The Clovers - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

History

The group formed in 1946 at Armstrong High School in Washington, D.C.

Washington, D.C.

Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....

, with members Harold Lucas, Billy Shelton, and Thomas Woods. John "Buddy" Bailey was added soon after, and they began calling themselves the "Four Clovers", with Bailey on lead. In perfecting their sound, the group pushed Shelton and Woods out in 1948, and brought in Matthew McQuarter and Harold Winley.
Their break came in 1950, when they were introduced to Lou Krefetz, who became their manager. They signed to New York

New York

New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...

's Rainbow Records

Rainbow Records

Rainbow Records was a record label based in the United States of America in the 1920s which featured recordings of Christian gospel music, hymns, and spirituals....

and released one single, "Yes Sir, That's My Baby

Yes Sir, That's My Baby

"Yes Sir, That's My Baby" is a U.S. popular song from 1925.The music was written by Walter Donaldson and the lyrics by Gus Kahn. It was a hit for Ace Brigode in 1925 and for Eddie Cantor in 1930. It was later a hit for Rick Nelson in the 1950s and Frank Sinatra in the 1960s...

" backed with "When You Come Back To Me

When You Come Back To Me

"When You Come Back To Me" is the first single from Edyta Górniak's second album Edyta.-Background:The song was written by Christopher Paul Pelcer, Nicol Smith and Robert White Johnson and produced by Christopher Neil....

". Soon after, Krefetz brought them to Atlantic Records

Atlantic Records

Atlantic Records is an American record label best known for its many recordings of rhythm and blues, rock and roll, and jazz...

' Ahmet Ertegün

Ahmet Ertegun

Ahmet Ertegün was a Turkish American musician and businessman, best known as the founder and president of Atlantic Records. He also wrote classic blues and pop songs and served as Chairman of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and museum...

, and they were signed to Atlantic in 1951. At this point, Bill Harris

Bill Harris

- Sports :*Bill Harris , American MLB pitcher*Bill Harris , Canadian MLB pitcher*Bill Harris American basketball coach, head coach India national basketball team...

was added as their guitarist. Their first appearance came in February of that year at the Apollo Theater

Apollo Theater

The Apollo Theater in New York City is one of the most famous, and older, music halls in the United States, and the most famous club associated almost exclusively with Black performers...

.

Their very first Atlantic session produced their first big hit, "Don't You Know I Love You

Don't You Know I Love You

"Don't You Know I Love You" is the 1951, debut single by The Clovers. The single was the first of three singles to make the top spot on the R&B charts...

", which hit #1 on the national charts in June 1951. "One Mint Julep

One Mint Julep

"One Mint Julep" is a rhythm and blues song written by Rudy Toombs that became a hit for The Clovers. It was recorded by Atlantic Records in New York City on December 19, 1951 and released in March of 1952. It was one of the first "drinking songs" to become a hit and one of the first to feature a...

" (written by Rudy Toombs

Rudy Toombs

Rudolph "Rudy" Toombs , born in Monroe, Louisiana, was an American black songwriter who wrote "Teardrops from My Eyes", Ruth Brown's first number one R&B successful song...

) and "Fool, Fool, Fool

Fool, Fool, Fool

"Fool, Fool, Fool" is a 1951 song by The Clovers. The single was their second number one on the R&B chart and their most successful song on that chart, spending six weeks at the number-one position.-References:...

" also went #1 in September. Bailey was drafted in 1952, and John Phillip

John Phillip

John Phillip was a Victorian era painter best known for his portrayals of Spanish life. He was nicknamed "Spanish Phillip"....

was brought in to replace him. He stayed for just a few months, before leaving and being replaced by Charlie White, who had been in the Dominoes and the Checkers.

With personal problems, White was fired near the end of 1953. His replacement was Billy Mitchell. The group continued recording with Atlantic, without as much success as they'd previously seen. Buddy Bailey was discharged from the Army

Army

An army An army An army (from Latin arma "arms, weapons" via Old French armée, "armed" (feminine), in the broadest sense, is the land-based military of a nation or state. It may also include other branches of the military such as the air force via means of aviation corps...

in May 1954, and rejoined the group, making them a quintet. They continued in recording, and in 1955, found moderate success with "Devil or Angel".

