The Orioles
| The Orioles | |
|---|---|
| General information | |
| Genre (s) | Doo Wop , Rhythm and Blues |
| founding | 1947 as The Vibranaires |
| resolution | 1954 |
| Founding members | |
| Sonny Til | |
| Alexander Sharp | |
| George Nelson (until 1950) | |
| Johnny Reed | |
| Tommy Gaither (until 1950) | |
| Last occupation | |
Lead vocals |
Sonny Til |
Tenor singing |
Alexander Sharp |
Baritone singing |
Gregory Carroll (from 1950) |
Bass vocals |
Johnny Reed |
guitar |
Ralph Williams (from 1950) |
The Orioles was a rhythm 'n' blues or doo-wop band of the late 1940s and early 1950s that was considered the first ever black R&B singing group.
The band was formed as The Vibranaires in 1947 in Baltimore by Sonny Til, Alexander Sharp, George Nelson, Johnny Reed and Tommy Gaither, at a time when all of the group's members were still teenagers. Songwriter Deborah Chessler soon became aware of the Vibranaires and offered to become their band manager. It was she who organized an appearance for the band on Arthur Godfrey's TV show Talent Scouts . After George Shearing refused to produce the five musicians, Jerry Blaine appeared as an alternative , who signed the Vibranaires in 1948 for his own label It's a Natural Records .
The band called themselves from now on The Orioles and recorded the Chessler song It's Soon to Know in July 1948 . Since Blaine didn't like the name of his new It's a Natural label , the single was released on Jubilee Records instead . It's Soon to Know topped the R&B charts and even number 13 on the pop charts, making it the first song by a black band to make it to the pop charts. The song is considered the very first Doo-Wop number because it contains all the style-forming elements of this musical genre. In December (It's Gonna Be a) Lonely Christmas was released , the song at least made it into the R&B Top 10.
In 1949 it rained hits for the Orioles. Tell Me So , A Kiss and a Rose , I Challenge Your Kiss , Forgive and Forget , a re-release of (It's Gonna Be a) Lonely Christmas and What Are You Doing New Year's Eve all made the R&B Top 15. But the following year should be a black one in the band's history. Gaither was killed in a car accident and Nelson and Reed were seriously injured. Nelson left the band at the end of the year and Reed recovered. Ralph Williams and Greg Carroll († 2013) came as replacements.
It wasn't until 1952 that the band had another hit with the new line-up. Baby Please Don't Go made number 8 on the R&B charts. In July 1953, the band released their biggest hit with Crying in the Chapel , later covered by Elvis Presley , stayed in the R&B charts for five weeks and only narrowly failed the top 10 in the pop charts by the end of the year the Orioles with In the Mission of St. Augustine their last hit. They broke up in 1954 when Reed and Sharp left the band to join the Ink Spots .
Sonny Til later organized a few changes to the line-up in the band without any further hit parade successes. In 1995 the Orioles were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in the “Early Influences” category, and in 1998 they were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame .
Discography (selection; with date of publication)
IT'S A NATURAL:
- Barbra Lee / It's Too Soon To Know (5000), July 1948
JUBILEE Records:
- Barbra Lee / It's Too Soon To Know (5000), October 1948
- To Be To You / (It's Gonna Be A) Lonely Xmas (5001), November 1948
- To Be To You / Dare To Dream (5001A), January 1949
- It Seems So Long Ago / Please Give My Heart A Break (5002), February 1949
- Deacon Jones / Tell Me So (5005), April 1949
- Donkey Serenade / I Challenge Your Kiss (5008), June 1949
- It's A Cold Summer / A Kiss And A Rose (5009), August 1949
- So Much / Forgive And Forget (5016), October 1949
- (It's Gonna Be A) Lonely Xmas / What Are You Doing New Year's Eve? (5017) November 1949
- At Night / Every Dog-Gone Time (5025), March 1950
- You're Gone / Everything They Said Came True (5028), June 1950
- The Lord's Prayer / Oh Holy Night (5045), November 1950
- Happy Go Lucky Local Blues / Pal Of Mine (5055), April 1951
- Baby, Please Don't Go / Don't Tell Her What's Happened To Me (5065), October 1951
- How Blind Can You Be / When You're Not Around (5071), December 1951
- Waiting / It's Over Because We're Through (5082), April 1952
- Don't Cry Baby / See See Rider (5092), August 1952
- Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me / Teardrops On My Pillow (5108), February 1953
- I Cover The Waterfront / One More Time (5120), June 1953
- Crying In The Chapel / Don't You Think I Ought To Know (5122), July 1953
- In The Mission Of St Augustine / (Please) Write And Tell Me Why (5127), September 1953
- Runaround / Count Your Blessings Instead of Sheep (5172), November 1954
- Don't Go To Strangers / Angel (5231) January 1956
VEE-JAY Records:
- Happy Till The Letter / I Just Got Lucky (196), May 1956
- For All We Know / Never Leave Me Baby (228), Nov. 1956
- Sugar Girl / Didn't I Say (244) April 1957
ABNER Records:
- Sugar Girl / Didn't I Say (1016), August 1958
JUBILEE Records:
- Tell Me So / At Night (5363), February 1959
- Crying In The Chapel (with choir, remake) / Forgive And Forget (6001), August 1959
- Come On Home (with the HELEN WAY SINGERS) / The First Of Summer (5384), February 1960
CHARLIE PARKER records:
- Secret Love / The Wobble (211), October 1962
- I Miss You So / Hey! Little Woman (219), February 1963
LANA records:
- What Are You Doing New Year's Eve / Crying In The Chapel (109), December 1964
literature
- McCutcheon, Lynn Ellis: Rhythm and Blues. An Experience And Adventure In Its Origin And Development . Arlington, Virginia: RW Beatty Ltd, 1971, pp. 132-137
- Stambler, Irwin: The Encyclopedia Of Pop, Rock And Soul . 3rd revised edition, New York City, New York: St. Martin's Press, 1989, pp. 501f - ISBN 0-312-02573-4
- Warner, Jay: The Billboard Book Of American Singing Groups. A History 1940–1990 . New York City / New York: Billboard Books, 1992, pp. 59-61
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ Obituary in Jefferson Post ( memento of the original from April 11, 2013 in the web archive archive.today ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
