Little Anthony & The Imperials
Encyclopedia
Little Anthony and the Imperials is a rhythm and blues
/soul
/doo-wop
vocal
group from New York
, first active in the 1950s. Lead singer Jerome Anthony "Little Anthony" Gourdine was noted for his high-pitched falsetto
voice, influenced by Jimmy Scott
. The group was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
on April 4, 2009, 23 years after the group's first year of eligibility for induction, waiting longer than any other artist for the honor.
briefly for Apollo Records
.
Changing their name to the Imperials, they signed with End Records
in 1958. Their first single
was "Tears on My Pillow
", which was an instant hit
. (While playing this song, D.J. Alan Freed
came up with the name "Little Anthony".) The B-side
, "Two People in the World", was also a hit. The group followed up with "Shimmy, Shimmy, Ko Ko Bop" in 1960. When their success dwindled in 1961, Little Anthony left to attempt a solo
career. Some members left, and the line-up then became Collins, Wright, Sammy Strain, and George Kerr. Kerr was replaced by Kenny Seymour after a short time. This line-up had little success.
Little Anthony returned in 1963, replacing Seymour. The group's classic line-up – Gourdine, Ernest Wright, Clarence Collins, and Sammy Strain – was now complete. With the help of record producer
/songwriter
Teddy Randazzo (a childhood friend of the group), the Imperials found success on the new DCP (Don Costa Productions) label
with the dramatic pop
-soul records "I'm On The Outside (Looking In)
" (1964), "Goin' Out Of My Head
" (1964), "Hurt So Bad
" (1965), "I Miss You So" (1965), "Take Me Back
" (1965), "Hurt" (1966), and "Out of Sight, Out Of Mind" (1969). In 1965, the Imperials appeared on the CBS
-TV special Murray The K - It's What's Happening, Baby
, where they performed "I'm Alright" before a live audience in New York. At the height of their career, the group made two appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show
, at the time television's top talent showcase, on March 28th, 1965, and again on January 25th, 1970. http://www.tv.com/shows/the-ed-sullivan-show/march-28-1965-little-anthony-and-the-imperials-bobby-vinton-sergio-franchi-108618/ http://www.tv.com/shows/the-ed-sullivan-show/january-25-1970-little-anthony-and-the-imperials-b-j-thomas-robert-klein-patti-page-106954/ They also performed on many other popular television variety shows during the sixties, including Shindig!
, Hullabaloo
, Perry Como's
Kraft Music Hall
, Dick Clark's American Bandstand
, and The Tonight Show
.
The Imperials then joined United Artists Records
and were assigned to its Veep Records subsidiary, and then to the parent label itself, where they recorded "World Of Darkness", "Better Use Your Head", "If I Remember To Forget", "Yesterday Has Gone", and the Thom Bell
-produced
"Help Me Find A Way (To Say I Love You)".
Albums from this era include: Reflections, Payin' Our Dues, Out Of Sight, Out Of Mind (named after their hit cover
of The Five Keys
song), and Movie Grabbers, which included a rendition of "You Only Live Twice", the James Bond
motion picture
theme.
They recorded the one-off single "Father Father" for Janus Records
, which they later performed on the Merv Griffin Show. Then they went to Avco Records
in the early 1970s and recorded "On A New Street", and charted with the songs "La La La (At the End)", and "I'm Falling In Love With You". This album was produced by both Bell and Randazzo. A second LP for Avco Records
entitled Hold On was withdrawn from sale in the USA after the failure of the title track to sell and AVCO's subsequent financial difficulties. The group appeared on Soul Train
on May 26, 1973. Sammy Strain and Ernest Wright left the group, although both would eventually return.
Ernest Wright left in 1971 to join Tony Williams
' Platters
. He was replaced by the returning Kenny Seymour, who was again replaced after a short time by Bobby Wade. Strain left in 1972 to join the O'Jays
, and was replaced by Harold Jenkins (who had already been functioning as the group's choreographer). Jenkins and Seymour had previously performed together in the Impacts. Little Anthony left for a second (more successful) attempt at a solo career. The trio of Collins, Wade, and Jenkins continued as "the Imperials". Clarence Collins left in 1988, and was replaced by Sherman James. They then toured as "Bobby Wade's Imperials". James left in 1992, and was replaced by Ron Stevenson.
at Madison Square Garden
. This reunion proved to be a success. When the decision was made for the foursome to tour together again, Wade relinquished the Imperials name, with his group becoming "Bobby Wade's Emperors". They became the house band
at Caesars Palace
in Las Vegas
. At this point Sammy Strain left the O'Jays, and permanently returned to the Imperials. 1992, the year of the group's reformation, just happened to also be the 40th anniversary of Dick Clark's American Bandstand
, and he invited the Imperials to appear as part of the televised special celebration.
