The Crows

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
This article is about the 1950s singing group. For the Australian rules football club, see
Adelaide Crows
.
The Crows
doo wop
Years active1951–1955
LabelsRama
Past members
  • Daniel "Sonny" Norton
  • William "Bill" Davis
  • Harold Major
  • Jerry Wittick
  • Gerald Hamilton
  • Mark Jackson

The Crows were an American

Billboard magazine pop and rhythm-and-blues charts in 1954. Although Gee fell into the doo-wop genre, and "was the first 1950s doo-wop record to sell over one million records" in that genre,[2] some (including Jay Warner) consider it as the first of the "rock n' roll records".[3][4]

History

When The Crows started in 1951, practicing sidewalk harmonies, the original members were Daniel "Sonny" Norton (lead), William "Bill" Davis (baritone), Harold Major (tenor), Jerry Wittick (tenor) and Gerald Hamilton (bass). In 1952, Wittick left the group and was replaced by Mark Jackson (tenor and guitarist).[1]

They were discovered at Apollo Theater's Wednesday night talent show by talent agent Cliff Martinez and brought to independent producer George Goldner, who had just started the Rama Records label.[5] The Crows were the first group signed and the first to record. The first songs they recorded were as backup to singer Viola Watkins. The song "Gee" was the third song recorded during their first recording session, on February 10, 1953. It was put together in a few minutes by group member William Davis, with Watkins credited as co-writer.[6]

The song was first released as the B-side of the ballad "I Love You So". However, radio stations began playing "

R&B and pop charts, rising to #2 R&B and #14 pop.[6]
The song was a huge hit a year after it was recorded.

The Crows were a

Hit Parade.[7][8] They maintained the original lineup for the entire career of the group, with no hope of a reunion following the deaths of Gerald Hamilton in the 1960s and Daniel Norton in 1972.[9]

References

  1. ^ a b Warner, Jay, American Singing Groups: A History from 1940 to Today (2006), published by Hal Leonard Corporation, at page 137
  2. ^ [http://bestsongsever.com/the-crows/gee The Crows Gee]
  3. ^ Gee by The Crows
  4. ^ American Singing Groups, page 138
  5. ISBN 0-306-80503-0
    .
  6. ^
    ISBN 0-571-12939-0
    .
  7. ^ "The Crows". History-of-rock.com. Retrieved 2006-11-17.
  8. ^ "J. C. Marion, DooWop Nation issue #7". Home.earthlink.net.
  9. ^ Warner, Jay, American Singing Groups: A History from 1940 to Today (2006), published by Hal Leonard Corporation, at page 139

External links

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