The Competitors

Another of Gary Usher's myriad in-name-only studio groups, the Competitors officially released one album, Hits of the Street and Strip, on Dot Records in 1963. Using veteran L.A. session players, and occasionally handling the vocals on his own, Usher churned out an impressive array of singles and LPs by assorted faux surf and hot rod groups during the peak years of the surf boom, which ran roughly from 1963 through 1965. With the possible exception of "Little Stick Nomad," which was sung by Don Brandon, the Competitors were indistinguishable from Usher's other studio creations, and indeed, the songs on the album are mostly covers of tunes previously released by other in-name-only Usher bands.
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