Dick St. John, better known as a singer in the Dick and Dee Dee duo, died on December 27 at UCLA Medical Center from injuries he sustained from a fall from a ladder outside his home in Pacific Palisades Friday. He was 63. St. John was best known for Dick and Dee Dee’s biggest hit, “The Mountain’s High,” which made No. 2 on the Billboard pop singles chart in 1963. Born Richard Gosting in Santa Monica, he began performing with his friend Mary Sperling in junior high. The group soon attracted the attention of Liberty Records, who renamed Sperling Dee Dee. Dick and Dee Dee produced a mixture of music which was influenced by early ’60’s, with bits of doowop, soul and R&B in their sound. Besides “The Mountain’s High,” the duo found success with “Young and In Love” (1963) and “Thou Shalt Not Steal” (1965). They were also semi-regulars on such musical shows as “Shindig” and “American Bandstand.” St. John wrote songs that were recorded by Leslie Gore, Jan and Dean, and Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons. He continued to record and perform regularly until his death. He is survived by his wife, Sandy, who joined him as the “new” Dee Dee in his touring act when Sperling retired in the early 1970s.
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