Bruce & Terry

Johnston was a session musician and Melcher had a minor solo career as "Terry Day" before becoming the youngest staff record producer in Columbia Records' history.[1][2] In 1963, they began recording together and helped produce the album Surfin' Round the World.[1]

While producing a "surf-frat" band called the Rip Chords, whose "Here I Stand" had reached No. 51 in early 1963, they ended up vocal arranging and singing all of the vocal parts on the band's hit "Hey Little Cobra" in 1964.[1] The song was the first in a series of hit singles (most of which were released under the name Bruce & Terry), reaching No. 4 on the U.S. pop charts.

The duo virtually disbanded when Johnston joined The Beach Boys, singing on Pet Sounds and performing with them well into the 21st century, while Melcher became a full-time producer.[1][3] The two occasionally worked on projects together until Melcher died at 62, after a long battle with melanoma, on November 19, 2004.[2]

Bruce & Terry singles

• "Custom Machine" / "Makaha at Midnight" (Columbia 4-42956, 1964) – No. 85 US
• "Summer Means Fun" / "Yeah!" (Columbia 4-43055, 1964) – No. 72 US
• "I Love You Model 'T'" / "Carmen" (Columbia 4-43238, 1965)
• "Raining in My Heart" / "Four Strong Winds" (Columbia 4-43378, 1965)
• "Thank You, Baby" / "Come Love" (Columbia 4-43479)
• "Girl, It's Alright Now" / "Don't Run Away" (Columbia 4-43582, 1966)
• "Take It To Mexico (Tulsa County Blue)" / "Rebecca" (RCA Victor NB-10238, 1975)

Bruce & Terry albums

• Rare Masters (M&M MMCD 1001, 1992)
• The Best of Bruce & Terry (Sundazed SC 11052, 1998)

Rip Chords singles featuring both Bruce and Terry

• 1962–63: "Here I Stand" (Bringas on lead vocal) backed with "Karen" (Stewart on lead) Billboard #51.
• 1963: "Gone" (Bringas on lead) b/w "She Thinks I Still Care" (Bringas on lead) Billboard #88.
• 1963–64: "Hey Little Cobra" (Melcher on lead) b/w "The Queen" (Melcher on lead) Billboard #4.
• 1964: "Three Window Coupe" (Melcher on lead) b/w "Hot Rod U.S.A." (Melcher on lead) Billboard #28.
• 1964: "One Piece Topless Bathing Suit" (Melcher and Bringas on lead) b/w "Wah-Wahini" (Melcher on lead) Billboard #96.
• 1965: "Don't Be Scared" (Melcher on lead) b/w "Bunny Hill" (instrumental by The Wrecking Crew)

Other albums featuring both Bruce and Terry

• Surfin' 'Round the World (1963) (Bruce Johnston solo album)
• Hey Little Cobra and Other Hot Rod Hits (Columbia, February 1964) #56. Billboard Album Chart. (Rip Chords album)
• Three Window Coupe (Columbia, September 1964) (Rip Chords album)
• Pet Sounds (Capitol, 16th May 1966) (Beach Boys album)
• The Beach Boys (Caribou, 10th June 1985) (Beach Boys album)
• Still Cruisin' (Capitol, 28th August 1989) (Beach Boys album)
• Summer in Paradise (Brother, 3rd August 1992) (Beach Boys album)
• Summer U.S.A.! The Best of the Rip Chords (Sundazed, 27th June 2006) (Rip Chords album)