Lenny Welch will be remembered by most for one song, but what a song it was. His 1964 single “Since I Fell For You” topped the pop and soul charts and became one that the most loved songs of the decade. It has since been remade by countless artists but none have matched Welch’s plaintive reading, arguably one of the great pop performances of all time.
Born in New York City and raised in Asbury Park, New Jersey, Welch was signed by Cadence Records at age nineteen. He recorded several minor singles for Cadence, but his 1963 release of “Since I Fell For You” seemed to signal the start of a memorable career as a purveyor of romantic pop/soul music. Unfortunately, after Welch scored another chart hit with his cover of “Ebb Tide,” Cadence folded. Welch recording career never fully recovered, though he did score another moderate hit in 1965 with “Two Different Worlds.”
Despite the last of recording success, Welch continued to perform successfully around the world as well as on the casino circuit in the U.S. He also found a niche performing voice-overs on television commercials. More recently he began acting, appearing frequently on ABC’s General Hospital.
In a major surprise, more than three decades after his last record, Welch released It’s All About Love on Figskee Records. The disc showed that Welch’s first tenor voice was still intact and appealing, as he ran through ten songs aimed at the urban adult contemporary market.
By Chris Rizik
