Ohio Express
The Ohio Express is an American bubblegum pop band formed in Mansfield, Ohio, in 1967 when the local group Sir Timothy and the Royals was renamed by producers Jerry Kasenetz and Jeff Katz of Super K Productions to promote their singles on Buddah Records, renowned for their catchy 1960s hits including "Yummy Yummy Yummy" and "Chewy Chewy," though initial recordings like "Beg, Borrow and Steal" were by the New York studio group the Rare Breed.[1][2][3] The band's studio recordings featured vocals by Joey Levine, while the early touring lineup from the Mansfield ensemble included guitarist Dale Powers, guitarist Doug Grassel, keyboardist Jim Pfahler, bassist Dean Kastran, and drummer Tim Corwin, though the group often functioned as a studio creation with touring members to promote singles like their debut chart entry "Beg, Borrow and Steal" in 1967, which reached the Top 40 in the U.S. and Canada.[1][4][2] "Yummy Yummy Yummy," released in 1968 and written by Joey Levine and Artie Resnick, peaked at No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100, sold over one million copies in two months to earn gold certification, and topped charts in Canada while reaching the Top 5 in the UK and Ireland, and the Top 10 in Australia.[4][1][5] Follow-up single "Chewy Chewy," also a million-seller, further solidified their bubblegum sound, characterized by upbeat, simplistic lyrics and hooks crafted by producers Jerry Kasenetz and Jeff Katz, leading to extensive touring on packages like the Dick Clark Caravan of Stars and television appearances on shows such as The Merv Griffin Show and The Dick Cavett Show.[1][4][2] By 1969, the original configuration had evolved amid the band's nebulous structure, with a new touring lineup including Doug Grassel, Scott Steelman, Bruce Knott, and Doug Wimmer attempting a shift toward progressive rock-jazz fusion; they recorded unreleased tracks like "Sweet Genie" and "Beauty So Deep" in Austin, Texas, for Sonobeat Records, though disputes with Buddah prevented release.[6][1] Additional singles such as "Sausalito (Is the Place to Go)," featuring vocals by Graham Gouldman of 10cc, continued their chart presence into 1969.[1] The group disbanded in the early 1970s but saw revivals, including a mid-1970s club-oriented lineup and an 1980s reformation by Tim Corwin for the oldies circuit, with earlier revivals featuring international tours in Europe and Asia, and ongoing performances as of 2025 including a new single released in April 2025 and the Bubble Mania Tour.[4][1][7] In 2012, they released the album Bubblegum Days on Cleopatra Records, featuring re-recorded versions of their classics with improved production.[1]Overview
Formation and concept
The Ohio Express emerged in 1967 as a manufactured pop act conceived by New York producers Jerry Kasenetz and Jeff Katz through their Super K Productions company, serving primarily as a promotional vehicle for bubblegum singles rather than a unified performing ensemble.[6][8] Although rooted in Mansfield, Ohio, where a local garage band was rebranded to support the project, the core output was a New York studio endeavor utilizing session musicians and interchangeable vocalists to craft catchy, youth-oriented tracks.[6][8] Kasenetz and Katz deliberately selected the name "Ohio Express" to project a wholesome, Midwestern image that would resonate with teenage listeners, enhancing the act's marketability in the competitive pop landscape.[6] This branding strategy aligned with their broader approach of prioritizing disposable hits over band cohesion, as they noted that personnel on records often had no direct link to touring groups.[8] The project's debut came with the 1967 single "Beg, Borrow and Steal," the same recording as an earlier track originally released by the New York group The Rare Breed, released on Cameo Records as a tie-in to the Mansfield-based touring outfit formerly known as Sir Timothy and the Royals.[9][6][10] This release laid the groundwork for the Ohio Express's evolution, soon incorporating contributions from vocalist Joey Levine to amplify its bubblegum sound.[8]Band identity and marketing
