# What's A "Shondell" (as in Tommy James and the Shondells)? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 18, 2011, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-shondell-as-in-tommy-james-and-the-shondells/606665 "2011-12-18T20:00:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2011, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-shondell-as-in-tommy-james-and-the-shondells/606665/1 "2011-12-18T20:00:23Z")
Back in the ancient days (of the 1960’s), there was an American pop grop called “Tommy James and The Shondells”. Now, I have seen Mr. James, but what is a “Shondell”? Are they aliens, possibly from Mars? ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2011, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-shondell-as-in-tommy-james-and-the-shondells/606665/2 "2011-12-18T20:02:01Z")
> **[Tommy James and the Shondells](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tommy_James_and_the_Shondells)** > > Tommy James and the Shondells is an American rock band formed in Niles, Michigan, in 1964. The band has had two No. 1 singles in the U.S.: "Hanky Panky" (1966), the band's only RIAA Certified Gold record, and "Crimson and Clover" (1969). The band also charted twelve other top 40 hits, including five in the Hot 100's Top 10: "I Think We're Alone Now" (1967), "Mirage" (1967), "Mony Mony" (1968), "Sweet Cherry Wine" (1969), and "Crystal Blue Persuasion" (1969). > The band The Echoes formed in 1959 ... > [@](#): > > In 1964 James re-named the band The Shondells because the name “sounded good.” ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2011, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-shondell-as-in-tommy-james-and-the-shondells/606665/3 "2011-12-18T20:06:37Z")
> [@ralph124c](#): > > Are they aliens, possibly from Mars? Yes. They are aliens from Mars. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2011, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-shondell-as-in-tommy-james-and-the-shondells/606665/4 "2011-12-18T20:06:47Z")
> **[Troy Shondell](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Troy_Shondell)** > > Gary Wayne Schelton (May 14, 1939 – January 7, 2016), better known as Troy Shondell, was an American singer, who achieved fame in the early 1960s. He became a transatlantic one-hit wonder, by releasing a single that made the record charts in both the US and the UK. The song, "This Time" (or sometimes billed as "This Time (We're Really Breaking Up)" ) sold over one million records, earning gold disc status. In a single year, sales were over three million copies. > Shondell was born in 1939, raised ... > [@](#): > > However, in 1963, Tommy Jackson changed the name of his high school band from Tom and the Tornados to the Shondells in honor of Troy Shondell (one of his musical idols).[sup][[1]](http://www.allmusic.com/artist/p172674/biography)[/sup] Jackson became Tommy James and international fame followed for the act.