More Sad News: One of DC's Finest, Richest Voices is Gone

Eddie Jasper Daye, founder and bass lead of the R&B and soul vocal group the Four Bars, died after a long illness in Washington, D. C. on August 6, 2009. He was 79 years old. Born July 26, 1930 in Durham, North Carolina, Daye and second tenor Melvin Butler began singing together in the United States Army's Special Services division. After being discharged, they teamed up with first tenor Alfonso Feemster and baritone Francis Henry to form the 4 Bars.
Through an association with Orioles' manager and songwriter Deborah Chessler, the 4 Bars signed a contract with Jerry Blaine's Josie label, a Jubilee subsidiary, and made their debut with the Daye-led "Grief By Day, Grief By Night" (Click Here To Download) in the spring of 1954. Daye and Feemster were featured on their second of three releases for Josie, a cover of Doris Day's "If I Give My Heart To You" (Click Here To Download), that fall.

After a hiatus of several years, the group returned to the scene in 1958, recording a full sixteen 45s through 1969 which were sold or leased to a host of small independent labels in New York, Washington, and Philadelphia or issued on Daye's own Dayco label. Daye's soulful bass was featured on nearly all of the group's sides, including the powerful "Just Bid Me Farewell" (Click Here To Download), released on Len in 1961, and "Try Me One More Time" (Click Here To Download), which was issued three different times in the early 1960s.
The 4 Bars dissolved in the late 1960s, but Daye and his late wife, performing as Eddie and Denise and the Good Time Band, were a popular draw in the '80s, '90s, and beyond, frequenting D. C. area venues including the Gold Room, Gee's 4400 Club, and Chuck and Billy's Lounge. In his later years, Eddie's signature tune, "(I'm Not A Dirty Old Man, I'm Just A) Sexy Senior Citizen" gained frequent airplay on Washington's WPFW radio.

Written by Todd Baptista, with thanks to Marv Goldberg, Eric LeBlanc, and Steve Kiviat


Along with the many fine recordings this group made on their own, I also cherish this fine group's uncredited background work on Vic Marcel's absolutely beautiful, lush, string-filled "Come Back To These Arms" (Click Here To Download).

R.I.P. Eddie Daye