The Ohio Express was marketed by Buddah Records as a cohesive pop band to capitalize on the bubblegum music trend, despite the reality that its hit singles were primarily recorded by session musicians in New York studios, led by vocalist and songwriter Joey Levine.[11][12] The touring lineup, originally formed in Mansfield, Ohio, as Sir Timothy and the Royals, was repositioned to promote these recordings through live appearances and television performances, where they often lip-synced to Levine's tracks to maintain the illusion of a unified group.[12][13] This promotional tactic included fabricated backstories portraying the band as a group of young Midwestern performers, obscuring the disconnect between the studio creations and the live act to appeal to a young, impressionable audience.[14] The name "Ohio Express" was strategically chosen by producers Jerry Kasenetz and Jeff Katz to evoke regional authenticity and a sense of energetic, all-American youth, drawing from the band's Ohio origins even as most recording and production activities occurred in New York.[11][13] This branding helped position the act within the burgeoning bubblegum genre, distancing it from its garage rock roots while aligning it with marketable, wholesome imagery.[14] Buddah Records, under the guidance of executives like Neil Bogart, integrated Ohio Express into broader bubblegum campaigns that emphasized catchy, simplistic songs for pre-teen listeners, often cross-promoting alongside acts like the 1910 Fruitgum Company to dominate the pop charts.[11] These efforts included aggressive radio play, television spots, and tie-in merchandising that reinforced the band's playful, confectionery-themed identity, contributing to the commercial success of singles like "Yummy Yummy Yummy."[11][14] Over time, the fragmented structure led to significant public confusion regarding the band's true identity, with multiple iterations and touring groups claiming the name, including later revivals that further blurred the lines between the original session-based project and subsequent lineups.[15][11] This ambiguity persisted, as fans and media grappled with the distinction between the Levine-led recordings and the various live ensembles promoted under the Ohio Express banner.[12]History
Early years: The Rare Breed and Sir Timothy (1966–1967)
The Rare Breed emerged in 1966 in Mansfield, Ohio, as a garage rock outfit laying the groundwork for what would become the Ohio Express. Key members included Dale Powers on lead guitar and vocals, alongside Tim Corwin on drums, Doug Grassel on rhythm guitar, Dean Kastran on bass, and Jim Pfahler on keyboards.[16] The band's early sound drew from the raw energy of mid-1960s rock, performing at local venues and building a regional following before transitioning under new management.[11] In 1967, following a deal with Cameo-Parkway Records, the group rebranded as Sir Timothy and the Royals, named after drummer Tim Corwin to capitalize on their stage presence and choreography routines popular in central Ohio circuits.[16] This incarnation marked their entry into professional recording, with producers Jerry Kasenetz and Jeff Katz of Super K Productions overseeing sessions that captured a more polished garage style. The rename reflected the producers' strategy to package the band for broader appeal amid the label's roster of teen-oriented acts.[11] The debut single, "Beg, Borrow and Steal," recorded by the group and released on Cameo, achieved modest success, peaking at No. 29 on the Billboard Hot 100 in late 1967 and spending 12 weeks on the chart.[10] However, with no touring act available to support an earlier version of the track issued under the Rare Breed name, Super K Productions recruited Sir Timothy and the Royals—now rebranded as the Ohio Express—to perform live dates promoting the single and subsequent unrelated studio recordings issued by the label.[17] This arrangement highlighted the era's manufactured band dynamics, where live performers were often distinct from studio contributors.[11]Breakthrough and Joey Levine era (1968–1969)
In 1968, singer-songwriter Joey Levine became the lead vocalist for Ohio Express recordings under Super K Productions, delivering high-energy bubblegum pop tracks without involvement from the band's touring members. His debut contribution, "Yummy Yummy Yummy," co-written with Arthur Resnick and released on Buddah Records, propelled the group to national prominence by peaking at No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart that June.[18] The follow-up single, "Down at Lulu's," also featuring Levine's vocals backed by session musicians, reached No. 33 on the same chart later that year, solidifying the band's breakthrough in the bubblegum genre.[19] The Levine era continued into 1969 with additional hits that maintained chart momentum, including "Chewy Chewy," another Resnick-Levine collaboration that climbed to No. 15 on the Billboard Hot 100.