Ben Krass

 

I have only one rule here : always offer you music that meets the highest standards of good taste and quality. No exception today with Bob Krass who was certainly from the class of Mickey Katz, Jerry Lewis and other talented Jewish singers. Must be in the blood.

 

Ben Krass in 1961

 

 

Hippie Of The City
 
Yes, I want more Krass

 

Clothing tycoon turned crooner, Ben Krass was one of the owners of Krass Brothers, a store on South Street in Philadephia. Ben became a celebrity locally because of his short and bizarre commercials, like Krass in a coffin saying "If You Gotta Go, Go In A Krass Brothers Suit." 

Born in 1919, Ben died in 2004 of complications of Alzheimer's disease. He was a successful businesman with the Krass Brothers' clothing store opened in 1947, but his love for music made him found his own record label South Street Records in 1960, a short lived venture in the music biz. 

Other 45s followed  on Krass (1960), Bond (1960-1961) , Raleigh (1961) , Camelot (1961-1962), Diamond and Apex (as Bob Willow, 1962), Foxie (Camelot recordings, 1962), Diatone (as Bob Willow, 1963) and Gamble (as Bee Kays, 1967, as The Boss Man, 1968, as B. K. Marcus, 1971).

In the mid 60's he collaborated with Curtis Mayfield and he reportedly lent money to Kenneth Gamble so Gamble could pursue his own musical dreams. He co-wrote and co-produced some sides with Gamble through Kay-Bee Productions for The Knights And Arthur.