The Platters
The most successful vocal group of the ‘50s, the
Platters helped immeasurable in putting black groups on the pop map.
Their biggest assets were Tony Williams’s sweet tenor and their
pop radio acceptability, fostered by some early hits from the pen of
manager Buck Ram.
Buck had a long career as an arranger for big bands like Duke Ellington,
Tommy Dorsey, Cab Calloway, Glenn Miller, and Count Basie after earning a
law degree at the University of Illinois and studying music at
Southwestern University.
He turned to management in the early ‘50s in Los
Angeles, building a roster of local talent like THE PENGUINS, the Flairs,
THE COLTS, Young Jessie, and Linda Hayes.
Meanwhile, a quartet was formed in Los Angeles by
cornel Gunter along with Joe Jefferson and Alex and Gaynel Hodge.
Tony Williams met them at the Club Alabama in Watts and soon became
their lead singer.
Tony, who was originally from Elizabeth, New Jersey,
was working in a car wash when he was brought to Ran in 1953 by his
recording artist sister, Linda Hayes (actually Bertha Williams), who in
February 1953 hit with an answer record to Willy Mabone’s “I Don’t
Know” titled “Yes I Know (What You’re Putting Down)” (#2 R&B,
R-I-H Records).
Ram thought Tony’s warm, rich tenor was terrific
but knew he couldn’t sell a black solo tenor in those times, so he asked
Williams if he’s be interested in joining a group.
Since Tony already had one called the Platters, an audition was
arranged. Though they sounded
amateurish, Ram began working with them and with few key changes made the
pieces fall into place. After
a few practices Gaynel Hodge and Joe Jefferson left and in came Herb Reed
of Kansas City, Missouri, from the famous gospel group the Wings Over
Jordan. Also hired was David Lynch of St. Louis, Missouri, who was
working as a cab driver when he joined.
The Platters were now Tony on lead, David tenor, Alex
baritone, and Herb bass. Ram
arranged a record deal with Federal Records and cut several sides that
included the Ram-penned ballad “Only You.”
Syd Nathan, president of Federal, thought it was so bad he swore he
wouldn’t issue it, so the Platters’ first single became the
gospel-ballad turned rocker “Give Thanks,” which went nowhere.
But it did show the potential of 25-year-old Tony Williams.
Their second single was the solid rhythm and blues
ballad “I’ll Cry When You’re Gone.”
Five more Federal releases boosted their local stature and a few
sold around 20,000 copies on the West Coast.
Though the group would wind up with a pop harmony style, their
early Federal 45s were R&B and gospel oriented.
To soften the group’s sound, Ram added Zola Taylor from one of
his other acts, Shirley Gunter and the Queens (Shirley was Cornel’s
sister). She recorded on the last few sides the Platters did for
Federal, including a 1955 backup for Linda Hayes on “Please Have
Mercy.” Alex then left and
Paul Robi of New Orleans took over the baritone position.
Ram kept the group working and polishing its sound,
so much so that another Los Angeles group, the Penguins, seeing how much
money a group like the Platters was making without a hit, decided to sign
with Ram.
The first thing he did with the “Earth Angel”
group was move them to the Chicago major label Mercury, but in order for
the Windy City label to have them, they had to accept Buck’s now famous
two-for-one deal. “If you
want the Penguins you have to take the Platters,” he said, and Mercury
reluctantly agreed, privately celebrating over their acquisition of the
proven hit Penguins while tolerating their purchase of the no-hit
Platters.
The first session for Mercury’s Platters included a
rerecording of “Only You.” Mercury’s A&R man, Bob Shad, was
ready to drop the song from the session until Buck volunteered to play
piano for the musician who had to leave earl.
It was the only session Buck ever played on, but he was determined
to get it recorded and knew the song could be a hit.
On July 3, 1955, “Only You” hit the charts and
was soon at number one R&B (for an amazing seven weeks) and number
five Pop. It stayed on the
charts for 30 weeks and was the first rock and roll record to beat out a
white cover in the race for the top 10 (THE HILTOPPERS reached number
eight).
Buck’s beautiful ballad and his persistence
convinced Mercury to continue promoting the black group as if they were a
pop white act, and to keep the momentum going Ram told Shad of a terrific
new song he had that was even better than “Only You.”
