The Chartbusters
The Chartbusters were an American rock band from Washington, D.C.. The group's lone hit single was the 1964 song "She's the One", which peaked at #33 on the Billboard Hot 100.[1] "She's the One" was released on Mutual Records after 20 other record labels had turned it down.
The Chartbusters featured lead guitarist/vocalist Vernon Sandusky, who began his career with Bobby Poe and The Poe Kats. Bobby Poe was the manager and often co-producer of this new group.
The Chartbusters went on to record several singles, but none reached the heights of "She's the One". For several years during the 1960s, The Chartbusters were the house band at The Crazy Horse in the Georgetown section of Washington, D.C.
Although Vernon Sandusky, founding member of the band repeatedly has said it is not true, local Washington, DC legend has it that The Chartbusters also released several quickly recorded budget albums for Diplomat Records circa 1964 under the name "The Manchesters," including Beatlerama Volume 1 (Diplomat D-2307 mono and DS-2307 stereo) and Beatlerama Volume 2 (Diplomat D-2310 mono and DS-2310 stereo). These albums contained cover versions of several Beatles' songs along with the Chartbusters' original songs, including some which appeared in alternate versions on their Mutual Records singles.
In the 1990s, Tom Hanks was quoted in People saying that The Chartbusters were one of the inspirations for his film That Thing You Do!. (Note that there was also a band called The Chartbusters in the San Francisco Bay Area, where Hanks grew up. This note may be a reference to the Jazz group The Chartbusters, who recorded for the Concord Music Group in the 1990s and had a member born in Oakland.)
Members
- Vernon Sandusky - lead guitar, lead vocals
- Vince Gedeon - guitar, vocals
- John Dubas - bass, vocals
- Mitch Corday - drums (became booking agent for the band)
- Chib Holmes - drums (replaced Mitch Corday)
Additional members
- Frank Dillon - guitar, vocals
- Eddie Kopa - guitar, vocals
- Gary Kingery - drums
- Mike "Pokey" Walls - drums
- Stewart Ross - drums
- Danny Motta - drums
- Ronnie Stevens - drums