The Royal Jokers
The Royal Jokers were an American R&B vocal group from Detroit , Michigan , whose career began in the 1950s and spanned four decades.
Band history
At the end of the 1940s, the doo-wop group "The Serenaders" was formed in Detroit , which got a record deal in 1952, but was unable to achieve any major sales success. At the time of these recordings, group members were Noah Howell, Norman Thrasher, Isaak "Ike" Reese and Thearon "T-Man" Hill. The group changed names several times and also made recordings under different names. So they appeared at times as "The Cavaliers" or "The Musketeers".
In 1954, now called "The Royals", Willie Jones joined the group. Ike Reese has been replaced by Ted Green. Al Green, manager of the Midnighters with Hank Ballard , took over their management and their name was changed to "The Royal Jokers" (supposedly because they had a funny stage show). They got a contract with Atlantic Records , for whose label Atco they made recordings.
Her first single You Tickle Me Baby was a hit in Detroit at the end of 1955, which even entered the pop charts, so that in 1956 two more singles followed, which, however, could not repeat the initial success. In total, the Royal Jokers recorded 12 titles for Atco. However, the master tapes were destroyed in a fire in the 1970s, and the unreleased tracks are lost forever.
In 1957, their manager, Al Green, died and the Royal Jokers went through a number of staff changes. Willie Jones also tried a solo career. As a newly formed quartet, the Royal Jokers released the single Grabitis in 1959 , which - like the singles that followed - had at best local success.
In 1963, Willie Jones returned to the Royal Jokers and they re-recorded their first hit, You Tickle Me Baby . In 1966 Love Game (From A To Z) was a hit in Detroit, but otherwise received little attention. Jones left the group again. No further recordings of the group should follow.
The Royal Jokers continued to perform in the greater Detroit area, and occasionally in other areas. Further personnel changes followed, but the group lasted until 1990 - that year Noah Howell died. 1996 Thearon Hill, Willie Jones and Raymond Dorsey (since 1959 with the Royal Jokers) appeared together again. In 2009, Cat King Kole released The Royal Jokers Featuring Willie Jones: Complete Work .
Discography
Before 1955, several singles of the group were released under the names "The Serenaders", "The Musketeers" or "Muskateers" and "The Royals". The singles listed below all appeared under the name "The Royal Jokers".
- You Tickle Me Baby / Stay Here (Atco 45-6052) (9/1955)
- Don't Leave Me Fanny / Rocks In My Pillow (Atco 45-6062) (1/1956)
- She's Mine All Mine / Ride On Little Girl (Atco 45-6077) (9/1956)
- September In The Rain / Spring (Hi-Q 5004) (1957)
- Sweet Little Angel / I Don't Like You That Much (Fortune 840) (4/1958)
- Grabitis / Sam's Back (Metro K20032) (1/1960)
- Lovey Dovey / Nickel, 3 Dimes, and 5 Quarters (Keldon 45-322) (11/1960)
- Hard Times / Red Hot (Bigtop 45-3064) (12/1960)
- You Tickle Me Baby / You Come Along (Fortune 560) (1963)
- Love Game (From A To Z) / From A To Z (Love Game) (WinGate WG-020) (8/1966)
Web links
- Marv Goldberg: The Serenaders / Royal Jokers (English)
- Brian C. Young: Willie Jones & The Royal Jokers (English) . May 2009