The Harden Trio

Sibling act the Harden Trio was basically a one hit wonder, but they spent many years at the Grand Ole Opry. Robbie, Arleen, and Bobby Harden were all born in England, Arkansas, an area of the Ozarks noted for its rich musical heritage. They teamed as teens and performed locally, first gaining professional notice when they joined Barnyard Frolics in Little Rock. They became popular and joined the Ozark Mountain Jubilee in Springfield, Missouri, and Louisiana Hayride. Their success led them to Nashville, where they appeared on WSM's Opry Almanac. In 1965, they made their recording debut with "Poor Boy," which did nothing on the charts. Their second single, "Tippy Toeing," was their biggest; it hit number three on the country charts, crossed over to the pop Top 50, and earned the group a spot on the Opry. In 1967, Arleen and Robbie left the group to go solo. Bobby tried to keep the band going with Karen Wheeler and Shirley Michaels, but the trio broke up in 1968, and Bobby went solo as well. Arleen, who changed her name to Arlene, did have some success as a singer, making the charts 16 times over the six years she spent with Columbia. In 1968, she and Bobby had success with a duet, "Who Loves You." In 1974, she changed her name back and scored one minor hit, her version of Helen Reddy's "Leave Me Alone (Little Ruby Red Dress)." Meanwhile, Bobby found his calling as a successful songwriter.
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