THEY SHOULD'DA BEEN DOO-WOP

This installment is about the solo artist and groups that weren't considered Doo-Wop, but either their style or their early careers make them seem like Doo-Wop to me.
We're going to look at Patti LaBelle and The Bluebells, Etta James, Jackie Wilson, Carla Thomas, Gene Chandler, and The O'Jays.

Patti LaBelle and The Bluebells
Patti LaBelle was born Patricia Louise Holt in Philadelphia, PA. Known as Patsy to her friends and family, Holt formed her first group, called The Ordettes, with three friends in 1959. In 1960 two of the original members left and were replaced by Nona Hendryx, and Sarah Dash. Not long after the third original member of the group was replaced by Cindy Birdsong. The group left school and toured local clubs, honky tonks, and truck stops.
The Ordettes almost never got to record, because at an audition with Newton Records, Holt was considered too plain, too dark, and not very attractive. That was until she started to sing! To spice Patti up a bit, a name change was suggested, she went from Holt to LaBelle, and the group changed their name to The Bluebells.
The Bluebells first release "I Sold My Heart To The Junkman" was really recorded by The Starlets, but was released as a Bluebell song due to a contract dispute with The Starlets and their label. The song went to #15 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1962. The group became a hit on the Chitlin' Circuit, earning national fame at the Apollo. We all know that Patti LaBelle and The Bluebells went on to great fame over the years. And if you listen to their version of "Down The Isle", "Danny Boy", and the Doo-wop song that almost every group recorded, "You'll Never Walk Alone", with the old time church feel, that's neither R&B or Pop, you'll understand why I say that in Patti LaBelle and The Bluebells early career "They Should'da Been Doo-wop"!!


ETTA JAMES
Born Jamesette Hawkins in Los Angeles, in 1938, Etta James went on to fame in the R&B world, but before then she started out in what was considerd race music. James moved with her family to San Francisco in 1950. She soon teamed up with two friends and formed a doo-wop group called The Peaches. Johnny Otis heard them and had them audition for him. The group sang an answer to Hank Ballard's song "Work With Me Annie" called "Roll With Me Henry". Without her mother permission, The Peaches went to Los Angeles to record the song. The group recorded the song for Modern Records. The group changed the name of the song to "The Wallflower" (Dance With Me Henry). The song was released in 1955. The song went to #2 on the R&B charts, but was quickly covered by Georga Gibbs. The success of the song got the group a chance to go on tour with Little Richard. As the success of the song faded Etta and the group split, but this didn't stop Etta from finding her own way to success.
In 1960 Etta signed with Chess Records, singing on their Argo label and later on their Cadet label. Etta started making hits, starting with "If I can't Have You", "Spoonful", but her big hit was "All I could Do was Cry", the song went to #2 on the Billboard R&B chart. Etta followed those songs with "My Dearest Darling", and then came "AT LAST". Every doo-wop group that was worth anything sang "At Last". And then came another doo-wop favorite "Sunday Kind Of Love". After the success of these songs Etta started moving away from those kind of songs and went more to R&B, but when you listen to early Etta James you understand why I say she "Should'da been doo-wop".


JACKIE WILSON
Jackie Wilson's first venture into music came when he formed a group called The Falcons, which included his cousin Levi Stubbs, who would later lead The Four Tops of MOTOWN fame. Wilson was another Johnny Otis discovery. Otis moved Wilson to a group called The Thrillers. That group would later become the Royals, who would later become the Midnighters, but Wilson had left the group by this time. Wilson recorded two versions of "Danny Boy" with Dizzyy Gillespie's label Gee Dee Records using the name Sonny Wilson, his nick name.
In 1953 Wilson joined Billy Wards Dominoes, after an audition to replace Clyde McPhatter, who had left to form his own group, The Drifters. Billy Ward is credited with changing Wilson's name from Jack to Jackie for the stage. Wilson was coached by McPhatter to ensure that the sound of The Dominoes stayed true to what Ward wanted. Wilson was lead for the group for three years, but it seems that the group was never the same after McPhatter's departure. Wilson went solo in 1957 and he and Levi Stubbs found work at Detroit's Flame Show Bar, owned by music publisher Al Green. Green worked a deal for Wilson with Decca Records, and Wilson was signed to the Brunswick label.
Soon after Wilson signed his contract Green died, but his partner took over as Wilson's manager. Wilson's first release was "Reet Petite", written by Barry Gordy, Roquel Davis, and Gordy's sister Gwen. This trio of song writers would write nine hits for Wilson, including "To Be Loved", "That's Why I Love You So", "I'll Be Satisfied", and "Lonely Teardrops"
In later years Wilson would sing some operatic ballads and some easy listening material, but he would return to his roots with songs like "Doggin Around", "Night", "Alone At Last", and "My Empty Arms". All of these songs made the charts. Wilson had a lull in his career between 1964 and 1966, but had a hit in 1966 with "(Your Love Keeps Liftng Me)" "Higher and Higher".
If you love Jackie Wilson like I do and you know his story, than you understand why I say Wilson "Should'da been doo-wop".


