Chantels

2 files

All five members of the Chantels -- Arlene Smith, Lois Harris, Sonia Goring, Jackie Landry, and Rene Minus -- met as children, when they sang in the choir of Saint Anthony of Padua, a Bronx-area school. Arlene Smith was the leader of the quintet. Smith wrote all of the group's early material and she was the one who convinced the other girls -- whose age ranged between 14 and 17 at the time -- to audition for Richard Barrett, a record producer and a member of the doo wop group the Valentines. Barrett signed the band to End Records and produced the Chantels' first single, a Smith song called "He's Gone." Released in the summer of 1957, the single peaked at number 71. However, the group's second single -- another Smith composition called "Maybe" -- was a smash hit, peaking at number two on the RB charts and number 15 on the pop charts in early 1958. "Maybe" sold more copies than its chart position suggests; the single was pirated by several other small record labels and none of those sales were tallied for the final chart position. For the next year, the Chantels tried in vain to deliver a follow-up as successful as "Maybe." Two hit singles -- "Every Night (I Pray)" and "I Love You So" -- followed on End Records, but the label dropped them after a handful of other records failed to make an impact. Around that time, Smith left the group to pursue a solo career and Harris had left the group. the Chantels didn't replace either singer and continued as a trio. In the summer of 1959, the group supported Richard Barrett on his single, "Summer's Love," which peaked at number 29 on the RB charts. In 1961, the Chantels signed with Carlton Records, where they had two minor pop hits: "Look in My Eyes" and "Well, I Told You." Carlton dropped the group the following year and the band moved to Ludix, where they had a minor hit with "Eternally" in the spring of 1963. The Chantels continued performing until the end of the decade; they officially disbanded in 1970. A few years later, Arlene Smith re-formed the Chantels, recruiting four new members; the other original members all retired from the entertainment business. Smith continued to lead various incarnations of the Chantels into the '90s. When she wasn't touring the oldies circuit with the Chantels, Smith worked as a schoolteacher.

Chips

1 file

The Chips had one record released from August 1956 to April 1980, "Rubber Biscuit," an outrageous novelty song that failed to crack the pop Top 40 but did well along the East Coast. Raised in the Bedford-Stuyvesant area of Brooklyn, the Chips formed in 1956; the members were Charles Johnson (lead), Sammy Strain (first tenor), Shedwick Lincoln (second tenor), Nathaniel Epps (baritone), and Paul Fulton (bass). They created the novelty and its flip "Oh My Darling" while attending a school for delinquent teens. Josie Records thought it had something and released the nutty ditty. After a few appearances at some major R&B venues, the group disbanded; Josie never released another recording by them, though some members enjoyed more success with other groups: Fulton sung with the Velours and the Poets, Lincoln with the Invitations, and Johnson with the Platters. And Sammy Strain had enjoyed an illustrious career with the Fantastics, Little Anthony & the Imperials, and the O'Jays. In 1979, "Rubber Biscuit" enjoyed another stint of success when the Blues Brothers remade it for a Top 40 hit. The Chips promptly regrouped in 1980 -- minus Sammy Strain, who had connected with the O'Jays -- and recorded "Everyone's Laughing," their first single in 24 years.