When pressed to name it he quickly replied “The Great
Pretender.” Now all he had
to do was write it, and that’s what he did.
“The Great Pretender.”
Now all he had to do was write it, and that’s what he did.
“The Great Pretender” was issued in November 1955
and became their second number one R&B single and first number one Pop
hit (the first R&B ballad to reach the top Pop spot).
The song also began a streak of 11 two-sided hits (its flip
“I’m Just a Dancing Partner” reached number 87 Pop) making the
Platters the number one American vocal group in that category.
“Great Pretender” launched their career as American ambassadors
of music their career as American ambassadors of music when it reached
number five in England (with “Only You” on its flip side) and spread
around the would. Meanwhile,
Federal’s Syd Nathan choked on his own words in order to make a quick
dollar and put out his badly recorded version of “Only You.”
(Billboard’s January 7, 1956, issue noted that Federal
hoped to cash in by reissuing “Tell the World” newly backed by “I
Need You All the Time,” two previous A-side singles.)
Ballad hits like “The Magic Touch” (#4 Pop and
R&B, 1956), “My Prayer” (#1 Pop and R&B, and #4 U.K., 1956),
“You’ll Never, Never Know” (#11 Pop, #9 R&B, and #23 U.K.,
1956), and “I’m Sorry” (#23 Pop, #15 R&B, and #18 U.K., 1957)
established the Platters in a way few black groups had ever been perceived
by the general public, save for THE INK SPOTS and MILLS BROTHERS.
The Platters became the first rock and roll group to
ever have a top 10 LP, and worldwide ours became the order of the day.
In 1958 they debuted “Twilight Time” on Dick
Clark’s “American Bandstand” Saturday night TV show.
A film of the Platters performing the song was used for promotion
on TV shows. If you’ve seen
it, you were looking at what may have been the first precursor of music
videos.
A super seller, “Twilight Time” was number one
Pop and R&B in the spring of 1958, number three in the U.K., and
number one in Australia.
In October 1958 Mercury issued the legendary ballad
“Smoke Gets in Your Eyes” (originally by Paul Whiteman in 1933-34, #1,
Victor), recorded in Paris, France, while the group was on tour.
It reached number one Pop on June 19, 1959, for three weeks (Lloyd
Price’s “Stagger Lee” finally displaced it) and number one R&B,
while it became their only number one record in Britain and also hit the
top spot in Australia.
The group delivered excellent records like
“Enchanted” (#12 Pop, #9 R&B) and “Remember When” (#41 Pop) in
1959.
The Platters weren’t immune to the perils of their
business and touring lifestyle. They
(the four male members) were arrested in Cincinnati, Ohio, in August for
an encounter with four 19-year-old women, three of whom were white.
By December they had been acquitted, but not before shocked and
outraged disc jockeys (a proven pristine lot themselves) had removed the
Platters’ current single “Where” from many play lists, causing it to
die at number 44.
On March 28, 1960, “Harbor Lights,” the Francis
Langford 1937 hit (#6), became the Platters’ last top 10 charter (#8
Pop, #15 R&B, #11 U.K.) and “Sleepy Lagoon” their last flip side
charter (#65).
After 20 Mercury singles the label changed the credit
to read “The Platters Featuring Tony Williams.”
It appeared on the 1953 (#2) Frank Chacksfield hit “Ebb Tide,”
but the warm reading only reached number 56.
More great standards followed: “Red Sails in the
Sunset” (#36, 1960), “To Each His Own” (#21, 1960), and “If I
Didn’t Care” (#30, 1961).
By early 1961 Tony Williams had decided to record on
his own and signed with Reprise Records.
Billboard’s July 10th review noted the change
on their new single “I’ll Never Smile Again,” saying, “The group,
with its new lead, Sonny Turner, wrap up the tender oldie in a smooth,
expressive vocal treatment. An
effective side.”
Mercury continued issuing Williams-led Platters
singles with “It’s Magic” (#91) the last charter in early 1962. Then Mercury refused to release any product with a lead other
than Williams. Buck “I’ll
sue ‘em” Ram did exactly that, and 1961 ended in legal turmoil.
