Pittsburgh’s Walt Maddox Has Died

The Pittsburgh Post Gazette is reporting that Walt Maddox has died. Maddox, who would become the leader of The Marcels, died Monday at the age of 88. Maddox was from the North Side neighborhood of Manchester. He started out as a street-corner singer in a group called The Blenders, who were managed by popular local deejay Barry Kaye. In the summer of 1961, The Marcels underwent a shakeup. As a group featuring both Black and white members, it faced hostility touring in the Deep South. When two white members departed, Maddox joined. By September, he was singing second tenor on the group’s second and final Top 40 hit, “Heartaches” (No. 7), a song associated with Guy Lombardo. The group made regular appearances at the annual Roots of Rock ‘n’ Roll shows presented by Pittsburgh promoter Henry DeLuca. Over the past decade, Maddox managed the Marcels without performing.