The Dixie Nightingales
Encyclopedia
The Dixie Nightingales, also known as Ollie & the Nightingales and The Nightingales, was an African-American male vocal group, whose repertoire included gospel
and later rhythm and blues
and soul music
.
, was founded as The Gospel Writer Juniors, later changing its name to The Dixie Nightingales. The founding members included Ollie Hoskins (born 1936 in Batesville, Mississippi
, USA), Willie Neal, Nelson Lesure, Bill Davis, and Rochester Neal. With Hoskins as lead singer, The Dixie Nightingales became one of the most prominent and successful southern gospel groups of the 1950s and 1960s, and made their first records for Pepper Records in 1958. During the late 1950s and early 1960s, one of their members was a teen-aged David Ruffin
, who would later go on to find fame as lead singer of The Temptations
.
In 1962, The Dixie Nightingales moved to Nashboro Records. Three years later, Randle Catron brought the group to Stax Records
, where new executive Al Bell
had started a gospel subsidiary, Chalice Records. The Dixie Nightingales recorded three singles for Chalice, including "The Assassination", about the murder of U.S. President John F. Kennedy
.
After some convincing from Al Bell, the group decided to turn to secular soul music in 1968. Willie Neal left the act that this time, and was replaced by Quincy Billops Jr., a former member of Stax's The Mad Lads
.
Changing their name to Ollie & the Nightingales, the group moved to the main Stax label, where they released a number of singles. Their most successful was 1968's "I Know I've Got a Sure Thing", a William Bell
/Booker T. Jones
composition which peaked at number 16 on the Billboard Black Singles chart. Follow-ups such as "I've Got a Feeling" and "You're Leaving Me" were not as successful. Ollie & the Nightingales also sung backing vocals for Eddie Floyd
on his 1968 hit single "I've Never Met a Girl (To Love Me Like You Do)"
In 1969, the group released a long-playing album, Ollie & the Nightingales; "I Got a Sure Thing" was not included because Atlantic Records
retained ownership of that single and all other pre-1968 Stax material after Stax severed its distribution deal with Atlantic.
In 1970, Hoskins left to pursue a solo career as "Ollie Nightingale". He recorded a few R&B charting singles before moving on to perform blues
in Memphis. Stax's Sir Mack Rice recruited Tommy Tate to replace Hoskins, and the group recorded three singles for Stax in the early 1970s before disbanding. Bill Davis, Quincy Billops Jr., and Rochester Neal left Stax, and went on to join The Ovations.
Ollie Nightingale appeared in the 1993 film The Firm, starring Tom Cruise
, and recorded four albums for Ecko Records
afterwords. He died in Memphis on October 26, 1997 of a heart attack.
Ollie & the Nightingales:
The Nightingales:
Gospel
A gospel is an account, often written, that describes the life of Jesus of Nazareth. In a more general sense the term "gospel" may refer to the good news message of the New Testament. It is primarily used in reference to the four canonical gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John...
and later rhythm and blues
Rhythm and blues
Rhythm and blues, often abbreviated to R&B, is a genre of popular African American music that originated in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly to urban African Americans, at a time when "urbane, rocking, jazz based music with a...
and soul music
Soul music
Soul music is a music genre originating in the United States combining elements of gospel music and rhythm and blues. According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, soul is "music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm & blues into a form of...
.
History
The group, based in Memphis, TennesseeMemphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
, was founded as The Gospel Writer Juniors, later changing its name to The Dixie Nightingales. The founding members included Ollie Hoskins (born 1936 in Batesville, Mississippi
Batesville, Mississippi
Batesville is a city in Panola County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 7,113 at the 2000 census.-History:The Land upon which present day Batesville is situated originally belonged to a Chickasaw Indian called Ish-Sho-Nu-Nah...
, USA), Willie Neal, Nelson Lesure, Bill Davis, and Rochester Neal. With Hoskins as lead singer, The Dixie Nightingales became one of the most prominent and successful southern gospel groups of the 1950s and 1960s, and made their first records for Pepper Records in 1958. During the late 1950s and early 1960s, one of their members was a teen-aged David Ruffin
David Ruffin
Davis Eli "David" Ruffin was an American soul singer and musician most famous for his work as one of the lead singers of the Temptations from 1964 to 1968...
, who would later go on to find fame as lead singer of The Temptations
The Temptations
The Temptations is an American vocal group having achieved fame as one of the most successful acts to record for Motown Records. The group's repertoire has included, at various times during its five-decade career, R&B, doo-wop, funk, disco, soul, and adult contemporary music.Formed in Detroit,...
.
In 1962, The Dixie Nightingales moved to Nashboro Records. Three years later, Randle Catron brought the group to Stax Records
Stax Records
Stax Records is an American record label, originally based in Memphis, Tennessee.Founded in 1957 as Satellite Records, the name Stax Records was adopted in 1961. The label was a major factor in the creation of the Southern soul and Memphis soul music styles, also releasing gospel, funk, jazz, and...