By 1962 Paul Robi and Zola Taylor left and were
replaced by Nate Nelson (THE FLAMINGOS) and Sandra Dawn, respectively.
The group always worked but it took four years to put
them back on the charts while Mercury continued to issue old sides from
the can right up to 1964, the last being “Little Things Mean a Lot.”
IN April 1966 “I Love You a Thousand Times” was
issued by Musicor and reached number 31 Pop (#6 R&B), their biggest
hit since 1961’s “I’ll Never Smile Again” (#25). They issued
several more platters on Musicar, the most successful being “With This
Ring” (#14 Pop, #12 R7B).
In the early ‘70s there were at least four related
Platters groups and who-knows-how-many “pretender” acts. One had
original bass Herb Reed with Nate Nelson, Liz Davis, Ron Austin, and Duke
Daniels. Another billed as the Original Platters had Paul Robi, David
Lynch, and Zola Taylor. Tony Williams formed his own Platters and as of
1989 they consisted of he and his wife Helen, Bobby Rivers, Ted E. Fame,
and Ricky Williams.
Buck Ram had no intention of being left out and
formed the Buck Ram Platters with Monroe Powell, Ella Woods, Chico LaMar,
Craig Alexander (a cousin of Zola Taylor), and Gene Williams.
Last but not least, Sonny Turner formed his own group now billed as
Sonny Turner, formerly of The Platters and Sounds Unlimited.
David Lynch died in 1981 and Paul Robi passed on in
1989, both of cancer. IN 1990 The Platters were inducted into the Rock and
Roll Hall of Fame. The group
not only helped break the musical color barrier, they set a standard of
quality that groups would try to reach in coming decades.
By the time their recording days were done they’d amassed 16 gold
singles and three million-selling LPs.
They performed in cities and countries that most Americans never
dreamed had even heard a Platters disc, taking American music to
appreciative audiences all over the worlds.
~ Jay Warner
THE PLATTERS
A Side / B Side Label
/ CAT NO Date
Give Thanks / Hey Now
Fed 12153 11/53
I’ll Cry When Your Gone /
I Need You All The Time
Fed 12164 1/54
Roses Of Picardy /
Beer Barrel Polka
Fed 12181 5/54
Tell The World / Love All Night Fed 12188
1954
Shake It Up Mambo /
Voo-Vee-Ah-Bee
Fed 12198 10/54
Take Me Back, Take Me Back /
Maggie Doesn’t Work Here Anymore Fed 12204 12/54
Please Have Mercy / Oochi Pachie King 4773 2/55
(Linda Hayes and The Platters)
Only You / Bark, Battle And Ball Merc 70633 11/55
The Great Pretender /
I’m Just A Dancing Partner
Merc 70753 11/55
Only You / You Made Me Cry
Fed 12244 12/55
Tell The World / I Need You All The Time
Fed 12250 12/55
The Magic Touch / Winner Take All Merc 70819
2/56
My Prayer / Heaven On Earth
Merc 70893 6/56
You’ll Never Never Know / It Isn’t Right
Merc 70948 8/56
Give Thanks / I Need You All The Time Fed 12271 1956
One In A Million /
On My Word Of Honor
Merc 71011 11/56
I’m Sorry / He’s Mine
Merc 71032 /57
My Dream / I Wanna
Merc 71093
4/57
Only Because / The Mystery Of You Merc 71184 8/57
Helpless / Indiff’rent
Merc 71246 12/57
Twilight Time / Out Of My Mind Mrec 71289 4/58
You’re Making A Mistake /
My Old Flame Merc
71320 6/58
Twilight Time / For The First Time Merc 30075
1958
I Wish / It’s Raining Outside Merc 71535
9/58
Smoke Gets In Your Eyes /
No Matter What You Are
Merc 71383 10/58
Enchanted / The Sound And The Fury Merc 71427 2/59
Remember When / Love Of A Lifetime Merc 71426 5/59
Wish It Were Me / Where
Merc 71502 9/59
What Does It Matter / My Secret Merc 71538 1/59
Harbor Lights / Sleepy Lagoon Merc 71563 1/60
Ebb Tide / Apple Blossom Home Merc 71624 5/60
Red Sails In The Sunset / Sad River Merc 71656 8/60
To Each His Own /
Down The River Of Golden Dreams Merc 71697 10/60
