Fred Parris was the lead singer for the Five Satins and wrote their 1956 hit “In the Still of the Night.”
- Died: January 13, 2022 (Who else died on January 13?)
- Details of death: Died after a brief illness at the age of 85.
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Musical career
Parris was a founding member of the Five Satins. He wrote their biggest hit, “In the Still of the Night,” while serving in the U.S. Army, stationed on night guard duty. The band recorded the song while he was on leave, famously laying down the track in the basement of St. Bernadette Roman Catholic Church in New Haven, Connecticut. “In the Still of the Night” became one of the most enduring hits of the 1950s as it was featured in movies including “Dirty Dancing” and “The Irishman” as well as covered by Boyz II Men, the Beach Boys, and other artists. The Five Satins had hits with other singles including “To the Aisle” and “I’ll Be Seeing You.” Parris continued to lead various incarnations of the group for decades, scoring a minor hit in 1982 with “Memories of Days Gone By,” a medley of the band’s earlier songs.
Parris on recording at the church
“I remember across the street was a little place where they sold really great sub sandwiches. That was a big part of it, because we didn’t have to go far to get something to eat. They were very nice to let us use the church in the first place. The sax player you hear on ‘In the Still of the Night’ and ‘(The) Jones Girl’ and several of the other tunes was a parishioner there; he’s still there, actually.” —from a 2010 interview for NJ.com
Tributes to Fred Parris
Full obituary: New Haven Register