, where new executive Al Bell
Al Bell
Al Bell is an American record producer, songwriter, and record executive. Bell is best known as one of the key figures behind and a co-owner of Memphis, Tennessee-based Stax Records during the latter half of the label's nineteen-year existence...
had started a gospel subsidiary, Chalice Records. The Dixie Nightingales recorded three singles for Chalice, including "The Assassination", about the murder of U.S. President John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
.
After some convincing from Al Bell, the group decided to turn to secular soul music in 1968. Willie Neal left the act that this time, and was replaced by Quincy Billops Jr., a former member of Stax's The Mad Lads
The Mad Lads
The Mad Lads were an American rhythm and blues vocal group, who recorded on the Stax subsidiary label Volt in the 1960s. Their biggest hits were "Don't Have To Shop Around" and "I Want Someone" .-Career:...
.
Changing their name to Ollie & the Nightingales, the group moved to the main Stax label, where they released a number of singles. Their most successful was 1968's "I Know I've Got a Sure Thing", a William Bell
William Bell
-Musicians:* William Bell * William Bell * William Henry Bell , composer -Politicians:* Dr. William Bell , founder of Manitou Springs, Colorado...
/Booker T. Jones
Booker T. Jones
Booker T. Jones is a multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, record producer and arranger, best known as the frontman of the band Booker T. and the MGs. He has also worked in the studios with many well-known artists of the 20th and 21st centuries, earning him a Grammy Award for lifetime...
composition which peaked at number 16 on the Billboard Black Singles chart. Follow-ups such as "I've Got a Feeling" and "You're Leaving Me" were not as successful. Ollie & the Nightingales also sung backing vocals for Eddie Floyd
Eddie Floyd
Eddie Lee Floyd is an American soul/R&B singer and songwriter, best known for his work on the Stax record label in the 1960s and 1970s and the song "Knock on Wood".-Biography:...
on his 1968 hit single "I've Never Met a Girl (To Love Me Like You Do)"
In 1969, the group released a long-playing album, Ollie & the Nightingales; "I Got a Sure Thing" was not included because 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...
retained ownership of that single and all other pre-1968 Stax material after Stax severed its distribution deal with Atlantic.
In 1970, Hoskins left to pursue a solo career as "Ollie Nightingale". He recorded a few R&B charting singles before moving on to perform blues
Blues
Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
in Memphis. Stax's Sir Mack Rice recruited Tommy Tate to replace Hoskins, and the group recorded three singles for Stax in the early 1970s before disbanding. Bill Davis, Quincy Billops Jr., and Rochester Neal left Stax, and went on to join The Ovations.
Ollie Nightingale appeared in the 1993 film The Firm, starring Tom Cruise
Tom Cruise
Thomas Cruise Mapother IV , better known as Tom Cruise, is an American film actor and producer. He has been nominated for three Academy Awards and he has won three Golden Globe Awards....
, and recorded four albums for Ecko Records
Ecko Records
Ecko Records is an American blues and soul blues record label, founded in 1995 by John Ward in Memphis, Tennessee. Ecko Records has released albums by Rufus Thomas, Barbara Carr, Denise LaSalle, Lee "Shot" Williams, Bill Coday, Earl Gaines, Ollie Nightingale, Carl Sims, Quinn Golden, and numerous...
afterwords. He died in Memphis on October 26, 1997 of a heart attack.
Singles
The Dixie Nightingales:- 1965: "The Assassination" b/w "Hush Hush"
- 1965: "I Don't Know" b/w "Keep On Trying"
- 1966: "Forgive These Fools" b/w "There's Not A Friend"
Ollie & the Nightingales:
- 1968: "I Got a Sure Thing" b/w "Girl You Have My Heart Singing" (US #73, US R&B #17)
- 1969: "You're Leaving Me" b/w "Showered With Love" (US R&B #47)
- 1969: "Mellow Way You Treat Your Man" b/w "Don't Do What I Did"
- 1969: "I've Got a Feeling" b/w "You'll Never Do Wrong" (US R&B #45)
- 1970: "Bracing Myself For The Fall" b/w "I'll Be Your Anything"
The Nightingales:
- 1970: "You’re Moving Much Too Fast" b/w "Don’t Let a Good Thing Go"
- 1970: "I Don’t Want To Be Like My Daddy" b/w "Just a Little Overcome"
- 1971: "Don’t Do It I’m With You" b/w "Can’t Get Away"
Album
- 1969: Ollie & the Nightingales (Stax 2021):
- "You'll Never Do Wrong"/ "Don't Make the Good Suffer"/ "Don't Do What I Did"/ "I've Got a Feeling"/ "You're Leaving Me"/ "Broke-In Love"/ "A-B-C-D"/ "Mellow Way You Treat Your Man"/ "Girl You Make My Heart Sing"/ "I've Never Found a Girl"/ "Showered With Love"