[20] These tracks, recorded in New York studios far from the Ohio-based performing group, highlighted the disconnect between the studio "Ohio Express" and the live lineup, yet they drove the brand's commercial success. The band's debut album, Ohio Express (Buddah BDS 5018), released in 1968, compiled these early hits alongside filler tracks, blending Levine's studio cuts with promotional material to capitalize on the singles' popularity.[21] In 1969, Chewy, Chewy (Buddah BDS 5026) followed, incorporating the title track and other Levine-led songs while emphasizing the group's bubblegum sound for radio play.[22] Despite the separation, the touring Ohio Express—comprising members like Dale Powers and Tim Corwin—embarked on national tours, including the Dick Clark Caravan of Stars, and shared stages with acts like Steppenwolf and the Turtles at events such as the 1968 KQV Thanksgiving Shower of Stars.[23] They also secured TV exposure on programs like American Bandstand, The Dick Cavett Show, and Germany's Beat-Club, performing hits to promote the records and maintain the illusion of a cohesive band.[19] This promotional strategy amplified the Levine-era breakthroughs, turning Ohio Express into a household name in late-1960s pop.[10]Transition and recycled material (1969–1970)
Following the release of the single "Mercy" in March 1969, which peaked at No. 30 on the US Billboard Hot 100, lead vocalist Joey Levine departed from the Ohio Express amid disputes over compensation and the relentless demands of Super K Productions.[13] The accompanying album Mercy, issued later that year by Buddah Records (BDS 5037), showcased Levine's final contributions as lead singer and primarily utilized New York-based session musicians for its recording, with the touring lineup providing only limited involvement on select tracks.[13] This shift underscored the group's reliance on studio professionals rather than a fixed band, a practice that intensified after Levine's exit as efforts focused on maintaining the bubblegum sound through assembled personnel. With Levine gone by early 1969, the Ohio Express turned to repackaged material from prior sessions and new compositions to capitalize on fading momentum, resulting in progressively weaker chart performance. Singles such as "Sausalito (Is the Place to Go)" (September 1969), which reached No. 86 on the US Billboard Hot 100, and "Cowboy Convention" (November 1969), peaking at No. 101, exemplified this approach by recycling the upbeat, hook-driven formula without Levine's distinctive vocals.[24] These releases, drawn from leftover studio work and external contributions, failed to recapture the top-40 success of earlier hits, signaling the onset of decline amid the bubblegum genre's saturation.[5] External songwriters and acts played a key role in sustaining output under the Ohio Express banner, including Graham Gouldman (later of 10cc), who co-wrote and helped produce tracks like "Sausalito" and "Cowboy Convention" using his own session group.[13] Buddah Records, at the height of its bubblegum dominance, exerted significant pressure to deliver rapid, marketable singles, which alienated remaining original members and accelerated lineup instability by 1970.[5] This era's efforts, though commercially unviable in North America, briefly extended the group's international reach, such as "Cowboy Convention" hitting No. 38 in Australia.[13]Decline and revival attempts (1970s–1990s)
By 1970, the Ohio Express's contract with Buddah Records had effectively ended as their chart success waned, leading to the retirement of the group name in 1972.[13] The band explored alternative recording opportunities, including sessions with Sonobeat Records in Austin, Texas, that year, producing tracks like "Sweet Genie" in a rock-jazz fusion style, but disputes over name rights prevented any official release under the Ohio Express banner.[6] The 1970s marked a period of significant inactivity for the group on a national level, with core members shifting to local performances in venues such as bowling alley bars, where vocalist Dale Powers and bassist Dean Kastran noted earning more than during their peak with Super K Productions.[25] Midway through the decade, producers Jerry Kasenetz and Jeff Katz briefly revived a version of the band with new musicians for club gigs on Long Island, though this effort proved short-lived and yielded no further recordings.