Videos
The Four Preps are a male American Pop vocal group. Since their inception in the mid 50’s, the group has amassed eight gold singles and three gold albums. Their million-selling signature tunes include "26 Miles (Santa Catalina)," "Big Man," "Lazy Summer Night," and many more.
The Four Preps May 1989 Interview
May 1989 Interview with the Four Preps by Clint Holmes, on Entertainment Tonight, with Jim Pike (from The Lettermen), David Somerville (from The Diamonds), Bruce Belland (from The Four Preps) and Ed Cobb (from The Four Preps).
Four Preps 1989 - Three Golden Groups Hits Medley
The Four Preps in Concert in 1989 with Bruce Belland, Ed Cobb, David Somerville, and Jim Pike. Singing the hits of The Four Preps, The Diamonds, and The Lettermen and finishing with SOMEWHERE OVER THE RAINBOW. Enjoy their magic!
Unchained Melody - Symphony Performance
The Four Preps perform the timeless classic "Unchained Melody" accompanied by The New Chordettes and The Conejo Valley Youth Orchestra on Sunday, November 2, 2014 at the Fred Kavli Theatre in Thousand Oaks, CA.
Four Preps Video Introduction
The Four Preps featuring Original Lead Singer BRUCE BELLAND, Making music, Making friends, Making history!
Vintage Video Collection
Chapter 1
1956: "It's Great To Be Young" Talent Show - The Four Preps sing "Jezebel"
1957: The Edsel Show - The 4 Preps back Lindsay Crosby singing "In The Middle of an Island"
Chapter 2
1957: Ozzie & Harriet; "Oh Baby I'm Sorry"; Ricky Nelson & The 4 Preps perform "Bye Bye Love" & "Have I Told You Lately That I Love You"
"The Exotic Housemother"
(Ozzie and Harriet)
Bruce Belland gets some TLC from the sizzling Mamie Van Doren in "The Exotic House Mother" episode of The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet, 1964.
Chapter 3
1959: "Gidget" - w/ The 4 Preps
1958: The Dick Clark Show - "26 Miles (Santa Catalina)"
Chapter 6
1977: Billboard Music Awards - The Bee Gees introduce The Four Preps singing "More Money for You and Me"
Down by the Station & 26 Miles
The "handsome rascals" performing Down by the Station and 26 Miles on Dick Clark's Saturday Night Beech-Nut Show. May 26, 1960 & April 12, 1958. Check out my saddle shoes!
26 Miles has not only sold over 8 million copies to date and influenced the likes of Brian Wilson and Jimmy Buffett, but has also been adopted as the official song of the Island of Santa Catalina.
Four Preps - A Letter To The Beatles (1964)
This was to be The Four Preps “comeback” hit in 1964. We used the legendary “Wrecking Crew” studio band—most of them buddies since our 50’s hits—and the session felt like the good old days.
The four of us really bore down to prove we were still around to tweak anybody who was fair game.
It’s the usual Preps tongue-in-cheek comment on a Pop culture phenomenon, just as we had kidded Elvis, Fabian, Frankie Avalon, Dion and the Belmonts, the Kingston Trio, The PLatters and out-of-tune Doo Wop groups.
“Letter” started to race up the Billboard Charts when the Beatles’ management threatened to sue the Preps AND Capitol, our mutual label, for defamation. I’m not kidding.
Capitol buckled, withdrew the record and in 24 hours, it was impossible to buy… or even hear. It was the last significant chart action for the Preps, and more-or-less the beginning of the end. (More about that in the book.
Our good-natured satire seems so mild now, and I’m convinced the Beatles themselves would have laughed it off.
A classic case of corporate cowardice.
Now it’s a regular on YouTube, and I haven’t heard a word from Ringo or Paul.
The Four Preps May 1989 Interview
May 1989 Interview with the Four Preps by Clint Holmes, on Entertainment Tonight, with Jim Pike (from The Lettermen), David Somerville (from The Diamonds), Bruce Belland (from The Four Preps) and Ed Cobb (from The Four Preps).
Four Preps 1989 - Three Golden Groups Hits Medley
The Four Preps in Concert in 1989 with Bruce Belland, Ed Cobb, David Somerville, and Jim Pike. Singing the hits of The Four Preps, The Diamonds, and The Lettermen and finishing with SOMEWHERE OVER THE RAINBOW. Enjoy their magic!
Back-To-Back
I’m always fascinated by how two artists can interpret the same song so differently.
Here are some prime examples...
"Big Man" — The Four Preps vs Donny Osmond
The Four Preps - Big Man
The success of the Preps’ version was due in part to the rollicking piano introduction… an effect it took us 30 takes to capture.
Donny Osmond - Big Man
Donny gave it a slightly different treatment. Ah these young whipper snappers!
"The Sphinx Won't Tell" — The Four Preps vs The Four Preps
Performance on The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet
This is the version we did for Ozzie and Harriet. Today, you'll be hard-pressed to find 4 young American Men who can not only sing well, but also know how to put on & wear a Tuxedo.
Campus Encore Live Recording from 1962
This version is on the follow-up album to "On Campus," recorded live in 1962.
A Woodie for Sandra Dee
Anecdote about Sandra Dee during the filming of "Gidget", the movie, by Bruce Belland of The Four Preps, one of the writers of "26 Miles".