Clovers

6 files

The Clovers started in Washington, D.C. in 1946 and were originally called the Four Clovers hoping their name would bring them luck. The original group was John "Buddy" Bailey (lead0, Harold "Hal" Lucas (baritones), Thomas Woods (tenor) and Billy Shelton (bass). Matthew McQuater replaced Thomas Woods in 1949. Record store owner, Lou Krefetz, heard them singing at a local club and became their manager. He landed them a contract on the NYC Rainbow record label. Their Rainbow session produced, "Yes Sir, She's My Baby" b/w "When You Come Back To Me". Rainbow's lack of any promotion doomed the record and Lou Krefetz took the group to Ahmet Ertegun's newly formed Atlantic records. Ertegun didn't like the Ink Spots singing style of the Clovers and decided to make a drastic change. He took matters into his own hands and personally wrote their first recording for Atlantic records, "Don't You Know I Love You". The irony here is that Ertegun, the son of the former Turkish ambassador to the united States, wrote a bluesy, RnB song for a black vocal group. This song also featured one of the first sax solos on a recording. The record was released in March 1951. The B-side was an old ballad entitled "Skylark". They followed up with "Needless" b/w "Fool, Fool, Fool" and the groups Ink Spot's style was long gone , replaced with a rougher, bluesy sound. They continued their chart topping success in 1952 with "One Mint Julip", "I Played The Fool", "Ting-A-Ling" and "Hey Miss Fannie". By the time "Crawlin" charted in 1953, Buddy Bailey was in the Army and his replacement was Charlie White of the Dominoes/Checkers. White continued to lead the Clovers down a successful path with "Good Lovin" which reached number two on the R&B charts in 1953. His biggest contributions came about in 1954 on two scorching blues rockers, "Little Mama" b/w "Lovey Dovey". Charlie White left the group in 1954 and was replaced by Billy Mitchell who led the group on "Your Cash Ain't Nothin' But Trash". Buddy Bailey rejoined the group but Mitchell stayed on doing alternate leads. Bailey got right back into rhythm and sang lead on the beautiful "Blue Velvet" in late 1954. However, by the mid 1950's increasing competition was preventing the Clovers from riding the top of the charts as they had earlier. Their Atlantic contract expired in 1957 and the group moved to the newly formed Poplar records. Their Poplar releases didn't make a dent on the charts. However, they regained some of their former glory in 1959 when they moved to United Artists records and teamed up with Leiber and Stoller who wrote "Love Potion # 9" for the group. The Clovers couldn't follow up "Love Potion" with another hit and the original group disbanded. They were the most successful R&B group in the 1950's by placing 21 songs on the charts.

Counts

1 file

The Counts formed in 1953, while the 16- and 17-year-old members were attending Crispus Attucks High School in Indianapolis, Indiana. They all belonged to the boy's choir, and, along with thousands of others all over the country, they one day decided to form the inevitable "group". The original (and to this day) members were: Chester Brown (tenor lead), Robert Penick (first tenor), Robert Wesley (second tenor), Robert Young (baritone), and James Lee (bass). The standard photo of the group was taken in 1953, and appeared in that year's Crispus Attucks yearbook. The group practiced the hits of the day, admiring the sounds of the Drifters and the Four Freshmen. Calling themselves the 5 Diamonds, they entered the usual round of vaudevilles and contests in school -- they never won a single contest! However, one day they sang at a dance held at the local Madam Walker Theater, and their big break came. They impressed someone in the audience, who introduced them to Mel Herman, owner of "Mel Herman's Record Distribution Company". Herman became their manager and brought them to the attention of Randy Wood, head of Dot records (at the time in Gallatin, Tennessee). Once at Dot, they underwent a name change: gone were the "5 Diamonds"; the group was now officially the "Counts". Their first effort was "Darling Dear" and "I Need You Always", both of which had "The Counts" listed as writers. These first two songs were recorded in someone's living room; most of the rest of their tunes were recorded at Indianapolis' Wilkins Studio. The band of saxman Jimmy Cole backed them on all the Dot sides. Released in January 1954, "Darling Dear" entered the R&B charts in March, ending up as #6 nationally. Not bad for a first effort! The record was reported doing strong in several locations: Los Angeles, Boston, Milwaukee, Chicago, Atlanta, St. Louis, Nashville, Cleveland, Cincinnati, and Pittsburgh. With a hit to their credit, they started out on the "Chittlin' Circuit", playing one-week engagements at the Apollo, Howard, and Royal Theaters.

Falcons

1 file

Often credited as having cut the first true soul record in 1959 with "You're So Fine," a host of '60s soul stars called themselves Falcons at one time or another, including founder Eddie Floyd, Wilson Pickett, Sir Mack Rice, and 100 Proof Aged in Soul's Joe Stubbs. Originally an integrated RB group headed by Floyd, the Falcons debuted on Mercury in 1955. Under the production aegis of Robert West, the Falcons' sound became more gospel-based as time passed, and with Stubbs as lead, the seminal "You're So Fine" was a major hit in 1959. Pickett screamed the gospel-fired ballad "I Found a Love" to national prominence on West's LuPine label in 1962, backed by guitarist Robert Ward's Ohio Untouchables. When Pickett went solo shortly thereafter, the members went their separate ways. West recruited another group, the Fabulous Playboys, who took over the Falcons name, but with little success.

