The Five Keys

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The Five Keys were an American R&B vocal group that was particularly popular in the 1950s.

history

The group originated as "The Sentimental Four" in Newport News , Virginia in the late 1940s . The original members were two pairs of brothers, Rudy (* July 25, 1932 - May 14, 1998) and Bernie West (* February 4, 1930) and Ripley (* 1930 - March 23, 1995) and Raphael Ingram. In 1949 Raphael Ingram left the group, Maryland Pierce (* 1933) and Dickie Smith joined them. From now on they called themselves "The Five Keys".

In the early 1950s they made a series of recordings for Aladdin Records and from today's perspective are sometimes referred to as the first truly modern vocal group. In 1954 they got a contract with Capitol Records , where they released Ling Ting Tong . The record's success earned them an appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show . In 1956 they had another hit with the title Out Of Sight, Out Of Mind . Other hits were Wisdom of a Fool and Let There Be You in 1957. After the success of Ling, Ting, Tong , Capitol began to have the vocal quintet accompanied by big bands . In 1957 the group switched to Aladdin Records, for the company the Five Keys also recorded several LPs, but they did not get any further placements in the charts.

Until the death of Rudy West in 1998, the Five Keys consisted of different line-ups. In 1991 they received the Pioneer Award from the Rhythm and Blues Foundation . In 1992 they were inducted into the United in Group Harmony Association (UGHA) Hall of Fame , and into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2002 .

Discography

Singles

year Title
album 		Top ranking, total weeks, awardChart placementsChart placements
(Year, title, album , rankings, weeks, awards, notes) 		Remarks
US US R&B R&B
1951 The Glory of Love - R&B1 (... week)
Template: chart table / maintenance / preliminaryR&B
Aladdin (# 3099)
B-Side: Hucklebuck With Jim
Authors: Billy Hill
1954 Ling, Ting, Tong US28 (... weeks)
Template: chart table / maintenance / preliminaryUS 		R&B5 (... weeks)
Template: chart table / maintenance / preliminaryR&B
Capitol (# 2945)
B-Side: I'm Alone
Authors: Mabel Godwin
1955 Close your eyes - R&B5 (... weeks)
Template: chart table / maintenance / preliminaryR&B
Capitol (# 3032)
B-Side: Doggone It, You Did It
Authors: Chuck Willis
The Verdict - R&B13 (... weeks)
Template: chart table / maintenance / preliminaryR&B
Capitol (# 3127)
B-Side: We Make Um Pow Wow
Authors: Alan Freed & Glen Moore
Cause you're my lover - R&B12 (... weeks)
Template: chart table / maintenance / preliminaryR&B
Capitol (# 3267)
B-side: Gee Whittakers
Authors: Sherm Feller & Goldie Tyler
Gee Whittakers - R&B14 (... weeks)
Template: chart table / maintenance / preliminaryR&B
B-side of Cause You're My Lover
Authors: Winfield Scott
1956 Out Of Sight, Out Of Mind US27 (15 weeks)
US 		R&B12 (... weeks)
Template: chart table / maintenance / preliminaryR&B
Capitol (# 3502)
B-Side: That's Right
Authors: Ivory Joe Hunter & Clyde Otis
Wisdom Of A Fool US35 (12 weeks)
US 		-
Capitol (# 3597)
B-Side: Now Don't That Prove I Love You
Authors: Ivory Joe Hunter & Clyde Otis
1957 Let there be you US69 (5 weeks)
US 		-
Capitol (# 3660)
B-Side: Tiger Lilly
Authors: Ivory Joe Hunter & Clyde Otis

literature

  • McCutcheon, Lynn Ellis: Rhythm and Blues. An Experience And Adventure In Its Origin And Development . Arlington / Virginia: RW Beatty Ltd, 1971, pp. 125-132.
  • Warner, Jay: The Billboard Book Of American Singing Groups. A History 1940-1990 . New York City / New York: Billboard Books, 1992, pp. 183-185.

swell

  1. ^ Ward, Ed / Stokes, Geoffrey / Tucker, Ken: Rock of Ages. The Rolling Stone History Of Rock & Roll . Foreword by Jann S. Wenner. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Rolling Stone Press / Prentice Hall Inc., 1986, p. 59: The Five Keys were the first truly modern vocal harmony group .
  2. ↑ Capitol catalog number 2945
  3. ↑ The single reached number 28 on the pop charts; compare: Whitburn, Joel: Top Pop Records 1940-1955 . Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin: Record Research, 1973, p. 22
  4. ^ Capitol catalog number 3502. The title reached number 23 on the bestseller charts; Whitburn, Joel: Top Pop Singles 1955-1993 . Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin: Record Research Ltd., 1994, p. 212
  5. ↑ Capitol catalog number 3597, number 35 in the single charts
  6. ↑ Capitol catalog number 3660; the single reached number 69 on the charts
  7. ↑ They were accompanied by the Dave Cavanaugh Orchestra on Out Of Sight, Out Of Mind and Let There Be You and by the Van Alexander Orchestra on Wisdom Of A Fool .
  8. ↑ For the LP discography see: Tilch, KD: Rock LPs 1955-1970. Vol. 2: FL . 3rd ext. Hamburg: Taurus Press, 1990, p. 544
  9. ↑ Chart sources: US before 1956 US from 1956

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