The Delegates


The Delegates were a novelty song group who scored a hit record, "Convention '72".

Creation

The Delegates were the creation of Bob DeCarlo, morning disc jockey at KQV in Pittsburgh. Bob was approached by local record moguls Nick Cenci and Nick Kousaleous, to make a novelty record; the trio assembled "Convention '72," a "break-in" record which consisted of Bob imitating such TV reporters as Walter Cronkite, Chet Huntley, David Brinkley, and Harry Reasoner. While attending a joint "Get Together" convention of Republicans and Democrats alike, the reporters asked questions of current politicians involved in that year's presidential election ; their responses were snippets of hit records of the day, in a manner made famous by Dickie Goodman.

Sampled records (with original artist)

"Troglodyte "
"I Gotcha"
"Lean on Me"
"Sealed with a Kiss"
"The Happiest Girl in the Whole U.S.A."
"Jungle Fever"
"Alone Again "
"Coconut"
"A Horse with No Name"
"Take It Easy "
" I Don't Want to Be Right"
"Back Stabbers"
"Liar"
"How Can You Mend a Broken Heart"
"Mr. Big Stuff"
"Gypsys, Tramps & Thieves"
" I Didn't Get to Sleep at All"
"Double Barrel"
"The Candy Man"
"I Don't Know How to Love Him"

Chart performance

Released on the Mainstream Records label, "Convention '72" climbed the Billboard Pop Singles chart just as the campaign was heating up, finally peaking at #8 on the week ending November 18. After the election, the Delegates issued a follow-up, " Richard M. Nixon Face The Issues", but it was not a hit. The ad hoc "group" also recorded a full self-titled album, which included the hit single, "interviews" with such figures as Lyndon B. Johnson and Ramsey Clark, as well as a cover of the Frank Sinatra hit "My Way", sung in Sidney's lisping voice.
After leaving Pittsburgh, Bob DeCarlo worked at stations in Atlanta, Dallas, San Diego, Miami and Tampa before retiring in 2013.