Five Keys

6 files

The Five Keys were one of the most popular and influential R&B groups in the 1950s. The group formed in Newport News, Virginia with two sets of brothers, Rudy and Bernie West and Raphael and Ripley Ingram. They called themselves the Sentimental Four and began by singing Gospel material but moved into secular material around 1949. They won a local talent contest which qualified them to appear at the prestigous Apollo Theatre in NYC where they beat out thirty other contestants. This achievement landed them engagements at the Royal and Howard Theatres. They were spotted by Eddie Meisner of Aladdin records and signed to a contract in 1951. They lost the services of Raphael Ingram to the Army before they could record but aquired two outstanding singers in his place, Maryland Pierce and Dickie Smith. The Five Keys recorded five songs in March, 1951. Their first single, "With a Broken Heart" b/w "Too Late" was released in April of that year. Their first smash hit was "Glory of Love" released in July and reached number one on the R&B charts by September. The Five Keys had ten more releases between 1952 and 1953 including one of the greatest RnB songs of all time, "My Saddest Hour" with Maryland Pierce on lead. The group left Aladdin in 1954 and recorded four sides for RCA's Groove label. Their stop at Groove was shortlived and they moved over to Capitol records where they would have their most commercial success. They smashed the Pop and RnB charts with the Maryland Pierce led "Ling Ting Tong in 1955. By this time Rudy West had returned from the Army and joined Maryland one of the greatest songs of all time, "Close Your Eyes". The Five Keys produced other beautifully crafted songs at Capitol, such as, "The Verdict" (1955), "Out of Sight, Out of Mind"( 1956), "Wisdom Of A Fool" (1956), "Let There Be You" (1957), "One Great Love" (1958) and others. Rudy left the group in 1958 to pursue a solo career but with no success. The remaining Keys signed with King records in 1959 and this group consisted of Maryland Pierce, Ramon Loper, Dickie Smith, Bernie West and Rudy's sound-a-like replacement Thomas Threatt. They recorded some excellent material like "You Broke The Only Heart" (1961), "Dream On" (1959) and "I Took Your Love For A Toy". However, they actually were regressing musically speaking on King because the music was changing in the early 60's. In 1965, Rudy formed a new Keys group by joining some old friends from Virginia that had recorded as the Chateaus . They remained Rudy's Keys until his untimely death in 1998. Ripley Ingram has also passed away. Bernie West, Maryland Pierce and Dickie Smith are still alive at this time.

Five Sharps

1 file

The story began in 1952 when five young men from the Jamaica housing projects in Queens, New York, after months of performing at local functions, were spotted by a producer and taken into a studio to record two songs, their own "Sleepy Cowboy" and the standard "Stormy Weather," formerly a 1933 smash for Ethel Waters (#1 pop), Guy Lombardo, Duke Ellington and others (though today most people are more familiar with Lena Horne�s lesser 1943 hit from the film of the same name). The session took most of the day and the quintet (which included a pianist) was paid in hot dogs and soda pop. First tenor Bobby Ward remembers that they heard their recording of "Stormy Weather" twice on the radio, but that sales were so bad that he and the other members had to buy their own copies even though they'd never been paid in the first place. Not long afterward, the group broke up and a couple of the members joined the armed services. End of story. (Jubilee 5104 was The Five Sharps' only release. Two Sharps, Clarence Bassett and lead singer Ronald Cuffey, later recorded, in 1958, for Casino Records as The Videos and had a small hit with "Trickle Trickle." Bassett then joined Shep & The Limelights and sang background on "Daddy's Home." The other members of the Five Sharps--pianist Tommy Duckett, Mickey Owens and Bobby Ward--left music altogether.)

Halos

2 files

Bronx-based doo-wop foursome The Halos enjoyed a modest hit in 1961 with the song "Nag", but they were more widely heard as a back-up group working with other artists of the late 1950's and early 60's. Al Cleveland, Arthur Crier, Phil Johnson and Harold Johnson first began working together as backing vocalists for producer Morty Craft, who used them to accompany Shirley and Lee on "Let The Good Times Roll", along with a number of other sides. Under the name The Craftys (a nod to their producer), they cut their first single, "L-O-V-E", in 1960, but were billed as The Halos for their next record, "Nag", which peaked at 25 on the Billboard Pop charts. Several more singles followed, none of which reached the same level of chart success. However, the group continued to be busy on the studio scene, cutting several singles with singer Cammy Carol and adding doo-wops and harmonies to two early Phil Spector productions, Curtis Lee's "Pretty Little Angel Eyes" and Gene Pitney's "Every Breath I Take". While The Halos would never achieve true stardom, Arthur Crier's influence as a musician certainly paid off for his family -- Crier's son Sabu Crier was a member of the group GQ, and Crier's grandson Keith Sabu Crier Jr. would become a major RB star under the stage name Keith Sweat

