|
|
"Night's Curtains"/"Let Me Come Back"
|
"Love Wasn't There"/"My Prayer Tonight"
|
|
|
|
"Night's Curtains"/"Let Me Come Back"
|
"Love Wasn't There"/"My Prayer Tonight"
|
|
Above: The Checkers, circa 1952, (Top) Bill Brown (bass), (Bottom L-R) James "Buddy" Brewer (baritone), Charlie White (tenor), and Irwin "Teddy" Williams (tenor). The group that recorded the above four "Record of the Week" sides also included John Carnegie (tenor).Bill Brown and Charlie White had been with The Dominoes (the original version of The Checkers), who had been very successful on King's subsidiary label, Federal (Sixty Minute Man and others), starting in 1950. Teddy Williams And The Federalites had one record released on Federal in 1951.
Click HERE for an article about The Checkers by Marv Goldberg.
(Will open in a separate window)
|
Above: The Checkers, circa 1952, (Top L-R) Irwin "Teddy" Williams, Bill Brown, (Bottom L-R) James "Buddy" Brewer, and Charlie White. Again, John Carnegie, who was recording with them, is missing from the photo.
|
EXTRA AUDIO (Windows Media Player):
[Audio restoration by Dave Saviet.]
Above: (Left) Label for King 4710, both sides recorded on March 12, 1954 and released in April 1954. (Middle) Little David Baughan, who sings lead on "House With No Windows." Bill Brown, who sang lead on The Dominoes' "Sixty Minute Man," reprises his role of "Lovin' Dan" on the flip answer side, "Don't Stop Dan." (Right) King advertisement from The Billboard dated 5/15/54. (LINKS FOR AD REFERENCES: The Midnighters The Strangers)
Listen to "House With No Windows" - The Checkers - King 4710 - 1954.
Listen to "Don't Stop Dan" - The Checkers - King 4710 - 1954.
Group members on this record are Bill Brown, David Baughan, Buddy Brewer and Teddy Williams. Baughan, who could sound very much like Clyde McPhatter, had been with The Drifters for their initial session in 1953 and then returned to The Drifters in 1955. Henry Glover, King's A&R chief, is credited with composing both of these sides.
Review Spotlight on... (The Billboard dated 4/24/54):
THE CHECKERS—Don't Stop Now—King 4710—The Checkers flash their old form again with a driving reading of a wild new tune, that rocks all the way. Solid fare for the market. Flip is "House With No Windows."The Billboard Review (5/1/54):
THE CHECKERS - KING 4710....
Don't Stop Dan (82) A wild rhythm effort receives a sock rendition from the Checkers, sparked by a strong bass lead, while the boys back him with gusto. The ork supports them all with a real beat. The side rocks, and it has a good chance for many coins on the boxes.
House With No Windows (78) The boys do their best to sound like the Dominoes here, and they do a pretty good job of it, tho they can't come up to the original. The tune is sung like "I'm Gonna Move To The Outskirts Of Town," with a tenor taking the lead and the boys keeping harmony behind him. Should pull many spins.(NOTE: A ratings range of 70-79 was considered "good" and 80-89 "excellent.")
The Billboard Review (5/29/54):
THE CHECKERS - KING 4710 - Don't Stop Dan/House With No Windows
Disk has overcome the handicap of limited deejay play to achieve wide operator and dealer acceptance. Territories that report profitable box play and over-the-counter sales include New York, Philadelphia, Buffalo, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Detroit, Durham, St. Louis, Dallas and Atlanta. Shows signs of considerable potential growth. Both sides are selling, but "Dan" has the edge. A previous Billboard "Spotlight" pick.(NOTE: The "limited deejay play" was due to the sexual inferences in "Don't Stop Dan.")
 |
|
Above Left: King "Best Sellers" advertisement from The Billboard dated 12/13/52.LINKS FOR AD REFERENCES: The Swallows Lulu Reed Little Esther Jimmy Witherspoon The Royals
Above Right: (Top) Label image of King 4581 recorded on September 19, 1952 and released in November 1952. (Bottom) King 4596 recorded on September 19, 1952 (flip on June 20, 1952) and released in January 1953. The Checkers had ten records on the King label (1952-54). Several of their songs have interesting, unusual concepts, specifically "Night's Curtains," "Ghost Of My Baby," "House With No Windows," and "I Wasn't Thinking, I Was Drinking."
King's Henry Glover again has composer or co-composer credits on three of these four sides. Teddy Williams, a member of the group, is co-composer on "Night's Curtains."
The Billboard Review (11/22/52):
THE CHECKERS - KING 4581....
Let Me Come Back (80) The boys do a solid job with this rhythmic hand-clapper, giving it a very exciting, swinging reading. Tune is in the r&b-spiritual tradition, and the Checkers really make it go. The ork backing, which weaves in and out of the vocal, is most effective. The Checkers have a potent entry here that could easily be a big one.
Night's Curtains (77) A pretty ballad is sold warmly and sincerely by the Checkers, with the lead showing off a strong set of pipes and the boys contributing good vocalizing in the background. A good disk, and good for the jocks.(NOTE: A ratings range of 70-79 was considered "good" and 80-89 "excellent.")
Listen to this week's selections featuring The Checkers on King from 1952/53:
[Audio restoration by Dave Saviet.][To download audio files, right-click on link and then select "Save (Link) Target As..."]
A. Stream RealAudio (DO NOT USE...LISTEN USING DOWNLOAD REALAUDIO)...
1. Night's Curtains
2. Let Me Come Back
3. Love Wasn't There
4. My Prayer Tonight
ALL FOUR played in sequenceB. Download RealAudio...
1. Night's Curtains
2. Let Me Come Back
3. Love Wasn't There
4. My Prayer TonightC. Stream/Download Media Player...
1. Night's Curtains
2. Let Me Come Back
3. Love Wasn't There
4. My Prayer Tonight
ALL FOUR played in sequence
(The "m3u" file may need to be opened after it is downloaded)
This site is non-commercial. All information displayed is provided to further the general public's knowledge of RnB vocal group harmony.