Mitchell left in 1957 to do solo work, but rejoined shortly thereafter, opting to do both solo work and work with the Clovers. Their Atlantic contract expired, and Krefetz moved them to his own label, Poplar Records. Poplar was purchased by United Artists Records

United Artists Records

United Artists Records was a record label founded by Max E. Youngstein of United Artists in 1957 initially to distribute records of its movie soundtracks, though it soon branched out into recording music of a number of different genres.-History:...

shortly thereafter. The group's work with United Artists put them in contact with Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller

Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller

Jerome "Jerry" Leiber and Mike Stoller were American songwriting and record producing partners. Stoller was the composer and Leiber the lyricist. Their most famous songs include "Hound Dog", "Jailhouse Rock", "Kansas City", "Stand By Me" Jerome "Jerry" Leiber (April 25, 1933 – August 22, 2011)...

. After a few recordings there, they had their biggest hit, "Love Potion #9

Love Potion No. 9 (song)

"Love Potion No. 9" is a song written in 1959 by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller. It was originally performed by The Clovers.-Story:The song describes a man seeking help finding love, so he talks to a Gypsy, who determines through palm reading that he needs "love potion number 9"...

", which came in July 1959, and featured Mitchell on lead.

They recorded two versions of "Love Potion #9" on UA. For the album of that name, a new final verse was created referring to "Love potion #10". In fact it was this latter version that was more often on radio.

After "Love Potion #9"

Their United Aartists contract expired in 1961, and they moved to Winley Records

Winley Records

Paul Winley Records Inc. was a doo-wop record label founded in 1956 that in 1979 became one of the earliest hip hop labels. It was situated on 125th Street, Harlem, New York City. Winley released doo-wop by The Paragons and The Jesters, and hip hop records by Paul Winley's daughters, Tanya and...

. With little success there, the group split. Lucas and Mitchell brought in new members James "Toy" Walton and Robert Russell, and recorded shortly for Atlantic. John Bailey recorded with his own Clovers group in 1962 for Winley (owned by Harold's brother Paul).

Mitchell left in 1962, and was replaced by Roosevelt "Tippie" Hubbard. They recorded as "Tippie and the Clovermen" and "Tippie and the Clovers" for Tiger Records, a subsidiary of Rust Records. John Bailey's group, by this time consisting of Nathaniel Bouknight, Peggy Winley Mills (sister of Paul and Harold), and Ann Winley, Paul's wife, recorded for another Paul Winley label, Porwin Records. Near the end of 1963, the two groups came back together, into a Clovers trio featuring Harold Lucas, John Bailey, and the returning Harold Winley.

Following The Searchers

The Searchers (band)

The Searchers are an English beat group, who emerged as part of the 1960s Merseybeat scene along with The Beatles, The Fourmost, The Merseybeats, The Swinging Blue Jeans, and Gerry & The Pacemakers....

' remake of "Love Potion #9" in 1965, some of the old Winley and Porwin tracks were leased to Pickwick International Records, who released them as the album The Original Love Potion No. 9 by The Clovers. Winley left for the second time in 1965. Bailey and Lucas recorded briefly for Atlantic with the returning Robert Russell and Jimmy Taylor. The sides were sold to Port Records and released with little success. Lucas and Bailey split that year.

Lucas and Russell brought back Tippie Hubbard and Toy Walton and, with fifth member Al Fox, recorded as "Tippie and the Wisemen" for Washington D.C.'s Shrine Records

Shrine Records

Shrine Records was an American soul and R&B record label based in Washington, D.C. The label was cofounded in 1964 by the label's primary songwriter Eddie Singleton along with wife, Raynoma Gordy Singleton...

. With Fox out, they changed back to The Clovers. John Bailey also formed a Clovers group, who re-recorded "Devil or Angel" and "Love Potion #9" for Lana Records in 1965. To add to this confusion, Harold Winley started a third Clovers group in 1968, with members Bobby Adams, Johnny Taylor, and Ray Loper, and recorded for Josie Records

Josie Records

Josie Records was a subsidiary of Jubilee Records in New York and was active from 1954 through to 1971. Single records were numbered from 760 through to 1031.Their best sellers were The Cadillacs, Bobby Freeman and The Meters....

.

Robert Russell died in 1969 and Lucas replaced him with John Bowie

John Bowie

John Bowie is an American football cornerback who is currently a member of the Cincinnati Bengals. He was drafted by the Oakland Raiders in the fourth round of the 2007 NFL Draft...

