The Swallows

The Swallows are best remembered for “Dearest” (number nine R&B in August 1951) and a small number of various other great doo wop tunes. The group — like their community affects the Vibranaires — had been from Baltimore, MD, and started singing soon after, developing in 1946. Originally known as the Oakateers, by 1949 the group was renaming themselves the Swallows (in deference to Baltimore’s greatly successful Orioles). The initial lineup featured business lead tenor vocalist Lawrence Coxsen and Irving Turner, but with the past due ’40s, both had been gone. Tenor business lead Eddie Full was Coxson’s substitute, signing up for Frederick Johnson, Herman “Junior” Denby (baritone, tenor, and string bass), Norris “Bunky” Mack (bass vocals, electric guitar, piano, drums), and Earl Hurley. After several regional gigs in the Baltimore region, they found the interest of King Information of Cincinnati in 1951. A documenting session created their first one, “Dearest” (Ruler 4458). It climbed to amount nine in the R&B graphs in August 1951 and was a big vendor in the both SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA and Oakland, which resulted in the group’s initial tour (using the Count number Basie Orchestra and vocalist Earl Williams). Various other singles didn’t top the achievement of their preliminary outing, although “It Ain’t the Meats (It is the Movement),” the ribald leap B-side of their third one, was a big vendor in the South, specifically in Georgia as well as the Carolinas. Occasionally Junior Denby had taken over singing business lead chorus. In addition they released a edition from the pop regular “I JUST HAVE Eyes for you personally,” predating the Flamingos’ edition by six years. (Interesting be aware: as an extra bit of situation, the Flamingos had been originally referred to as the Swallows until they found out the Ruler group had 1st dibs within the name.) The group continuing to tour the U.S. thoroughly, while Ruler released extra singles. Their last solitary for Ruler was “I’M GOING TO BE Waiting around” (Ruler 4676). Soon after departing the label, the group disbanded, after that re-formed once again with Earl Hurley (business lead), Eddie High, original past due ’40s member Irv Turner, and fresh Swallows Al France, Ernie “Friend” Bailey (not really the Clovers’ Bailey), and “Cash” Johnson. From the springtime of 1954, the brand new lineup documented for Lexy “Flap” Hanford’s After Hours label, however the group disbanded soon afterwards, for another period. In 1956, France and Turner had been changed by Bobby Hendricks and Friend Crawford, but no recordings are acknowledged to the contingent. The group continued hiatus later on. In 1958, the Swallows arrived together with initial members Eddie High and Earl Hurley, Bailey, Johnson, and fresh Swallow Calvin Collette. They authorized with Syd Nathan’s Federal government label (located in Cincinnati at that time), who released four edges, including a cover of Bobby Hendricks’ “Itchy Twitchy Sense” (which simply barely handled the nationwide pop graphs in past due 1958). Soon soon after, the Swallows known as it quits after greater than a 10 years of earning music.