The Flamingos
The Flamingos were an American doo-wop vocal band that was especially successful in the 1950s and early 1960s.
The band was born in 1952 in Chicago as the cousins Zeke and Jake Carey, along with Johnny Carter and Paul Wilson formed a vocal quartet. A little later they were joined by Earl Lewis and they called themselves The Swallows, but six months later they learned of another Doo Wop band of the same name (see The Swallows ) and named themselves after a suggestion Carter's first El Flamingos, then The Five flamingos and finally just The Flamingos. The five singers appeared in the fall of 1952 at a picnic, she became friends with a certain Fletcher Witherspoon Jr., who arranged a gig at a club one of his friends for them. There they were then discovered by Ralph Leon, who became their manager.
Leon initially caused that Lewis was replaced by Sollie McElroy. At the end of the Flamingos recorded a demo tape for United Records and received a rejection of the label. Instead, they signed in early 1953 with an opportunity Records, where they released their debut single, Someday, Someway in March. This was followed by a version of Sammy Kaye's That's My Desire, and finally the Carter Composition Golden Teardrops that flopped, but later a classic should be. The flamingos were now on the opening act for Duke Ellington and Lionel Hampton. Your dance choreographies were later covered by bands like the Temptations.
After also Blues in a Letter, the sixth single of the band, was not a commercial success, left the Flamingos chance the end of 1954 and signed with Parrot Records, where they released early 1955 Dream of a Lifetime. A short time later, McElroy left the band and was replaced by Nate Nelson on Ko Ko Mo took over the lead vocals along with Carter. After the death of Leon's flamingos then switched to Checker Records, a sub-label of Chess, where they recorded 1955 When in the spring. The year ended with the ballad Please Come Back Home, which it does not even make it into the charts.
In January 1956 finally was the breakthrough: the ballad I'll Be Home came up at number 5 on the R & B charts. A cover version of the song by Pat Boone later managed, however, to the pop charts, a good example of a black song, which reaped more success in the version of a white performer. The consequence of the single A Kiss from Your Lips made in the spring of the year, a number 12 in the R & B charts. In addition, the flamingos had in 1956 made her film debut in Alan Freed's rock ' n ' roll movie Rock, Rock, rock and took along with Bill Haley & the Comets and the Platters at the first rock ' n ' roll tour in part, on the both black and white performers played.
But after the release of Would I Be Crying at the end of Carter and Zeke Carey had to join the military. The band found replacement in Tommy Hunt and Terry Johnson. In the new cast members the Flamingos signed with Decca Records, where they 1957 The Ladder of Love published. However, since they still had an ongoing contract with Checker, she soon fell in judicial trouble. After Zeke Carey in 1958 completed his military service, but eventually they were able to agree with Checker.
She then moved to New York City, where she received a contract with George Goldner's End Records end of 1958. Lovers Never Say Goodbye came to number 25 of the R & B charts and in the spring of 1959, reaching number 52 on the pop charts. Despite the success of the song Goldner arranged a change in the repertoire of original compositions classics. But Not for Me flopped, but the Eddy Duchin song I Only Have Eyes for You to be the biggest hit of the band: He managed a 3rd place in the R & B, a # 11 in the pop charts. The flamingos came a little later in another Freed film, Go Johnny Go! , On. Love Walked In the summer of 1959 made a number 88 in the pop charts, I Was Such a Fool even a 71 The year ended with the release of the debut album Flamingo Serenade, on the various pop - classics, including George Gershwin and Cole Porter are heard.
In 1960, the flamingos with Mi Amore a small R & B hit, Your Other Love was even more times in the pop charts. Early 1961 the band returned Hunt back to start a solo career. This created tensions within the band: The Carey - Johnson Cousins made for the failure of the '62 Singles For All We Know of Love and Flame responsible. A little later, Johnson left to found together with Nelson, the band around the Modern Flamingos. 1964 Wilson also left the flamingos that after Johnson was signed to Phillips Records in 1966 with The Boogaloo Party had a mini- hit 1965 returned. In 1970, the band Buffalo Soldier one last time in the charts.
The flamingos now began recording on her own label Ronze to make Records, where in 1976 released the single Love Keeps the Doctor Away. After Jake Carey died in 1996, his son took over JC his place. 2001 then died Zeke Carey instead, returned Hunt. In the same year the flamingos were included in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. On 21 August 2009 Johnny Carter died at the age of 75 years.