The Chords were an American
doo-wop
Doo-wop (also spelled doowop and doo wop) is a genre of rhythm and blues music that originated in African-American communities during the 1940s, mainly in the large cities of the United States, including New York, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Chica ...
vocal group formed in 1951 in
The Bronx, New York
The Bronx () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Bronx County, in the state of New York. It is south of Westchester County; north and east of the New York City borough of Manhattan, across the Harlem River; and north of the New York ...
, known for their 1954 hit "
Sh-Boom", which they wrote. It was the only song they had created that had reached mainstream popularity.
Career
The group was formed by friends from a high school based in
the Bronx
The Bronx () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Bronx County, in the state of New York. It is south of Westchester County; north and east of the New York City borough of Manhattan, across the Harlem River; and north of the New ...
,
New York
New York most commonly refers to:
* New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York
* New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States
New York may also refer to:
Film and television
* '' ...
, United States.
The initial members were the brothers Carl and Claude Feaster, plus Jimmy Keyes, Floyd McRae, William Edwards, with support from the pianist Rupert Branker. The Chords were one of the first acts to be signed to the
Atlantic Records
Atlantic Recording Corporation (simply known as Atlantic Records) is an American record label founded in October 1947 by Ahmet Ertegun and Herb Abramson. Over its first 20 years of operation, Atlantic earned a reputation as one of the most im ...
subsidiary label,
Cat Records.
Their debut single was a
doo-wop
Doo-wop (also spelled doowop and doo wop) is a genre of rhythm and blues music that originated in African-American communities during the 1940s, mainly in the large cities of the United States, including New York, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Chica ...
version of a
Patti Page
Clara Ann Fowler (November 8, 1927 – January 1, 2013), known professionally as Patti Page, was an American singer and actress. Primarily known for pop and country music, she was the top-charting female vocalist and best-selling female ar ...
song, "
Cross Over the Bridge", whilst the record label reluctantly allowed a number penned by the Chords on the
B-side
The A-side and B-side are the two sides of phonograph records and cassettes; these terms have often been printed on the labels of two-sided music recordings. The A-side usually features a recording that its artist, producer, or record compan ...
.
That track was "
Sh-Boom", which quickly turned out to be the more popular side.
The record reached the top 10 of the US pop chart, which was then a unique occurrence for a R&B number.
The track was covered by
The Crew-Cuts
The Crew Cuts were a Canadian vocal quartet, that made a number of popular records that charted in the United States and worldwide. They named themselves after the then popular crew cut haircut, one of the first connections made between pop m ...
who took the song to the top of the charts, to arguably register the first US
rock and roll
Rock and roll (often written as rock & roll, rock 'n' roll, or rock 'n roll) is a genre of popular music that evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s. It originated from African-American music such as jazz, rhythm ...
number one hit record.
The enthusiasm doo-wop fans had for the Chords' music was dampened when Gem Records claimed that one of the groups on its roster was called the Chords; consequently the group changed their name to the Chordcats.
Their success was a one-off, as subsequent releases, including "Zippity-Zum", all failed to chart.
A round of personnel changes and recordings on a variety of labels all failed to reignite the public's interest.
Original members
*Carl Feaster (lead, September 14th, 1930–January 10th, 1981)
*Claude Feaster (
baritone
A baritone is a type of classical male singing voice whose vocal range lies between the bass and the tenor voice-types. The term originates from the Greek (), meaning "heavy sounding". Composers typically write music for this voice in the ...
, September 23rd, 1933–November, 1975)
*Jimmy Keyes (first
tenor
A tenor is a type of classical male singing voice whose vocal range lies between the countertenor and baritone voice types. It is the highest male chest voice type. The tenor's vocal range extends up to C5. The low extreme for tenors is wide ...
; May 22nd, 1930– July 22nd, 1995)
[
*Floyd "Buddy" McRae (second tenor; October 1st, 1927–March 19, 2013)][
*William "Ricky" Edwards (]bass
Bass or Basses may refer to:
Fish
* Bass (fish), various saltwater and freshwater species
Music
* Bass (sound), describing low-frequency sound or one of several instruments in the bass range:
** Bass (instrument), including:
** Acoustic bass gui ...
, died 1964)
Rupert Branker was murdered In a mugging In the summer of 1961.(In Los Angeles)
Floyd McRae, the last surviving original member, died on March 19, 2013 at a nursing home in the Bronx, at the age of 85.
See also
* List of doo-wop musicians
* First rock and roll record
*List of one-hit Wonders in the United States
A one-hit wonder is a musical artist who is successful with one hit song, but without a comparable subsequent hit. The term may also be applied to an artist who is remembered for only one hit despite other successes (such as "Take on Me" by A-ha ...
References
External links
Marv Golberg's Article
{{DEFAULTSORT:Chords, The
Doo-wop groups
African-American musical groups
Musical groups established in 1951
1951 establishments in New York City
Musical groups from the Bronx