Harmony Grits

2 files

George Treadwell was the manager of the legendary RB group the Drifters who, since 1954, had amassed an enviable record of national hits and a major name for themselves. The Drifters in late 1958 had included Bobby Hendricks, Gerhart Thrasher, Charlie Hughes, and Bill Pinkney. This lineup had collapsed amid infighting between each other and Treadwell. Treadwell had a major contractual obligation coming up, an appearance by the Drifters at the ~Apollo Theater. He heard the Five Crowns and offered them the chance, then and there, to become the new Drifters. They reported to Atlantic Records the following day to see how things worked in a real studio, and the following day the Five Crowns-turned-Drifters recorded "There Goes My Baby," which became the number one single in the country. The Orginial group, in 1959 started calling themselves The Harmony Grits. The name "Drifters" still belongs to the Treadwell house but, Bill Pinkney and crew are called the "Original Drifters" with members Dr. Bill Pinkney, Vernon Young, Ron McPhatter, (Yes, Clyde's son), Chuck Cockerham, and Richard Knight Dunbar.

Imperials

Jayhawks

3 files

Carver Bunkum (bass), Carl Fisher (tenor), Dave Govan (baritone), and Jimmy Johnson (lead) met while serving time in their local L.A. high school, and soon became the Jayhawks. With tunes in each head and the urge for bread, the guys drifted over one afternoon to the Flash Record Store on Vernon Avenue. The store's owner liked their vocal vibrations, in particular something called "Counting My Teardrops," and took the Jayhawks into a nearby garage/studio, where a half-dozen sides were recorded. "Stranded In The Jungle," the group's second disk on the Flash label, was a big seller and burned its way into rock and roll history as one of the decades finest R & B novelty numbers. Unfortunately for the fellows, a quickly constructed but similar sounding cover version by another local group, THE CADETS, Surpassed the Jayhawks original in record sales. Follow ups like "Love Train" and the honkin' "Johnny's House Party" failed to catch much of a listen. By 1960, Bunkum had left the group to be replaced by Don Bradley (bass) and Richard Owens (tenor), and the unit's name had changed. Feeling that they wanted to do more ballad material and that the "Jayhawks!' name was typecasting them as a novelty act, the fellows decided to call themselves the Vibrations. As such, they would hit the top 40 with two rock and roll notables, neither of them ballads "The Watusi" (#25, 1961) and "My Girl Sloopy" (#26, 1964), the original rendition of the McCoy's classic "Hang on Sloopy". In 1961, with an urge to go gimmicky again and an itch for some spending change, the same basic line-up did a one off recording of "Peanut Butter" as the Marthons

Larks

3 files

The Larks. TOP (left-right) Allen Bunn, Eugene Mumford (lead), Raymond Barnes. BOT (left-right) David McNeil, Thermon Ruth.

The Lark's story begins in Durham, North Carolina in the late 1930's. They began as the Selah Jubilee Singers and were made up of Thurmon Ruth, Allen Bunn, Junius Parker, Jimmy Gorham and Melvin Coldten. The group recorded for Decca from 1939 through 1944. In the mid-40's the group met Eugene Mumford who was singing with the Four Internes. They attempted to bring Mumford into the Selah Jubilee Singers but before they could Mumford was charged with attempted rape of a white woman. He was sentenced to a chain gang in North Carolina. In 1949 Mumford was released with a full pardon from the governor of North Carolina. He quickly joined Thurmon Ruth's new group, the Jubilators, along with Allen Bunn, Raymond "Pee Wee" Barnes, and David McNeil. They moved to New York in the fall of 1950 and began recording under various names, the Jubilators on Regal, the Selah Singers on Jubilee, the Four Barons on Savoy and the Southern Harmonaires for Apollo. They finally stayed with Apollo and changed their name to the Five Larks, in keeping with the bird group trend. Their first single released in 1951was a jump tune, "Coffee, Cigarettes and Tears" b/w "My Heart Cries For You". Their second release was "Hopefully Yours" b/w "When I Leave These Prison Walls". The latter written by Mumford while in prison. They secured a piece of R&B immortality when they released their next single, "My Reverie". This pop ballad took on a whole new inspirational rhythm and blues tone in the hands of the Larks. Mumford's lead was mesmerizing and five part vocal harmony blend was exquisite. The group performed on a surprising number of TV shows for a black act at that time. They appeared on Arthur Godfrey's "Talent Scouts" where they wiped out the competition singing Patti Page's "Tennessee Waltz" with Gene on lead. The Lark's continued to have solid records on Apollo like, "My Lost Love", "Darlin'", "In My Lonely Room" and "I Live True To You". Unfortunately, they couldn't earn enough to continue as performers and the Larks went their separate ways in 1952. Eugene Mumford went to sing with the Golden Gate Quartet but returned to the secular world of music in 1954. A second Larks group was formed with Eugene Mumford, Orville Books, Isaiah Bing and David Bowers. They recorded six singles for Apollo's new subsidiary Lloyd's records but generated no attention. The second Larks disbanded in 1955. Eugene Mumford first went to the Serenaders on Old Town but hit it big when he replaced Jackie Wilson of the Dominoes. The Dominoes scored two smash hits with Mumford on lead, "Stardust" (1957) and "Deep Purple" (1957). Mumford tried a solo career which never took off and was reported to be singing with an Ink Spots group in the 1970's before he passed away.