If I Didn’t Care / True Lover Merc 71749 1/61
I’ll Never Smile Again / You Don’t Say
Merc 71847
7/61
Song For The Lonely / You’ll Never Know
Merc 71904 11/61
It’s Magic / Reaching For A Star Merc 71921
1/62
More Thank You Know /
Every Little Movement
Merc 71986 1962
Memories / Heartbreak
Merc 72060 11/62
I’ll See You In My Dreams /
Once In A While Merc
72107 1963
Here Comes Heaven Again / Strangers Merc 72129 6/63
Viva Ju Juy / Cuando Calienta El Sol Merc 72194 1963
Java Jive / Row That Boat Ashore Merc 72242 2/64
Sincerely / P.S. I Love You
Merc 72305 6/64
Love Me Tender /
Little Things Mean A Lot
Merc 72359 1964
Won’t You Be My Friend /
Run While It’s Dark Entrée
107 1965
I Love You 1000 Times /
Don’t Hear, Speak, See No Evil Mscr 1166 4/66
Devri / Alone In The Night
Mscr 1195 8/66
I’ll Be Home / The Magic Touch Mscr 1121 11/66
With This Ring / If I Had A Love
Mscr 1229 2/67
Washed Ashore /
What Name Shall I Give You My Love Mscr 1251 6/67
Sweet, Sweet Lovin’ / Sonata
Mscr 1275 10/67
Love Must Go On /
How Beautiful Our Love Is
Mscr 1288 1968
So Many Tears /
Think Before You Walk Away Mscr 1302 1968
Hard To Get A Thing Called Love / Why Mscr 1322
7/68
Fear Of Loving You / Sonata
Mscr 1341 1968
Be My Love / Sweet, Sweet Lovin’ Mscr 1443 6/71
1953, bass singer Herb Reed put
together a group of four men and called them "The Platters."
Herb got the idea from a disc jockey referring to records as platters. The
four men in the very beginning were Herb Reed, Joe Jefferson, Cornell
Gunther, and Alex Hodge. They were just having fun, and entered amateur
shows and always won first prize with Herb singing the lead. The first TV
appearance was on a show called Ebony Showcase with Cornell Gunther
singing lead on a swing version of "Old McDonald Had A Farm."
Months later, David Lynch replaced Joe Jefferson and Tony Williams
replaced Cornell Gunther. While at an amateur show, Ralph Bass from
Federal Records saw them perform with Herb singing lead. Bass signed the
group to their first recording contract. Late in 1953, Alex Hodge came to
the group and said there was a songwriter from Chicago who wanted to meet
them. The songwriter happened to be Buck Ram. The group signed a
management contract with Buck Ram.
Early in 1954, Ram thought it would be a
good idea to add a female to the group, and as luck would have it Zola
Taylor was rehearsing at Alex Hodge's house, with Cornell Gunther's
sister, Shirley (a group called "The Queens".) Shortly after
meeting the group, Zola joined "The Platters." In August of
1954, Paul Robi replaced Alex Hodge.
In 1955, "The Platters" signed
a recording contract with Mercury Records. "The Platters" ended
up putting Mercury on the International map. "The Platters"
recorded just under 400 songs, sold well over 89 Million records,
performed in over 91 countries, and received over two hundred and thirty
awards from all over the world. "The Platters" have appeared in
twenty-seven movies, some you may remember: "Rock Around The
Clock," "The Girl Can't Help It" (Jane Mansfield,)
"Europe By Night," "Girls Town" (Paul Anka,)
"Carnival Rock," and twenty-two more in Mexico, Spain, France,
Italy, Japan, and Israel. "The Platters" were inducted into the
Rock And Roll Hall of Fame in 1990.
There is only one original member, Herb
Reed, left to carry on the good will of the name "The Platters!"
On September 29, 1997, the Federal District Court in Las Vegas, Nevada,
ruled that Herb Reed owns and has the exclusive right to use the mark
"The Platters." On April 2, 1999 the 9th Circuit Court of
Appeals affirmed the Nevada judgement . Herb Reed is the only original
member still performing. |