The Delta Rhythm Boys

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The Delta Rhythm Boys were an American singing group of early rhythm and blues , swing and pop , founded in 1934 , which existed until 1987.

History of the group

Founded in 1934 at Langston University in Langston, Oklahoma , the formation lasted for fifty years. With their harmony singing, the Delta Rhythm Boys represented the connection between the early rhythm and blues groups of the 1930s and 1940s and the Doo Wop formations of the 1950s. They became known primarily for their vocal adaptations of well-known pop and jazz numbers such as " Dry Bones " and Billy Strayhorn's " Take the" A "Train " (1943) and were able to assert their style even in the 1950s, which was dominated by rock.

The Delta Rhythm Boys consisted of Elmaurice Miller, Traverse Crawford, Essie Joseph Adkins and Otha Lee Gaines (1914-1987). In 1936 the four singers went to Dillard University in New Orleans , where they performed under Frederick Hall under the names New Orleans Quintet and Frederick Hall Quintet . Clinton Holland (who was soon replaced by Carl Jones) and Kelsey Pharr (replaced by Hugh Bryant in 1942) came on for Miller and Adkins; Rene DeKnight became her pianist.

In the 1940s, the group appeared on the radio programs Amos and Andy Show (1946) and the Joan Davis Show ; they also appeared on Broadway in the revues Sing Out the News and Hot Mikado . There were also frequent film appearances during this time, for example in You'll Never Get Rich with Bing Crosby and Rita Hayworth . In addition to their own recordings, they worked as a refrain singer on recordings of Charlie Barnet ("Just A-Sittin 'and A-Rockin'", 1946), Mildred Bailey ("Rockin 'Chair" / "Sometimes I'm Happy"), Ella Fitzgerald (" It's Only a Paper Moon ", "It's a Pity to Say Goodnight", 1945) and Ruth Brown with ("Sentimental Journey" and "It's All In Your Mind" for Atlantic Records , 1954).

Her typical early R&B recordings, which appeared on Decca and Victor , included her version of the “ St. Louis Blues ” or “Jersey Bounce” as well as her early 1940s soundies “I Dreamed I Dwelt in Harlem”, “Jack, You 're Playing the Game "," Snoqualomie JoJo "and" Just A-Sitting´ and A-Rockin´ ". For the author Will Friedwald , their interpretation of “Take the A Train”, in which they provided Strayhorn's arrangement with text, is an early example of the later Vocalese style. Like the Comedian Harmonists , they interpreted numbers in the typical a cappella vocal style of the Revellers , such as the “Rigoletto Blues”.

At the beginning of the 1950s, they occurred a. a. in Las Vegas and they became better known in Europe, especially in Scandinavia . In 1951 they also sang in Swedish (“Flickorna i Småland”). With titles like "Come Softly to Me" or "Oh Wee Baby" they adopted the popular doo-wop style. In 1956 the group moved to Europe and had their headquarters in Paris, where recordings for Barclay were made; the Delta Rhythm Boys continued to perform until Otha Lee Gaines' death on July 15, 1987. Kelsey Pharr died in Honolulu in 1960 after a tour of Japan. Soon after, Carl Jones left the group and was replaced by Herb Coleman as first tenor; Hugh Bryant replaced Kelsey. In 1974, Herb Coleman was shot dead in Paris; the following year founding member Traverse Crawford died. In 1979 the formation consisted of Gaines, Bryant, Walter Trammell as first tenor and Ray Beauty as second tenor.

The Delta Rhythm Boys were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame . Her hit Dry Bones was used in the soundtrack of the film Rain Man .

More well-known songs

  • (I Love You) for Sentimental (William Best)
  • Cry You Out for My Heart (Hy Heath)
  • I'll Never Get Out of Tis World (Fred Rose)
  • It's a Pity to Say Goodnight ( Mack Gordon )
  • Sometimes I'm Happy ( Irving Caesar )
  • Have a Hope, Have a Wish, Have a Prayer ( Hal David )

Discographic notes

  • The Delta Rhythm Boys - Just A-Rockin '& A .. Vol. 1 - (Buffalo Bop, 1941-1946)
  • The Delta Rhythm Boys - Jump & Jive 'Til ... Vol. 2 (Buffalo Bop, 1947–1950)
  • Masters of Hip Harmony - The Delta Rhythm Boys (Collector's Choice, ed 2003)
  • The Soundies appeared on the 2004 DVD Sing, Brother, Sing - coupled with titles by the Mills Brothers . The Soundies also appeared on the DVD Masters of Hip Harmony Music - Delta Rhythm Boys .

literature

  • Will Friedwald: Swinging Voices of America - A Compendium of Great Voices . Hannibal, St. Andrä-WIERT, 1992. ISBN 3-85445-075-3 .
  • Warner, Jay: The Billboard Book Of American Singing Groups. A History 1940-1990 . New York City / New York: Billboard Books, 1992, pp. 23-26.

swell

  1. ↑ See Craig Harris, Allmusic.
  2. ^ Obituary in The New York Times
  3. ↑ They also had appearances in numerous music films such as Big Band Parade, Banquet of Melody, Choo Choo Swing, Crazy House, Easy to Look At, Follow the Boys and Harlem Rock and Rol ; see. Allmusic.
  4. ↑ The recordings also appeared on the Storyville LP Harlem Roots Jazz on Film: Rhythm on Harmony
  5. ↑ after W. Friedwald, p. 168.
  6. ↑ See audio examples on youtube

Web links