The Spaniels
| The Spaniels | |
|---|---|
| Founding: | 1952 as Pookie Hudson & the Hudsonaires |
| Resolution: | 1961 |
| Reunion: | 1969 |
| Genre: | Doo Wop , Rhythm and Blues |
| Founding members | |
| Lead vocals : | Pookie Hudson (until 195?) |
| Tenor singing : | Ernest Warren (until 195 ?; 195? –1961) |
| Tenor singing : | Willie Jackson (until 195?) |
| Baritone singing : | Opal Courtney, Jr. (until 195?) |
| Bass vocals : | Gerald Gregory (until 1961) |
| Other former members | |
| Lead vocals : | Carl Rainge (195?) |
| Tenor singing : | Don Porter (195? –1961) |
| Baritone singing : | James Cochran (195? –1961) |
| Singing : | Andy McGruder (19 ?? - 1961) |
| Singing : | Bill Carey (19 ?? - 1961) |
| Bass vocals : | Pete Simmons (1969–197?) |
| Current or last occupation | |
| Lead vocals : | Pookie Hudson (from 195? –1961; from 1969) |
| Tenor singing : | Charles Douglas (from 1969) |
| Tenor singing : | Alvin Wheeler (from 1969) |
| Baritone singing : | Alvin Lloyd (from 1969) |
| Bass vocals : | Andrew Lawyer (from 197?) |
The Spaniels were a doo wop band that enjoyed their greatest success in the 1950s. They were best known for their R&B # 5 hit Goodnight, Sweetheart, Goodnight .
The band was formed in Gary, Indiana , in late 1952 when Warren, Jackson, Courtney and Gregory, who were attending Roosevelt High School together, decided to form a band. Finally, they were able to convince James "Pookie" Hudson to join in and performed as Pookie Hudson & the Hudsonaires on a talent show at their school.
Only a little later, the band renamed itself The Spaniels, got a recording contract with the then completely unknown label Vee Jay Records and finally moved to Chicago . In mid-1953 the five singers recorded Baby It's You , which cracked the top 10 of the R&B charts in September. The following year the band had their greatest success with Goodnight, Sweetheart, Goodnight . The song made a number 5 in the R&B charts, a cover version of the white pop band The McGuire Sisters came only a little later in the top 10 of the pop charts.
Meanwhile, the spaniels performed regularly at New York's Apollo Theater and toured parts of the United States . You Painted Pictures hit # 13 on the R&B charts in the fall. A little later Courtney had to join the military, he was replaced by James "Dimples" Cochran. Warren was also drafted and after two more Spaniel singles flopped, Hudson and Jackson also left the band. Gregory was now the only remaining founding member; Cochran, Carl Rainge and Don Porter made up the rest of the band.
But already after the release of the first single with this line-up, Hudson returned and took over the role of lead singer again. In 1957, the Spaniels' debut album was released under the title Goodnight, It's Time to Go . At the end of the 50s there were further line-up changes, so that in 1960 the band consisted of Hudson, Warren, Gregory, Andy McGruder and Bill Carey. The single I Know came to # 23 on the R&B charts that year.
Shortly after Gregory and McGruder left the Spaniels, the band split in 1961. In 1969 there was a reunion with Hudson, Charles Douglas, Alvin Wheeler, Alvin Lloyd and Pete Simmons. The latter was later replaced by Andrew Lawyer. The spaniels made their last recordings in 1974, but persisted and toured, for example, with oldie revival shows.
literature
- Stambler, Irwin: The Encyclopedia Of Pop, Rock And Soul . 3rd revised edition, New York City, New York: St. Martin's Press, 1989, p. 631 - 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. 297-299