On August 30, 1997, the group was featured on NBC's Today show as part of that show's "Summer Concert Series", and appeared on two popular PBS specials; Rock, Rhythm, and Doo-Wop, and Soul Spectacular: 40 Years Of R&B in 2002 and 2003, respectively. Also, during this period, they recorded two new CDs: Little Anthony & the Imperials – Live: Up Close & Personal (the group's first ever live album), and Pure Acapella, an all a capella CD showcasing the group's vocal talents on several classic 50's doo-wop songs, including their own hit, "Two People In The World", which was written by Imperials member Ernest Wright. These two recordings marked the first time that the classic line-up had recorded together in over 30 years.
Anthony, Collins, Wright, and Strain continued touring as "Little Anthony and the Imperials", until Strain retired in 2004, and Harold Jenkins returned to take his place.In 2010, Jenkins also retired,and was replaced by Robert DeBlanc.http://www.littleanthonyandtheimperials.com/info.htm#Robert , the Imperials are (along with the Dells
), one of few 1950s-era R&B groups still touring with the great majority of their original members (Gourdine, Collins and Wright). They are also one of the very few late 1950s-based groups to successfully re-invent themselves and go on to maintain consistent recording success well into the 1960s/1970s.
Little Anthony and the Imperials released their first new LP in several years in October 2008, entitled "You'll Never Know", and they performed on the Late Show With David Letterman
on August 26, 2008. On their Discovery
album, the electronic music duo Daft Punk
sampled
Little Anthony and the Imperials' 1977 recording of "Can You Imagine" for the track "Crescendolls".
Their Top 20 Pop hit, "Shimmy Shimmy Ko-Ko Bop" was sung by young actors Jared Rushton
and David Moscow
in a scene in the 1988 Tom Hanks
hit movie Big.
's Pioneer Award in 1993. They were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame
in 1999 and the Long Island Music Hall of Fame
on October 15, 2006. On January 14, 2009, it was announced that Little Anthony and the Imperials had been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
. In addition to Anthony, Wright, Collins, and Strain, Original Imperials member Nathaniel "Nate" Rogers was also present to be honored. The group was inducted by longtime friend, Miracles member Smokey Robinson
. In October 2009, the group performed "Two People in the World" at the 25th Anniversary Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Concert.
Imperials member Sammy Strain is one of the few artists in popular music history who is a double Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee, having been inducted with The O'Jays
in 2005 and the Imperials in 2009.
Anthony and the Imperials were inducted into Mohegan Sun's Wolf Den Hall of Fame on January 8, 2011, Anthony's 70th birthday.
Rhythm and blues
Rhythm and blues, often abbreviated to R&B, is a genre of popular African American music that originated in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly to urban African Americans, at a time when "urbane, rocking, jazz based music with a...
/soul
Soul music
Soul music is a music genre originating in the United States combining elements of gospel music and rhythm and blues. According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, soul is "music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm & blues into a form of...
/doo-wop
Doo-wop
The name Doo-wop is given to a style of vocal-based rhythm and blues music that developed in African American communities in the 1940s and achieved mainstream popularity in the 1950s and early 1960s. It emerged from New York, Philadelphia, Chicago, Baltimore, Newark, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati and...
vocal
Human voice
The human voice consists of sound made by a human being using the vocal folds for talking, singing, laughing, crying, screaming, etc. Its frequency ranges from about 60 to 7000 Hz. The human voice is specifically that part of human sound production in which the vocal folds are the primary...
group from New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, first active in the 1950s. Lead singer Jerome Anthony "Little Anthony" Gourdine was noted for his high-pitched falsetto
Falsetto
Falsetto is the vocal register occupying the frequency range just above the modal voice register and overlapping with it by approximately one octave. It is produced by the vibration of the ligamentous edges of the vocal folds, in whole or in part...
voice, influenced by Jimmy Scott
Jimmy Scott
Jimmy Scott , aka "Little" Jimmy Scott, is an American jazz vocalist famous for his unusually high contralto voice which is due to Kallmann's syndrome, a very rare genetic condition. The condition stunted his growth at four feet eleven inches until, at age 37, he grew another 8 inches to the...
. The group was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum is a museum located on the shore of Lake Erie in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, United States. It is dedicated to archiving the history of some of the best-known and most influential artists, producers, engineers and others who have, in some major way,...
on April 4, 2009, 23 years after the group's first year of eligibility for induction, waiting longer than any other artist for the honor.