[1] Nostalgia for late-1960s bubblegum pop fueled modest revivals in the 1980s, including the release of compilations that reintroduced their hits to new audiences and occasional one-off performances. Original drummer Tim Corwin took the lead in assembling a fresh lineup to tour the oldies circuit, focusing on renditions of tracks like "Yummy Yummy Yummy" and "Chewy Chewy."[1] Into the 1990s, Corwin and Powers spearheaded lineup reforms to sustain activity on the oldies circuit, leveraging the persistent appeal of the band's early singles amid a landscape dominated by grunge and alternative rock. These efforts faced ongoing hurdles from the broader music industry's pivot away from bubblegum styles, as disco's polished grooves and punk's raw aggression reshaped popular tastes in the 1970s and beyond.[26]Modern era and current activities (2000s–present)
In the 2000s, the Ohio Express experienced a resurgence through continued performances on the oldies circuit and the release of digital reissues of their classic bubblegum hits, such as the 2001 compilation The Best of the Ohio Express on Varèse Sarabande Records, which made their music more accessible via streaming platforms. This period saw the band, led by original drummer Tim Corwin, appearing at nostalgia festivals and regional events, capitalizing on renewed interest in 1960s pop.[1] The current lineup (as of November 2025) is centered on Tim Corwin as frontman and percussionist, with supporting members including Greg Weber on drums, Stan Rust on bass, Johnny Baker on lead guitar, Jeff Burgess on keyboards and vocals, and Warren Sawyer on guitar and keyboards; saxophonist Ed Jonnet joins for select gigs.[16] Drummer Bill Hutchman took a leave of absence earlier in 2025. While no original studio albums have been released since 1969, the group issued the covers album Bubblegum Days in 2012 and a new single, a cover of "Love Potion No. 9," in April 2025 via Cleopatra Records, which has garnered millions of streams on Spotify.[1][7] Performances in the modern era focus on nostalgia events, including founding member Dale Powers' "Golden Summers Revisited" concerts at the Mansfield Playhouse in July 2022, featuring 1960s hits.[27] The band performed in 2025 at the Riviera Theatre's "Bubblegum Mania" event on July 12 and the Baltimore Festival on August 8, and continues to book oldies shows through their official website.[28][29]Musical style and production
Bubblegum pop foundations
Bubblegum pop emerged in the late 1960s as a subgenre of pop and rock music characterized by its catchy hooks, simple lyrics focused on teen romance or playful metaphors like food and sweets, and upbeat tempos designed for mass appeal.[30] The style emphasized repetitive choruses, light-hearted themes, and multi-layered vocal harmonies, often prioritizing studio polish and manufactured exuberance over authentic live performance or instrumental complexity.[31] This formula created disposable, fun-oriented tracks that avoided the heavier social commentary of contemporary psychedelic rock, instead targeting preteen and adolescent audiences with non-threatening, sing-along melodies.[32] The Ohio Express served as a flagship act for Buddah Records, the label that helped define and popularize bubblegum pop alongside groups like the 1910 Fruitgum Company.[30] Under Buddah's direction, led by figures such as Neil Bogart and producers Jerry Kasenetz and Jeff Katz, the Ohio Express exemplified the genre's reliance on session musicians and vocalists to craft hits like "Yummy Yummy Yummy," which used candy-themed lyrics to evoke innocent romance.[32] The band's recordings featured bright, jangly guitars, driving rhythms, and harmonious backups that enhanced the upbeat, effervescent quality, underscoring bubblegum's focus on commercial viability through meticulous production rather than band cohesion.[33] In the cultural landscape of the late 1960s, bubblegum pop, including the Ohio Express's contributions, dominated AM radio's Top 40 format, providing accessible counterprogramming to the era's more experimental rock amid social upheavals like the Vietnam War and civil rights movements.[34] This dominance reflected a youth market craving escapist, feel-good music, with bubblegum tracks flooding airwaves and charts to capture the lighter side of a turbulent decade.[32]Songwriting, recording, and key collaborators
