Ames Brothers

The Ames Brothers
The Ames Brothers in 1955. Clockwise from top: Ed, Vic, Joe and Gene
Background information
Origin	Malden, Massachusetts, United States
Genres	Traditional pop music
Years active	1948–1963
Labels	Decca, Coral, RCA Victor
Past members	Joe Ames Gene Ames Vic Ames Ed Ames

The Ames Brothers were a singing quartet from Malden, Massachusetts, who were particularly famous in the 1950s for their traditional pop music hits.

The Ames Brothers got their beginning in Malden, where all four were born. The act consisted of brothers Joe (May 3, 1921 – December 22, 2007), Gene (February 13, 1923 – April 4, 1997), Vic (May 20, 1925 – January 23, 1978) and Ed (born July 9, 1927).

Born into a non-professional, but musically talented family, the boys were raised to enjoy classical and operatic music. Their parents, David and Sarah Urick, were Russian Jewish immigrants from the Ukraine who read Shakespeare and semi-classics to their nine children from the time they were old enough to listen.

The brothers formed a quartet with a cousin named Lennie, and had been touring United States Army and Navy bases entertaining the troops and were offered a job at The Fox and Hounds nightclub, one of the fanciest clubs in Boston. This one-week engagement turned into several months when the word got around of their appearance. At the time, they were going by the name of the Amory Brothers, a name taken from Vic's middle name and they were becoming quite popular in the area. It was at this time that Joe decided to rejoin the group. He said they were just having too much fun together for him to miss out. Taking their act to New York City they got a job with bandleader Art Mooney. One day while at Leeds Publishing Company in search of a song called "Should I" that their mother had asked them to sing, Milt Gabler of Decca Records overheard them singing it and asked them to cut a few sides for Decca Records just before the AFM recording ban which James Petrillo imposed in January 1948.