#623 (Week of 6/27/09 - 7/3/09)

---

"My Friends"/"I've Got Eyes"
by The Strangers
on King 4697
released in 1954

[Above photo courtesy of Marv Goldberg.]

Above: 1954 photo of The Strangers, consisting of (L-R) Woodrow Jackson, bass; John Brizant, pianist and arranger; William Clarke, second tenor; Pringle Sims, first tenor; and John Grant, baritone.

Click HERE for an article about The Strangers by Marv Goldberg.
(Above link will open in a separate window)

Above: King Records clipping from May 1954 extolling the elixir value of The Checkers and The Strangers.

Above: Label image of King 4697 recorded on 12/28/53 and released in January 1954. This was The Strangers' first of six records, all on Cincinnati's King label (1954-55). "My Friends" is led by John Grant and the flip by William Clarke, both with high tenor help from Pringle Sims. Both sides list all group members as composers.

Trade Magazine Clipping: April 1954—King Records has four big ones going on 125th Street. They are Bill Doggett's soothing "Eventide," the Midnighter's "Work With Me Annie," Lula Reed's "Watch Dog" and the Strangers' "My Friends."

Listen to this week's selections by The Strangers on King 4697 from 1954:
[Audio restoration by Dave Saviet.]

Above: Their last record (August 1955)

A. Stream RealAudio (DO NOT USE...LISTEN USING DOWNLOAD REALAUDIO)...             My Friends           I've Got Eyes             BOTH played in sequence      B. Download RealAudio...             My Friends           I've Got Eyes       C. Stream/Download Media Player...             My Friends           I've Got Eyes

           [To download audio files, right-click on link and then select "Save (Link) Target As..."]

This site is non-commercial. All information displayed is provided to further the general public's knowledge of RnB vocal group harmony.
The King Records clipping is courtesy of Galen Gart.