Career
In 1957, a doo-wop group known as the Chesters existed with members Clarence Collins, Tracy Lord, Nathaniel Rodgers, and Ronald Ross. Anthony Gourdine, a former member of the Duponts, joined as lead vocalist. Ernest Wright took over from Ross, and the group recordedSound recording and reproduction
Sound recording and reproduction is an electrical or mechanical inscription and re-creation of sound waves, such as spoken voice, singing, instrumental music, or sound effects. The two main classes of sound recording technology are analog recording and digital recording...
briefly for Apollo Records
Apollo Records
Apollo Records may refer to:* Apollo Records - US based company* Apollo Records - US based company* Apollo Records - US based company* Apollo Records - Belgian-based company* Apollo Records - US based company...
.
End Records
End Records was a record label founded in 1957 by George Goldner. In 1962 the label was acquired by Morris Levy and incorporated into Roulette Records. Among its more successful recording acts were The Flamingos, The Chantels, and Little Anthony and the Imperials...
in 1958. Their first single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
was "Tears on My Pillow
Tears on My Pillow
"Tears on My Pillow" is a doo-wop song written by Sylvester Bradford and Al Lewis in 1958. The composition was first recorded by Little Anthony and the Imperials on End Records and was that group's debut recording under that name. Their original recording of the song became a Billboard Top 10 Pop...
", which was an instant hit
Hit single
A hit single is a recorded song or instrumental released as a single that has become very popular. Although it is sometimes used to describe any widely-played or big-selling song, the term "hit" is usually reserved for a single that has appeared in an official music chart through repeated radio...
. (While playing this song, D.J. Alan Freed
Alan Freed
Albert James "Alan" Freed , also known as Moondog, was an American disc-jockey. He became internationally known for promoting the mix of blues, country and rhythm and blues music on the radio in the United States and Europe under the name of rock and roll...
came up with the name "Little Anthony".) The B-side
A-side and B-side
A-side and B-side originally referred to the two sides of gramophone records on which singles were released beginning in the 1950s. The terms have come to refer to the types of song conventionally placed on each side of the record, with the A-side being the featured song , while the B-side, or...
, "Two People in the World", was also a hit. The group followed up with "Shimmy, Shimmy, Ko Ko Bop" in 1960. When their success dwindled in 1961, Little Anthony left to attempt a solo
Solo (music)
In music, a solo is a piece or a section of a piece played or sung by a single performer...
career. Some members left, and the line-up then became Collins, Wright, Sammy Strain, and George Kerr. Kerr was replaced by Kenny Seymour after a short time. This line-up had little success.
Little Anthony returned in 1963, replacing Seymour. The group's classic line-up – Gourdine, Ernest Wright, Clarence Collins, and Sammy Strain – was now complete. With the help of record producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
/songwriter
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
Teddy Randazzo (a childhood friend of the group), the Imperials found success on the new DCP (Don Costa Productions) label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
with the dramatic pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
-soul records "I'm On The Outside (Looking In)
I'm On The Outside (Looking In)
"I'm On The Outside " is a 1964 hit song by Little Anthony and the Imperials, issued on DCP Records. It was a Billboard Top 20 Pop hit, peaking at #15. Written by Teddy Randazzo and Bobby Weinstein, this was the group's comeback single, ending a long period of inactivity by the group...
" (1964), "Goin' Out Of My Head
Goin' Out Of My Head
"Goin' Out of My Head" is a song written by Teddy Randazzo and Bobby Weinstein, initially recorded by Little Anthony & the Imperials in 1964. Randazzo, a childhood friend of the group, wrote the song especially for them, having also supplied the group with their previous Top 20 Hit "I'm On The...
" (1964), "Hurt So Bad
Hurt So Bad
"Hurt So Bad" is a 1965 pop/R&B hit single by Little Anthony & The Imperials, taken from their album, Goin' out of My Head. It was the follow-up to that album's smash-hit title song, and like that song, also became a Billboard Top 10 hit, reaching #10, and was an R&B Top 10 hit as well, reaching...
" (1965), "I Miss You So" (1965), "Take Me Back
Take Me Back (Imperials song)
Take Me Back was a 1965 hit song by Little Anthony and the Imperials. It was a Billboard Top 20 Pop Hit, peaking at #16, and was a Top 20 R&B Hit as well, peaking at # 15...
" (1965), "Hurt" (1966), and "Out of Sight, Out Of Mind" (1969). In 1965, the Imperials appeared on the CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
-TV special Murray The K - It's What's Happening, Baby
Murray The K - It's What's Happening, Baby
Murray The K – It's What's Happening, Baby was a television special on CBS-TV hosted by Murray the K. The show aired on June 28, 1965. The special featured performances by many of the popular artists of the day like Jan & Dean, Mary Wells, the Dave Clark Five, Gary Lewis and the Playboys, The...
, where they performed "I'm Alright" before a live audience in New York. At the height of their career, the group made two appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show
The Ed Sullivan Show
The Ed Sullivan Show is an American TV variety show that originally ran on CBS from Sunday June 20, 1948 to Sunday June 6, 1971, and was hosted by New York entertainment columnist Ed Sullivan....
