Guy's - Downtown & Church Street! --contributed by Guion H. Willis, Jr.
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THE CHURCH STREET FIVE -- A Night With Daddy "G", is cited by Gary 'US' Bonds (aka Gary Anderson --until seeing a "Buy US Bonds" poster in Codd's Deli on Princess Anne Rd) in Quarter to Three with Jimmy (If you wanna be happy) Soul. The Church Street 5, Church Street Five — named for the famous street, issued “A Night with Daddy G” (Legrand 1004) in 1961. Legrand founder Frank Guida once owned a record shop (Frankie's Birdland)-- inspired by music of Sweet Daddy G's House Of Prayer-- (which was on the corner of Church St & Princess Anne Rd) see a church of Daddy Grace 1881-1960 --he'd come to town, there'd be a parade, riding a float made of money. People gave money-- there'd be loud speakers outside, due to crowds --so all could hear-- reminiscent of New Orleans marching bands.

Daddy Grace's nickname (Daddy G) was credited later, to Gene Barge, a Norfolk tenor saxophone virtuoso, who played sax for US Bonds & Jimmy Soul. Guida directed Gary Anderson (U.S. Bonds) to voice over “Quarter to Three” on an instrumental track almost identical to the Church Street Five's “A Night with Daddy G.” Basically, “Quarter to Three” (Legrand 1008) is “A Night with Daddy G” with lyrics. It went to No.1 on the charts. Months later, the Philly sound adopted the phrase when the Dovells recorded “Bristol Stomp” --and so Daddy G's name spread in music/radio (Bristol is also in Pennsylvania).

Another Norfolk group --the Showmen, noted for the Rock & Roll anthem, "It Will Stand"-- now on Beach (Shag) albums. Church Street was once famous as "Norfolk’s Apollo" --the Crispus Attucks Theater now in renovation, once featured performers such as Louis Armstrong, Count Basie, Ruth Brown, Duke Ellington, and Gary US Bonds. The theater's namesake was the first casualty of the American Revolution. In the late 1800s you'd find Chinatown, Little Jerusalem and a Greek neighborhood on or just off Church Street; known for treating all equal-- in days of extreme segregation. During the 1920s, many blacks on this famous street became entrepreneurs; leaders of civil rights rose from the ranks there, and the distinct culture is long remembered and treasured. --RK      Dig music? see ==>  RK's Juke-Box