Midnighters

3 files

The Midnighters began their career as the Royals. Organized in late 1950 or early '51 by Henry Booth and Charles Sutton, the original lineup is said to have also included Levi Stubbs (later of he Four Tops) and Jackie Wilson. By 1952, when bandleader Johnny Otis discovered the group at the Paradise Theater in Detroit and recommended it to Federal Records producer Ralph Bass, the personnel comprised of lead singers Booth and Sutton, harmony vocalists Lawson Smith and Sonny Woods, and guitarist Alonzo Tucker. Booth led the Royals' first waxing, the Otis doo wopp composition "Every Beat of My Heart" (later a smash for Gladys Knight and the Pips). The Royals' initial style was smooth, owing much to Sonny Til and the Orioles. It changed radically when Hank Ballard, who'd grown up singing in church in Bessemer, Alabama, replaced Smith in 1953. Inspired by the Dominoes' Clyde McPhatter, the 16 year-old former Ford assembly line worker became lead singer, bringing to the group a hard gospel edge and a suitcase full of rhythm-charged, frequently raunchy songs, beginning with 1953's "Get It". As "Work With Me Annie" was gaining momentum in early 1954, the Royals changed their name to the Midnighters to avoid confusion with the Five Royals, another hard, gospel-styled R&B group. "Annie" and its answers kept the Midnighters going strong for a year and a half, after which they experienced a respite from the charts that lasted three and a half years. Personnel fluctuated during this period, with Smith returning to replace Sutton, Norman Thrasher replacing Woods, and guitarist Cal Green replacing Arthur Porter, who'd earlier taken Tucker's place. Federal Records seemed to be placing its faith in a new group, James Brown and the Famous Flames, which modeled its torrid style, to a great degree, on that of the Midnighters. In 1958, Ballard wrote "The Twist", an up tempo 12 bar blues that used a melody line he'd lifted from the group's flop of the previous year, "Is Your Love For Real?" which he had in turn borrowed from McPhatter and the Drifter's 1955 hit "What 'Cha Gonna Do?" Unhappy at Federal, Ballard took the new tune to Vee-Jay, which cut it but didn't release it. Then King, Federal's parent label, picked up the group's option and recorded "The Twist", the first record to place Ballard's name on the label in front of the group's. It was issued, however, as the B side of the gospel-drenched Ballard ballad "Teardrops On Your Letter". While "Teardrops" rose to number four on the R&B chart with minimal pop response, the flip also generated some action, peaking at number 16 R&B during its initial round on the charts. "American Bandstand" host Dick Clark was so enamored of the tune that he had Ernest Evans rerecord it. Dubbed "Chubby Checker" by Clark's wife, the Philadelphia singer took "The Twist" to the top of the pop chart twice, in 1960 and again two years later. Checker's version was so close to the original that Ballard, upon first hearing it on the radio, thought it was his own. Rather than being set back by the cover, Ballard and the Midnighters benefited. By the middle of 1960, they had three simultaneous hits in the pop top 40: "Finger Poppin' Time", "Let's Go, Let's Go, Let's Go", and their original version of "The Twist." And Ballard came up with other dance-oriented hits for the group, including "The Hoochie Coochi Coo", "The Continental Walk", "The Float", and "The Switch-A-Roo," but chart action dried up after 1961 and group members began to defect. By the late '60's, Ballard was working as a single, often with James Brown's revue, and he had two minor Brown-produced R&B hits: 1968's "How You Gonna Get Respect (If You Haven't Cut Your Process Yet?") and 1972's "From the Love Side."