The songwriting for Ohio Express's biggest hits was largely handled by a core group of external writers associated with Super K Productions. Joey Levine, who also provided lead vocals on many tracks, co-wrote the band's signature single "Chewy Chewy" with Artie Resnick, capturing the playful, candy-themed essence of bubblegum pop.[8] Levine continued to pen subsequent successes like "Sweeter Than Sugar" and "Mercy," while writers like J.J. Woods, along with producers Jerry Kasenetz and Jeff Katz, contributed to other material such as "Pinch Me (Baby, Convince Me)," blending catchy hooks with rhythmic drive.[35] These writers focused on simple, repetitive lyrics and melodies designed for mass appeal, often drawing from the era's teen-oriented trends without direct input from the band's touring members.[11] Recordings took place primarily in New York City studios, where Super K Productions assembled tracks using a rotating cast of professional session musicians rather than the Ohio-based touring lineup. This approach allowed for precise execution of the bubblegum sound, with anonymous players providing the instrumentation—guitars, drums, and horns—that underpinned the upbeat arrangements.[13] While specific studios varied, the process emphasized efficiency, with vocals often tracked separately by Levine and layered over pre-recorded beds to achieve a bright, radio-polished finish.[36] Buddah Records, the label that became the hub for Ohio Express's output after 1968, adopted an assembly-line production model typical of the bubblegum era, where songs were crafted in isolation from live band dynamics to maximize commercial viability. This meant the touring Ohio Express—initially formed from local acts like Sir Timothy and the Royals—had little to no involvement in the studio creations that bore their name, serving instead as promotional fronts.[37] Key producers Jerry Kasenetz and Jeff Katz oversaw this workflow, employing extensive overdubbing techniques to layer harmonies, percussion, and effects, resulting in the dense, sugary textures that defined hits like "Yummy Yummy Yummy."[8] Their hands-on method ensured tracks were optimized for AM radio play, prioritizing sonic immediacy over artistic experimentation.[11]Band members
Core recording and original members
The Ohio Express's core recording personnel and original members primarily stemmed from the Mansfield, Ohio-based group Sir Timothy and the Royals, which producers Jerry Kasenetz and Jeff Katz renamed in late 1967 to capitalize on the bubblegum pop sound.[6] The founding lineup featured Dale Powers as lead guitarist and vocalist, Doug Grassel on rhythm guitar, Dean Kastran on bass, Jim Pfahler on keyboards, and Tim Corwin on drums (Pfahler died in 2003; Grassel died in 2013).[38] [39] [40] These musicians handled much of the band's early studio work, including backing vocals and instrumentation for tracks like "Yummy, Yummy, Yummy," though some contributions came from session players such as Joe Walsh on guitar.[4] Key additions to the recording lineup included Joey Levine, who provided lead vocals on major hits from 1968 to 1969, including "Yummy, Yummy, Yummy" and "Chewy Chewy," often alongside anonymous Super K Productions session musicians in New York studios.[33] Dean Kastran also contributed bass and vocals during this period, appearing on albums like The Ohio Express (1968).[41] Jim Pfahler provided keyboards on several early recordings, supporting the core group's efforts despite the frequent use of non-credited studio players for polished bubblegum tracks.[15] The band's continuity was disrupted when founding member Dale Powers was drafted into the U.S. Army on January 21, 1969, following a notice received on December 23, 1968; he served 21 months total, including 12 months in Vietnam at Cam Ranh Bay as a supply specialist with the 504th Field Depot Battalion from 1969 to 1971.[2] [27] This military service shifted reliance toward session contributors and altered the group's studio dynamics during peak success.[25]Touring lineups and changes
