The Cyrkle

The Cyrkle was a 1960s American rock and roll band.

Formed by guitarists Don Dannemann and Tom Dawes at Lafayette College in Easton, Pennsylvania, The Cyrkles' journey took a unique turn when they were discovered and managed by Brian Epstein, the legendary manager of The Beatles. John Lennon suggested the unique spelling of their new band name, and John Simon produced them.

In a testament to their rising popularity, The Cyrkle opened for The Beatles on all seventeen dates of their U.S. tour in the summer of 1966.

The Cyrkle is best known for their 1966 song "Red Rubber Ball," which reached #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and was certified as a gold record. It was co-written by Paul Simon of Simon and Garfunkel and Bruce Woodley of The Seekers and released on the Columbia record label. The band had one more Top 20 hit, "Turn-Down Day," in 1966.

After the release of their debut album, "Red Rubber Ball," they recorded a second album, "Neon," in late 1966 and a movie soundtrack for the film The Minx in 1967. They followed that with various singles and then disbanded in late 1967.

Following the demise of the original Cyrkle, Dawes, and Dannemann became professional jingle writers. Dawes later wrote the famous commercial "Plop, Plop, Fizz, Fizz" for Alka-Seltzer, and Dannemann wrote the "Un-Cola" jingle for 7-UP.

The band re-united in 2016 with surviving members Dannemann and Mike Losekamp leading a talented lineup of musicians. They regularly tour the United States and typically perform in packaged showcases.

In 2017, they released a new live album called "Full Cyrkle," which featured the entire performance of their first live show with the revival band. In 2024, they released their first studio album in over 55 years, "Revival," on Big Stir Records to rave reviews and a hit single, "Dance With Me Tonight."