. They released a disco

Disco

Disco is a genre of dance music. Disco acts charted high during the mid-1970s, and the genre's popularity peaked during the late 1970s. It had its roots in clubs that catered to African American, gay, psychedelic, and other communities in New York City and Philadelphia during the late 1960s and...

tune, "Bump Jive!", on D.C. based Aladdin Records

Aladdin Records

Aladdin Records was a post-World War II United States record label, with headquarters in Hollywood, California. The label was founded in 1945 by brothers Eddie, Leo, and Ira Mesner and was originally called Philo Records, before changing to its better-known name in April 1946.Aladdin Records...

in 1975. Shortly after the recording, Toy Walton died, and was replaced by Johnnie Mason. Tippie Hubbard died in 1980 and was replaced by Steve Charles.

A reunion was planned in 1988 in Austin, Texas

Austin, Texas

Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...

. Lucas brought his Clovers, as well as reuniting with John Bailey, Matthew McQuarter, and Harold Winley. Lucas' group also performed at a benefit concert

Benefit concert

A benefit concert or charity concert is a concert, show or gala featuring musicians, comedians, or other performers that is held for a charitable purpose, often directed at a specific and immediate humanitarian crisis. Such events raise both funds and public awareness to address the cause at...

later that year for Bill Harris

Bill Harris

- Sports :*Bill Harris , American MLB pitcher*Bill Harris , Canadian MLB pitcher*Bill Harris American basketball coach, head coach India national basketball team...

, the group's long-time guitarist. Also in 1988, Lucas' group recorded for Ripete Records

Ripete Records

Ripete Records is a small, independently distributed record label specializing in the reissue of Carolina Beach Music compilations for shag dance enthusiasts, mainly in the Southeastern US, as well as providing an outlet for newer recordings by R&B artists, such as The Drifters, The Clovers, and...

, in Elliott, South Carolina.

Chuck Battle replaced Charles around 1990. Harold Lucas became ill and stopped touring around 1993. His place was taken by Richard Merritt. Battle left in 1992 and was replaced by Preston Monroe, who was later replaced by David Warren. King Raymond Green was added to the group from The Flamingos

The Flamingos

The Flamingos were a doo wop group from the United States, most popular in the mid to late 1950s and best known for their 1959 cover version of "I Only Have Eyes for You".-Early quintet:...

in 1998 to join Johnnie Mason, David Warren, and Richard Merritt. The group performed on the PBS special, Doo Wop 51 in 2000. John Bowie

John Bowie

John Bowie is an American football cornerback who is currently a member of the Cincinnati Bengals. He was drafted by the Oakland Raiders in the fourth round of the 2007 NFL Draft...

died in 2002, but the group continued to work under the leadership of Johnnie Mason. The Clovers were inducted to the Doo Wop Hall of Fame in 2001 and the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2002.

Richard Merritt left the group in 2002; his last performance was the VGHOF induction ceremony. David Warren departed soon after. Mason currently leads a new group featuring former Flamingo Ron Reace, William Rawlings, and Antwan Drayton.

In 2006, King Raymond Green left Johnnie Mason's group to form a new group, The Original Clovers (sanctioned by Steve Charles who co-owns The Clovers trademark along with Johnnie Mason).) The new group formed by King Raymond Green recruited Harold Winley (now the only surviving founding member) and new members Franklen Poole, Carlos Wilson, Edward "Ike" Bowers, and guitarist Tye Lovell. This group is managed by Powerhouse Productions, and still tours the U.S and Europe. Following the 1988 reunion, Winley and Buddy Bailey had joined Jimmy Nabbie's Ink Spots

The Ink Spots

The Ink Spots were a popular vocal group in the 1930s and 1940s that helped define the musical genre that led to rhythm and blues and rock and roll, and the subgenre doo-wop...

; Winley still performs in that group from time to time. Prior to his death, Bailey also performed solo, sometimes backed up by The Calvanes, who feature former Bailey-Clovers member Bobby Adams. No remnants of the former Bailey groups exist.

Awards and recognition

The Clovers were awarded the Rhythm and Blues Foundation, Pioneer Award, 1988; inducted into The Doo Wop Hall of Fame in 2001, inducted into The Vocal Group Hall of Fame

Vocal Group Hall of Fame

The Vocal Group Hall of Fame was organized to honor outstanding vocal groups throughout the world. It is headquartered in Sharon, Pennsylvania, United States. It includes a theater and a museum....

in 2002, inducted in the United in Group Harmony (UGHA) Hall of Fame, 2002.

Controversies

As of February 2011, The Clovers are involved in a dispute with a Cleveland-based indie rock band named "Clovers" concerning the band's name.

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.