The Arbors
The Arbors were an American pop vocal group formed in 1964 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The members were two pairs of brothers who had met at the University of Michigan. They started playing local gigs in Michigan and then moved to New York City.
They first recorded a single for Mercury Records, but it didn’t get much attention. Their next single, A Symphony for Susan, was recorded for Carney Records and later reissued nationwide on Date Records, a Columbia Records label. It reached No. 51 on the US charts. They followed with Just Let It Happen and Graduation Day, which reached No. 59.
In 1968 they recorded Valley of the Dolls, a song written for the movie but not used in it. Jacqueline Susann, the author of the book, endorsed it, but it was overshadowed by the movie’s own title song and did not become a national hit (though it reached the top ten on WAAM in Ann Arbor).
In 1969 they released a version of The Letter, which had been a hit for the Box Tops two years earlier. The Arbors’ cover became their biggest hit, reaching No. 20 on the US charts. They then released an album with covers of Bob Dylan’s Like a Rolling Stone, The Doors’ Touch Me, Blood, Sweat & Tears’ I Can’t Quit Her (which reached No. 67), and Simon & Garfunkel’s For Emily, Whenever I May Find Her. It was their last recording for Columbia. Afterward, they began writing and performing music for commercials for about 30 years.
The Farran brothers were the vocalists; they were identical twins.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 20:57 (CET).