The Ohio Express's initial touring lineup emerged in 1967 from the Mansfield, Ohio-based group Sir Timothy and the Royals, rebranded by producers Jerry Kasenetz and Jeff Katz to capitalize on the bubblegum pop trend. This live ensemble consisted of Tim Corwin on drums, Doug Grassel on rhythm guitar, Dale Powers on vocals and lead guitar, Dean Kastran on bass, and Jim Pfahler on keyboards, performing primarily original material and regional gigs before the band's national breakthrough.[1] [2] Following the 1968–1969 hit singles, which were largely recorded by New York session musicians like Joey Levine rather than the Ohio-based group, touring commitments intensified but highlighted discrepancies between live sets and studio output. The core Mansfield lineup continued to tour, often lip-syncing the chart-topping tracks like "Yummy Yummy Yummy" and "Chewy Chewy" due to vocal mismatches, while performing live renditions of their own compositions such as "Beg, Borrow & Steal" to engage audiences. Dean Kastran, an original member, remained a fixture on bass for these tours, bridging the early era into later revivals.[42] [43] By the 1980s and into the 1990s, Tim Corwin led a revival of the band on the oldies circuit, maintaining a core with Dale Powers and occasional returns by originals like Dean Kastran, focusing on nostalgic performances of the bubblegum hits (Doug Grassel, who occasionally participated until his death in 2013, was part of earlier revivals). This period saw stable touring with the Mansfield alumni emphasizing live energy over studio fidelity, though personnel fluctuated for regional shows.[1] [2] [40] In the 2000s and 2010s, the lineup expanded with additions like guitarist Warren Sawyer and drummer Bill Hutchman to support increased festival and cruise appearances, preserving the original sound while adapting to modern venues. By 2025, Hutchman took a leave of absence, prompting shifts including drummer Greg Weber, alongside Stan Rust on bass, Johnny Baker on lead guitar, Jeff Burgess on keyboards and vocals, and Warren Sawyer on guitar and keyboards, all under Corwin's leadership as lead vocals and percussion. These changes ensured continuity amid the band's ongoing oldies tours, with originals like Powers and Kastran appearing for special events.[44] [16] [45] [7] [16]Discography
Studio albums
The Ohio Express released three studio albums during their initial peak period in the late 1960s, all under Buddah Records, characterized by their bubblegum pop sound with catchy hooks and upbeat arrangements. These LPs primarily served as vehicles for the band's hit singles, blending original material with production oversight from Super K Productions' Jerry Kasenetz and Jeff Katz.[15]| Album Title | Release Year | Label | Peak Chart Position (US Billboard 200) | Key Tracks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Ohio Express | 1968 | Buddah Records | #126 | "Yummy, Yummy, Yummy" (#4 US Hot 100), "Down at Lulu's" (#33 US Hot 100) |
| Chewy Chewy | 1969 | Buddah Records | #191 | "Chewy Chewy" (#15 US Hot 100) |
| Mercy | 1969 | Buddah Records | — | "Mercy" (#30 US Hot 100) |
Compilation albums
The Ohio Express's compilation albums have served as important anthologies, collecting their bubblegum hits and preserving the band's legacy for later audiences through reissues and curated selections. These releases often highlight the group's signature sound from the late 1960s while occasionally incorporating additional material to appeal to collectors. The Best of Ohio Express, released in 1970 by Buddah Records, compiled the band's early hits, capturing the essence of their breakthrough era with tracks like "Yummy Yummy Yummy" and "Chewy Chewy."[15] This collection played a pivotal role in maintaining interest in the group's music during the post-peak years. As of November 2025, no major compilation releases have followed earlier efforts.[50]Singles
The Ohio Express issued a series of 7-inch singles primarily through Cameo Parkway and Buddah Records between 1967 and 1970, with their commercial breakthrough occurring in 1968 amid the bubblegum pop surge. These releases often featured catchy, upbeat tracks produced by the Super K Productions team, and while many were tied to studio albums, the singles drove the band's radio success. In total, the group released 15 singles in the US, though only a handful reached significant chart heights on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking during 1968–1969.[24][15] Key singles emphasized the band's signature sound, with B-sides typically consisting of non-album instrumentals or lesser-known tracks to fill out the vinyl format. The following table highlights their major US releases, including peak positions and B-sides:| Title | Year | Label | US Peak (Billboard Hot 100) | B-Side |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beg, Borrow and Steal | 1967 | Cameo | 29 | Maybe |
| Yummy Yummy Yummy | 1968 | Buddah | 4 | Zig Zag |
| Down at Lulu's | 1968 | Buddah | 33 | She's Not Comin' Home |
| Chewy Chewy | 1968 | Buddah | 15 | Firebird |