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The Spaniels
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Spaniels were an American R&B doo-wop group, best known for the hit "Goodnight, Sweetheart, Goodnight".
They have been called the first successful Midwestern R&B group[1]. Some historians of vocal groups consider Pookie Hudson to be the first true leader of a vocal group, because the Spaniels pioneered the technique of having the main singer solo at his own microphone, while the rest of the group shared a second microphone[2].
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The original members included:
- Thornton James "Pookie" Hudson (11 June 1934 - 16 January 2007) in Des Moines, Iowa.
- Ernest Warren
- Willie C. Jackson
- Opal Courtney Jr
- Gerald Gregory
The group debuted in late 1952 at Roosevelt High School in Gary, Indiana as Pookie Hudson & The Hudsonaires. They changed their name to The Spaniels that Spring and, upon graduation, became one of the first two artists to sign with Vee Jay Records, the first large, independent Afro-American owned record label[citation needed]. The group recorded their initial release, "Baby It's You" on 5 May 1953. Released in July, 1953, the song reached number ten on Billboard magazine's Rhythm and Blues chart on September 5.
In Spring 1954, "Goodnight, Sweetheart, Goodnight" hit number twenty-four on Billboard's Top 40, and rose to number five on the R&B chart. The Spaniels played regularly at the Apollo, and were on the tour that proved fatal for Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and the Big Bopper.
The line-up changed numerous times over the ensuing years[3].
The Spaniels were the top selling vocal group for Vee Jay. The band broke up when the label went bankrupt in 1966, but in 1969, the group reformed, releasing hits like "Fairy Tales" in 1970. An entire new generation was exposed to the group's music when "Goodnight, Sweetheart, Goodnight" was featured prominently in the blockbuster movie, American Graffiti.
Two current Spaniels-related groups continue to perform: one in Washington, D.C., and the original group still based in Gary.
The D.C. based group, with Pookie Hudson and Joe Herndon, appeared on the PBS special, Doo Wop 50. Hudson, wrote but never received much credit or income from "Goodnight, Sweetheart, Goodnight".[citation needed]
Hudson died 16 January 2007, after a lengthy battle with cancer.
- ^ Thomas, Bryan. The Spaniels. Answers.com. Retrieved on December 7, 2006.
- ^ The Spaniels. vocalgroup.org. Retrieved on December 7, 2006.
- ^ The Spaniels Biography. Oldies.com. Retrieved on December 7, 2006.