Debbie Burgan
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| Debbie
(Graf) Burgan: recorded her first album at age 14. Several singing groups later,
she became the female vocalist for the Los Angeles based folk group "The
Lengendaires" with Jeff Tonkin and Michael Alley. They were one of the hottest
folk groups in the L.A. San Gabriel Valley (winning the 1965 Hollywood Bowl Battle of the
Bands "Vocal Division"). The L.A. Times described their sound as
"folk rock" and hailed them as "fast becoming one of the entertainment
industry's hottest new performers."
At the request of President Johnson and former President Eisenhower, they performed at the People to People Fiesta at the New York World's Fair, then appeared on the Art Linkletter Show, Hollywood Talent Scouts, and Regis Philbin Show, (in addition to performing on many other local television programs and at folk clubs in the Los Angeles area). The Lengendaires were one of the first groups to appear in music videos produced by the Debbie Reynolds Production Company. The videos were played on a machine similar to a juke box, called the Scopitone, and could be found all around the United States. The Legendaires eventually signed a recording contract with Mercury Records, and began recording with Mike Curb (later to become California's Lieutenant Governor). Through Jeff Tonkin, Debbie met future husband Jerry Burgan who was in another popular folk group "The Ridgerunners." When the Ridgerunners signed to record for A&M Records, they changed their name to We Five and moved to San Francisco. Soon after, Debbie put her own recording career on hold; and, moved to the bay area to marry Jerry. Debbie
began arranging music and singing with Mike Stewart and Jerry in 1964 (when Beverly
Bivens was unable to perform, or rehearse) while still working with The Legendaires. She officially joined WE FIVE as the lead singer
in 1968 and can be heard on four albums: Return of We Five, Catch the Wind,
Take Each Day As It Comes
and the Folk Rock Revival Sampler |
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