Left Banke

The Left Banke was an American 1960s pop-music group which produced two hit singles, "Walk Away Renee" and "Pretty Ballerina". Often utilizing so-called "baroque" string arrangements, the band's music is best viewed as an imaginative response to the work of The Beatles, The Zombies and other British groups of the era.

The group was formed in 1965 and consisted of keyboardist/songwriter Michael Brown, bassist Tom Finn, drummer George Cameron and singer Steve Martin. Brown's father, Harry Lookofsky, ran a studio in New York and took an interest in the band's music, acting as producer, manager, and publisher. Brown's song "Walk Away Renee" was sold to Smash, a subsidiary of Mercury Records, and became a hit in late 1966. "Pretty Ballerina", also written by Brown, charted in early 1967, and the Left Banke released an LP entitled, appropriately enough, Walk Away Renee/Pretty Ballerina.

At this point, tension between Brown and the rest of the group began to surface, as Brown recorded songs with Bert Sommer, who had contributed to the first album. One of these, "And Suddenly", was recorded by a group called the Cherry People and was a minor hit. In late 1967, the group reunited and recorded more material, which failed to chart; Brown left the group for good soon after. Cameron and Martin continued to record, and the songs cut by the various incarnations of the group were assembled into a second LP, The Left Banke Too, which appeared in November 1968. In 1969 Brown and Martin rejoined to cut yet another single, "Myrah".

Although best known for their two hit singles, the Left Banke produced many other songs that have achieved "classic" status, including "She May Call You Up Tonight", "Goodbye Holly", and "Desiree". Despite their short and troubled history, they are widely regarded as one of the finest pop bands of the era. Their string arrangements and Brown's slurred vocals are cited as a major influence on Michael Stipe of R.E.M.