the group have been together since 1984, he said, adding, "I've been looking forward to that."
The Association formed in Los Angeles in 1965 and gave itself two years to come up with a top 40 hit.
They did it in just one with "Along Comes Mary," he said, following that up with "Cherish," "Windy" and "Never My Love."
Giguere was impressed with the hall and made a pledge.
"Now that I'm inducted, I'm going to make sure they get some others," he said.
"It's really a thrill to be a part of something with so much heart," added Terry Kirkman, another member of the group.
"I'm an emotional wreck already," said Jim Yester, another Association member, as he accepted his Harmmy Award.
"I just can't wait until tomorrow," he said, referring to tonight's induction concert at Cafaro Field in Niles at 7 p.m. A second concert is set for 7 p.m. Thursday at the same location and tickets for both shows will be available at the gate.
Thanks to Butala
Several of the recipients this year offered their personal thanks to Tony Butala, Sharon native and a member of The Lettermen, whose dream it was to create the Vocal Group Hall of Fame to honor the best vocal groups in history.
Butala, whose own group was inducted in 2001, now serves as chairman of the hall of fame.
Bernie Toorish said he didn't like the name given his group, The Four Lads, when it migrated from Toronto to New York City in 1950. It turned out there was already an American group with their original name, The Four Dukes, so they had to find a new one, he recalled.
The group got its first American break singing backup for Johnnie Ray and had its own first hit in 1952. They recorded hits like "Istanbul," "Moments to Remember" and "Standing on the Corner (Watching All the Girls Go By)."
Toorish left the group in 1970 but returned in 1985 and still performs with a newer version of The Four Lads in the Cleveland area, where he lives. "It's great," he said of the hall of fame award. "It's nice to be remembered for what you've done in life."
Some groups weren't able to send representatives to the induction ceremony. Earth, Wind and Fire is on tour as are The Commodores.
Other inductees in the class of 2003 are: The Charioteers, Danny and the Juniors, The Five Satins, The Isley Brothers, The Impressions, The Merry Macs, The Peerless Quartet and The Whispers.
gwin@vindy.com