Introduction to Gerry Granahan, AKA “Dicky Doo and the Don’ts”

Short Career Summary on Gerry Granahan

Gerry Granahan (born in 1932 in Pennsylvania) is a 50s music-era singer-songwriter and record producer who recorded under the name “Dicky Do’s and the Don’ts” during the 50s music scene. He started his career as a radio disc jockey and announcer. Then he did demo recordings submitted to Elvis Presley simply because he sounded so much like the King. When he launched his solo career, he released a few singles on Atlantic that went unnoticed. So he recorded (under an alias) his first hit, “No Chemise Please,” released on Sunbeam Records. Granahan’s next four singles vanished without a trace, but then he came up with another song that he was certain to be a hit called “Click Clack.” Swan Records wanted to release it, and its ward Dick Clark would give the song some ladder as he was the host of American Bandstand. Granahan, already having contracts with both Atlantic and Sunbeam, must figure out a way so that Swan could sign him up and release his newest song. Thus the then-fictional act Dicky Doo and the Don’ts was born. Swan released “Click Clack” in February 1958, and it peaked at #28 on the pop chart. Granahan then recruited other musicians – bassist Harvey Davis, saxophonist Al Ways, guitarist Ray Gangi, and drummer Dave Alldred – just for the sake of public appearances that Dicky Doo and the Dont’s was a real band. The band was then signed to the United Artists label, where they remained until the mid-1960s. After Dicky Do and the Don’ts, Granahan continued his work as a music producer. He also held positions as vice president of Dot Records and Paramount Records.

Early years

Gerald Granahan, popularly known as Gerry Granahan, is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer who popularized the song “Click Clack” as Dicky Doo and the Don’ts during the late 1950s. Granahan was born on April 20, 1932, in Pittston, Pennsylvania. During his teens, he became a radio announcer and a disc jockey at a local AM station, WPTS.

Music Career

Granahan possessed a singing voice that was like Elvis Presley’s since he really idolized The King and tried to sound like him. In 1957, he was signed to Atlantic Records. There, he was introduced as a rockabilly artist with the pseudonym Jerry Grant. He issued a record on Atlantic, but it didn’t become a success. Shortly after that, he released another record on Mark Records, which also had the same fate as his debut release on Atlantic.

Granahan moved to Sunbeam Records in 1958, where he hooked up with publisher Tommy Volando, the owner of the new label. On Sunbeam, Granahan released the single “No Chemise Please.”  It became Granahan’s first hit which reached #23 on the Billboard Hot 100. Granahan later released four singles from Sunbeam, but they all flopped.

After a series of failed releases, Granahan and friend Dave Aldred (drummer of The Rhythm Orchids) came up with the song called “Click Clack” in late 1957. He sent a demo to American Bandstand host Dick Clark and later to Tony Mammarella, who had just started his own label, Swan Records. Since Granahan couldn’t use his own name to record for Swan, the “Click Clack” was issued under his alias Dicky Doo & the Don’ts. “Click Clack” became a hit, peaking at #28 on the Top 40. Throughout Dicky Doo and The Don’ts’ (or Granahan’s) career, he continued to release singles that charted modestly.  Granahan recruited other musicians – bassist Harvey Davis, saxophonist Al Ways, guitarist Ray Gangi, and drummer Dave Alldred – just for the sake of public appearances that Dicky Doo and the Dont’s was a real band.

Later in his career, Granahan became active as a record producer and worked with artists such as The Fireflies, The Angels, Patty Duke, and Jay & The Americans. During the late 1960s, he also served as vice president of Dot Records and Paramount Records. Up to this day, Granahan still performs from time to time as Dicky Doo and the Don’ts, Featuring Gerry Granahan.

Legacy of Gerry Granahan

Gerry Granahan had a huge influence on the music industry, being one of the pioneers of rockabilly, which helped shape modern rock music. Granahan was also a famous producer, producing several hits during the 60s. 

Gerry Granahan’s work extends to many musicians and artists inspired by his music. As an artist, he was famous for his rock music with a touch of mellow blues. As a producer, he was praised for his extensive work, mainly for his unique style of producing and marketing music. 

It is undoubted that Gerry Granahan is one of the greatest artists of his time. Along with the Dicky Doo and the Don’ts, they were unstoppable. Their success marked Granahan’s spot in the Rhode Island Music Hall of Fame in 2012. 

Final Thoughts

Gerry Granahan was a prominent musical artist during the 1960s. He was a singer-songwriter that was a pioneer of rockabilly and inspired new rock artists. From the early years up to the peak of his career, Granahan proved his talent to the world.

Aside from being a singer-songwriter, Granahan was a well-known producer. He produced hits of the 60s and helped revolutionize the way music was produced and marketed. Today, he is a Hall of Famer celebrated as among the greatest rock artist of the 1960s.