Jewel Akens, who told the whole world all about The Birds and the Bees, has died at Centinela Hospital Medical Center in Inglewood, CA hospital from complications of back surgery. He was 79.
Jewel Akens
Akens was in a series of groups, including the Medallions, the Four Dots and the duo Jewel and Eddie (with Eddie Daniels) before joining the Turnarounds.
While with the last group, producer Herb Newman brought them a song written by his teenage son called The Birds and the Bees. The group, as a whole, did not want to record the songs so Akens went into the studio and did it solo. The result was a number 3 national hit in 1965 and a gold record.
His next record, Georgie Porgie, peaked at 68 later in the same year and he never hit the singles chart again.
Aken’s quick success and just as quick fall never soured him on the music business as he made his way for many years as a touring artist with The Monkees and other groups and was still performing until a few years ago.
Akens is survived by his wife of sixty years, Eddie Mae.
