The Orioles

The Orioles had a rhythm 'n' blues and doo-wop band of the late 1940s and early 1950s, which is said as the first black R & B singing group.

The band was founded in 1947 in Baltimore by Sonny Til, Alexander Sharp, George Nelson, Johnny Reed and Tommy Gaither as The Vibranaires, at a time when all members of the group were still teenagers. Soon songwriter Deborah Chessler became aware of the Vibranaires and offered to become their band manager. It was she who organized an appearance in Arthur Godfrey's TV show Talent Scouts for the band. After George Shearing had refused to produce the five musicians, appeared as an alternative Jerry Blaine on the scene, who undertook the Vibranaires 1948 for his own label It's a Natural Records.

The band was called from now on The Orioles and took in July 1948 Chessler song It's Soon to Know on. Since Blaine the name of his new It's a Natural label did not like the single was released instead on Jubilee Records. It's Soon to Know came to the forefront of R & B and even number 13 on the pop charts and was the first song of a black band, which made ​​it to the pop charts. The song is considered the very first doo-wop number, because it contains all the stylistic elements of the genre. In December, appeared (It's Gonna Be a) Lonely Christmas, the song was at least in the R & B Top 10

In 1949 it was raining then 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 came in the R & B Top 15, but the following year should be a black in the band's history. When a car accident Gaither was killed, Nelson and Reed were seriously injured. Nelson left the band end of the year, Reed recovered. As a substitute Ralph Williams and Greg Carroll came († 2013).

In 1952 the band had with the new line another hit. Baby Please Do not Go made ​​a number 8 in the R & B charts. In July 1953, the band then their biggest hit with Crying published in the Chapel, later covered by Elvis Presley, five weeks held long into the R & B charts and failed in the pop charts just short of the top 10 end of the year had with the Orioles In the Mission of St. Augustine their last hit. In 1954, she broke up then, as Reed and Sharp left the band to join the Ink Spots.

Sonny Til later organized a few line-up changes in the band again arose therefrom without charts successes. In 1995, the Orioles were included in the category " Early Influences " in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, followed in 1998 by the inclusion in the Vocal Group Hall of Fame.

Discography (selection, with release date)

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 Do not Go / Do not 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
  • Do not 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 / Do not 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
  • Do not 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 ), November 1956
  • Sugar Girl / Did not I Say (244 ), April 1957

ABNER Records:

  • Sugar Girl / Did not I Say (1016 ), August 1958

JUBILEE Records:

  • Crying In The Chapel ( with choir, remake ) / Forgive And Forget ( 6001 ), August 1959
  • Come On Home ( with 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
Baritone Bass (voice type) Doo Wop Integrated Authority File
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