The Harptones
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The Harptones was an American doo-wop group. Although they are not the commercial success of similar groups like the Drifters or the Clovers had the formation the mid-1950s still frequently took some today played R & B - Evergreens on, including A Sunday Kind of Love , Life Is but a Dream (the soundtrack of the film Good Fellas used) and Memories of You .
Career
In 1953, Willie Winfield and Bill “Dicey” Galloway from the “Harps” and Curtis Cherebin, Bill Dempsey and Raoul Cita from the “Skylarks” joined forces in Manhattan and called themselves first “The Harps”, later “The Harptones”. After a short time Cherebin left the group and Billy Brown and Claudie "Nicky" Clark joined them. There have been some changes in the line-up over time.
In late 1953, her first single, A Sunday Kind of Love , was released, and it sold well on the east coast. The Harptones had further success in 1954 with Why Should I Love You . The band appeared several times on Alan Freed's shows and appeared in the 1956 R&B film Rockin 'the Blues .
In 1957 the Harptones broke up after Billy Brown's drug death. There were some reunions and further single releases until 1961, including the chart hit What Will I Tell My Heart , number 96 in the US charts in 1961 .
Awards
In 1998 The Harptones received the Pioneer Award from the Rhythm and Blues Foundation . In 2002 the group was inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame .
Discography
Albums
- 1982: Love Needs
- 2004: The Harptones and a Variety of Friends
Compilations
- 1957: Golden Recordings
- 1964: The Paragons Vs. The Harptones ( split album with The Paragons ; 7 tracks each)
- 1970: The Harptones
- 1971: The Harptones (feat. Willie Winfield)
- 1972: Echoes of a Rock Era (split album with The Crows ; 12 tracks each)
- 1988: On Sunday Afternoon: The Goldner Recordings 1956–57
- 1994: A Sunday Kind of Love (released April 14th)
- 2000: Very Best of the Harptones: Life Is but a Dream (release: January 25th)
- 2000: The Complete Recordings (released February 13)
- 2001: The Legendary Group at Their Best
- 2003: Collector's Gold Series
- 2005: That's the Way It Goes (release: July 5th)
- 2012: Life Is but a Dream: The Ultimate Harptones 1953–1961 (2 CDs)
Singles
- 1953: A Sunday Kind of Love (as The Harp-Tones; released December)
- 1954: My Memories of You
- 1954: Why Should I Love You?
- 1954: Life Is but a Dream
- 1954: I'll Never Tell (Bunny Paul with The Harptones; release: August)
- 1954: Since I Fell for You (released December)
- 1955: My Success (It All Depends on You) (Release: November)
- 1956: What Is Your Decision (feat. Willie Winfield)
- 1956: I Almost Lost My Mind
- 1956: The Masquerade Is Over
- 1956: Three Wishes (release: August)
- 1957: The Shrine of St. Cecilia
- 1957: Cry Like I Cried (release: October)
- 1959: Laughing on the Outside (release: March)
- 1959: Hep Teenager (release: October)
- 1960: What Kind of Fool (Do You Think I Am) (Release: May)
- 1960: Answer Me, My Love (release: October)
- 1961: All in Your Mind (release: February)
- 1961: Foolish Me / What Will I Tell My Heart (released April)
- 1961: Devil in Velvet (release: August)
- 1982: Love Needs a Heart (release: March)
literature
- Warner, Jay: The Billboard Book of American Singing Groups. A History 1940–1990 . New York City / New York: Billboard Books, 1992, pp. 214-218.