Shells

6 files

The Shells -- led by Nate Bouknight (aka "Little Nat") -- scored with a Top 30 hit with "Baby Oh Baby," charting for the tiny Johnson label in 1957. The group -- Bouknight, Randy "Shade Alston (tenor), Bobby Nurse (tenor), Danny Small (bass), and Gus Geter(baritone) -- continued to wax impressive 45s into the early '60s without much commercial interest, including 1958's "Sippin' Soda" and 1959's "She Wasn't Meant for Me." In 1960, "Baby Oh Baby" was given a rare second chance when record collector archivists/reissue producers Donn Fileti and Wayne Stierle reissued the track to give it a second chance, hitting the pop charts on its second time around, charting at number 21. The Shells then made a hasty comeback, recording a mix of soul and pop standards as well as straight-ahead doo wop, such as "Be Sure My Love" and "So Fine." 1961 brought another fine effort, "Explain It to Me," and in 1962, the quintet cut the popular "Happy Holiday" with Ray Jones (aka Ray Lamont Jones) taking over lead vocals. In 1963, the Josie label paired the group together with the Dubs for half an LP, The Dubs Meet the Shells, a battle of the bands album in the tradition of The Paragons Meet the Jesters).

Sheppards

1 file

The group was formed in 1959 by the members of two earlier groups, the Ballads and the Bel Aires (who had actually gotten a record, "Rockin' and Strollin'," released by Decca), who decided to pool their abilities under one cover -- in addition to Eskridge, who sang in a full, soulful wail, and the smoother-voiced Edwards, the members included baritone Jimmy Allen, bass Dennis Isaac, and second tenor O.C. Perkins, with Kermit Chandler playing guitar. Edwards, Perkins, and Chandler also wrote songs, providing them with a stream of originals, which helped set the group somewhat apart from most of their rivals. The sextet, taking the name The Sheppards, signed to Apex Records, a company owned by Bill "Bunky" Sheppard (who had produced the Bel Aires' single) in late 1958. They made their debut in 1959 with "Island of Love," featuring Edwards on the lead vocal. The smoothly romantic ballad was a great showcase for the group that got into ~Billboard's "Bubbling Under" listings during the summer of that year

Students

2 files

Richard Johnson from Cincinnati formed a group called the Ditalians in 1957, they changed their name to the Students the next year when I'm So Young was originally issued on Note 10012, with backing from the Jimmy Coe Orchestra. It was picked up by Chess Records, and issued on Checker 902 and Argo 5386. Other members of the group were Leroy King, John Bolden, John Ford, and Dorsey Porter.

Swallows

4 files

The Swallows are best remembered for "Dearest" (number nine RB in August 1951) and a handful of other great doo wop tunes. The group -- like their neighborhood influences the Vibranaires -- were from Baltimore, MD, and began singing shortly after, forming in 1946. Originally called the Oakateers, by 1949 the group was renaming themselves The Swallows (in deference to Baltimore's hugely successful Orioles). The original lineup featured lead tenor vocalist Lawrence Coxsen and Irving Turner, but by the late '40s, both were gone. Tenor lead Eddie Rich was Coxson's replacement, joining Frederick Johnson, Herman "Junior" Denby (baritone, tenor, and string bass), Norris "Bunky" Mack (bass vocals, guitar, piano, drums), and Earl Hurley. After a number of local gigs in the Baltimore area, they came to the attention of King Records of Cincinnati in 1951. A recording session produced their first single, "Dearest" (King 4458). It climbed to number nine on the RB charts in August 1951 and was a big seller in the both San Francisco and Oakland, which led to the group's first tour (with the Count Basie Orchestra and vocalist Earl Williams). Other singles failed to top the success of their initial outing, although "It Ain't the Meat (It's the Motion)," the ribald jump B-side of their third single, was a big seller in the South, especially in Georgia and the Carolinas. Sometimes Junior Denby took over singing lead chorus. They also released a version of the pop standard "I Only Have Eyes for You," predating the Flamingos' version by six years. (Interesting note: as an added bit of circumstance, the Flamingos were originally known as the Swallows until they discovered the King group had first dibs on the name.) The group continued to tour the U.S. extensively, while King released additional singles. Their last single for King was "I'll Be Waiting" (King 4676). Shortly after leaving the label, the group disbanded, then re-formed again with Earl Hurley (lead), Eddie Rich, original late '40s member Irv Turner, and new Swallows Al France, Ernie "Buddy" Bailey (not the Clovers' Bailey), and "Money" Johnson. By the spring of 1954, the new lineup recorded for Lexy "Flap" Hanford's After Hours label, but the group disbanded shortly afterwards, for a second time. In 1956, France and Turner were replaced by Bobby Hendricks and Buddy Crawford, but no recordings are credited to this contingent. The group went on hiatus afterwards. In 1958, the Swallows came together with original members Eddie Rich and Earl Hurley, Bailey, Johnson, and new Swallow Calvin Collette. They signed with Syd Nathan's Federal label (based in Cincinnati at the time), who issued four sides, including a cover of Bobby Hendricks' "Itchy Twitchy Feeling" (which just barely touched the national pop charts in late 1958). Soon afterwards, the Swallows called it quits after more than a decade of making music.