CARLA THOMAS
Carla Thomas was born December 21, 1942 in Memphis Tennesee. Her father was the legendary Rufus Thomas. Carla grew up in a house full of music, Carla and her siblings were musically gifted, and performed amateur shows around town with their father as MC. These shows gave Carla a view of the music world and gave her footing for her rise to The Queen of the Memphis sound. Carla performed with a local group that was sponsered by the Black radio station in Memphis. The group was called The Teen Town Singers. Even though the rules stated the members had to be teenagers, Carla got in at ten years old, because Rufus was a radio personality. One of the members of the group at the time was Issac Hayes.
While Carla released albums into the 2000's, she is best known for her work Atlantic and Stax Records in the 60's. Carla's first record was a duet with her father called "Cause I Love You". The record got the attention of Jerry Wexler. Wexler stole Carla from Satelite Records and distibuted the song which paved the way for Carla's biggest hit, "GEE Whiz". "Gee Whiz" would chart at #5 on the R&B chart and #10 on the pop chart. The song was first recorded at the Thomas family home. Rufus shopped the song to Vee-Jay Records in Chicago, but dispite their interest, Vee-Jay never moved on the song. Rufus took the song back to Memphis and the record was distributed through Atlantic Records and became an overwhelming success. Carla was propelled into the visual spotlight and was soon on American Bandstand. Carla said she thought the song was young sounding and was surprised at the song's success. The song also did wonders for Stax Records a subsidary of Atlantic Records. Carla didn't have the same success with future recordings. She did however record some memorable songs, "I'll Bring It On Home To You", an answer to Sam Cooke's "Bring It On Home To Me", in 1962, "Stop Look What You're Doing", in 1965, "Let Me Good To You", and "B-A-B-Y" in 1966. In 1967 Carla recorded her second best song "Tramp" with Otis Redding.
Carla, like a lot of doo-wop artist, had one giant hit and some songs that charted, but nothing as big as the first one. With that in mind and the kind of music Stax was making at the time, you see why I say Carla "Should'da been doo-wop".


GENE CHANDLER
Gene Chandler was born Eugene Dixon, July 6, 1937, in Chicago. Chandler's music career started in the early 50's with a group called The Gaytones. In 1957 Chandler joined a doo-wop group called The Dukays. The group included Chandler, James Love, Shirley Jones, Earl Edwards and Ben Broyles, and Chandler soon became lead singer.
Chandler was drafted into the Army, but returned to the group in 1960. The group's first record, "The Girl Is A Devil" was with Nat Records in 1961. The group also recorded "Nite Owl". Chandler recorded as Gene Dixon with The Dukays and as Gene Chandler for his solo work. Vee-Jay Records, recorded and released The Dukay's "Duke Of Earl", but gave all of the credit for the song to Chandler. "Duke Of Earl" sold over a millin copies in one month. The song spent three weeks on the Billboard charts at #1. After the success of the song Chandler started wearing a cape and top hat and became "The Duke Of Earl. Chandler appeared in his Duke outfit in the movie Don't Knock The Twist in 1962. Chandler's concerts became popular and his encore song became "Rainbow '65 one his collaborations with Curtis Mayfield. Chandler recorded "Rainbow three times in his career, and each time it became a hit.
Chandler had another hit with "Just Be True" in 1964, the song was produced by Curtis Mayfield, and landed in the top 20. Chandler had more hits with "Nothing Can Stop Me", "What Now", "A Man's Temptation", "Bless Our Love" over the next five years. Chandler also scored with "You Threw A Lucky Punch" which was ment to compete with Mary Well's "You Beat To The Punch".
Chandler got into the production side of the business in the 70's, and continued to preformed as the Duke in doo-wop shows around the country.
I think because of his background and his popularity on the oldies circuit Gene Chandler "Should'da been doo-wop".


THE O'JAYS
The O'Jays were formed in 1958 at Canton McKinley High School in Canton, Ohio. The group was first called The Triumphs, then The Mascots. The group's first recording was "The Miracles", in 1961. The song was moderate hit in Cleveland. In 1963 the group change their name again to The O'Jays in honor of a local DJ, Eddie O'Jay. As The O'Jays their first recording was "Lonely Drifter", which went national. The group charted throughout the 60's with songs like "Lipstick Traces", "Stand In For Love", "Let It All Out", "I'll Be Sweeter Tomorrow", "Deeper In Love With You", and "One Night Affair".
To me "Deeper In Love With You" sounds like a doo-wop jump song, so in my mind if these early songs had been arranged in five part harmony The O'Jays "Should'da been doo-wop".
The O'Jays were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall Of Fame in 2004, and the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame in 2005.

Now I know some of you won't agree with me on some of these groups, so let's hear some comments, I need feed back so that I can continue to provide you with these blogs.

Next up The Jive Five, The Pastels, Earl Lewis and The Channels, and The Hartones. If there are any groups that you want to read about please let me know.


See you next time!!!!