Teenagers

2 files

Frankie Lymon (1942-1968) and the Teenagers were a New York doo wop group consisting of Joe Negroni, Herman Santiago, Jimmy Merchant, and Sherman Garnes but centered around the extraordinary talents of their lead singer, 13-year-old Frankie Lymon. Lymon was credited with their first big hit, "Why Do Fools Fall in Love" (In the early '90s, a federal judge ruled after a lengthy trial that Lymon hadn't written "Why Do Fools Fall in Love" -- another member of the Teenagers had). His wise-beyond-his-years vocal and performing abilities not only made the Teenagers a group several notches above the competition but made Lymon the first Black teenage pop star. Though only together for a brief 18-month period, Lymon the Teenagers exerted an enormous influence, spawning several "kid" vocal groups and providing initial inspiration to Berry Gordy to model his entire Motown production approach around Lymon's original vocal style. Inexplicably, the group split into two factions at the height of their success, and neither had a hit again. Lymon died from a drug overdose at age 26. Diana Ross, Smokey Robinson, Len Barry, and his principal prot�g�, Michael Jackson (whose early recordings with the Jackson 5 are virtual re-creations of the early Lymon sound, merely updated) all show the influence of Frankie Lymon the Teenagers's groundbreaking work.

Videos

2 files

The Videos consisted of lead singer Ronnie Woodhall, baritone Johnny Jackson, second tenor Charles Baskerville, first tenor/bass Clarence Bassett, and tenor Ronald Cuffy. Both Cuffy and Bassett had been in the 5 Sharps (creators of "Stormy Weather"). Baskerville and Bassett would later team up with James Sheppard lead of the Heartbeats, to form "Shep and the Limelites".

Willows

1 file

The Willows bloomed in 1950 from Harlem as the Dovers: Richie Davis, John Steele, Ralph Martin, Joe Martin (twins), and Bobby Robinson. Tony Middleton replaced Robinson who left in 1952 to open a record shop on 125th Street that became Fury Records. The Dovers built a reputation battling other groups; they often practiced with Gloria Lynne's group, the Delltones; Lynne later recorded on Premium with the Wheels before going solo. Pete and Goldie Doraine became their managers and financed the groups' 1953 debut, "Love Bells," on their own Pee Dee label, as the Five Willows. Three singles followed on Allen Records in 1953 that balm egos but did nothing for their bank accounts. After two flops on Herald in 1954, they hit as the Willows (dropping the "Five" for booking purposes) on Melba in 1956 with "Church Bells May Ring," featuring Neil Sedaka on chimes. It blasted to number 11 R&B but died at number 62 pop due to the Diamonds' number 14 pop cover. The Cadets and Sunny Gale also played the cover game. They didn't have any more hits but hung tough until 1965. Platters on Eldorado and Gone in 1957-1958 credited to Tony Middleton & the Willows went unnoticed; ditto for singles as the Willows on Club and Warwick Records. The Martin twins, Freddie Donovan, and Dotty Martin (Joe's wife) were the Willows for two nonstarters on Heidi Records in 1964. And a lineup featuring Tony Middleton and Richie Davis appeared in the '70s to work the doo-wop revivals; but by the '90s, the Willows wept no more.

EVALUATION COPY