, at the time television's top talent showcase, on March 28th, 1965, and again on January 25th, 1970. http://www.tv.com/shows/the-ed-sullivan-show/march-28-1965-little-anthony-and-the-imperials-bobby-vinton-sergio-franchi-108618/ http://www.tv.com/shows/the-ed-sullivan-show/january-25-1970-little-anthony-and-the-imperials-b-j-thomas-robert-klein-patti-page-106954/ They also performed on many other popular television variety shows during the sixties, including Shindig!
Shindig!
Shindig! was an American musical variety series which aired on ABC from September 16, 1964 to January 8, 1966. The show was hosted by Jimmy O'Neill, a disc jockey in Los Angeles at the time who also created the show along with his wife Sharon Sheeley and production executive Art Stolnitz....
, Hullabaloo
Hullabaloo
Hullabaloo may refer to:*Hullabaloo, Caneck! Caneck!, the beginning phrase of the Aggie War Hymn*Hullabaloo , a 1940 film*Hullabaloo , a 1960s NBC musical variety series...
, Perry Como's
Perry Como
Pierino Ronald "Perry" Como was an American singer and television personality. During a career spanning more than half a century he recorded exclusively for the RCA Victor label after signing with them in 1943. "Mr...
Kraft Music Hall
Kraft Music Hall (TV series)
Kraft Music Hall is an umbrella title for several television series aired by NBC in the United States from the 1950s to the 1970s in the musical variety genre, sponsored by Kraft Foods, the producers of a well-known line of cheeses and related dairy products...
, Dick Clark's American Bandstand
American Bandstand
American Bandstand is an American music-performance show that aired in various versions from 1952 to 1989 and was hosted from 1956 until its final season by Dick Clark, who also served as producer...
, and The Tonight Show
The Tonight Show
The Tonight Show is an American late-night talk show that has aired on NBC since 1954. It is the longest currently running regularly scheduled entertainment program in the United States, and the third longest-running show on NBC, after Meet the Press and Today.The Tonight Show has been hosted by...
.
The Imperials then joined United Artists Records
United Artists Records
United Artists Records was a record label founded by Max E. Youngstein of United Artists in 1957 initially to distribute records of its movie soundtracks, though it soon branched out into recording music of a number of different genres.-History:...
and were assigned to its Veep Records subsidiary, and then to the parent label itself, where they recorded "World Of Darkness", "Better Use Your Head", "If I Remember To Forget", "Yesterday Has Gone", and the Thom Bell
Thom Bell
Thomas Randolph "Thom" Bell is an American songwriter and producer, best known as one of the creators of the Philadelphia style of soul music in the 1970s. He moved to Philadelphia as a child.-Biography:...
-produced
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
"Help Me Find A Way (To Say I Love You)".
Albums from this era include: Reflections, Payin' Our Dues, Out Of Sight, Out Of Mind (named after their hit cover
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
of The Five Keys
The Five Keys
The Five Keys is an American rhythm and blues vocal group that was instrumental in shaping this genre in the 1950s.It was formed with the original name of Sentimental Four in Newport News, Virginia, U.S., in the late 1940s, and initially consisted of two sets of brothers - Rudy West and Bernie...
song), and Movie Grabbers, which included a rendition of "You Only Live Twice", the James Bond
James Bond
James Bond, code name 007, is a fictional character created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short story collections. There have been a six other authors who wrote authorised Bond novels or novelizations after Fleming's death in 1964: Kingsley Amis,...
motion picture
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
theme.
They recorded the one-off single "Father Father" for Janus Records
Janus Records
Janus Records was a record label owned by GRT Records, also known as General Recorded Tape. Artists who had hits on Janus included Mungo Jerry, The Whispers, Cymande, Charlie, Al Stewart, Ian Thomas, and Ray Stevens. Chess Records was administered as a division of Janus in the early 1970s...
, which they later performed on the Merv Griffin Show. Then they went to Avco Records
Avco Records
Avco Records was a record label started in 1968 by Hugo Peretti, Luigi Creatore and Joseph E. Levine as Avco Embassy Records. In the late 1960s, they released a psychedelic rock album by the group Bead Game, titled Welcome. The Embassy name was dropped in 1971 making the label Avco Records...
in the early 1970s and recorded "On A New Street", and charted with the songs "La La La (At the End)", and "I'm Falling In Love With You". This album was produced by both Bell and Randazzo. A second LP for Avco Records
Avco Records
Avco Records was a record label started in 1968 by Hugo Peretti, Luigi Creatore and Joseph E. Levine as Avco Embassy Records. In the late 1960s, they released a psychedelic rock album by the group Bead Game, titled Welcome. The Embassy name was dropped in 1971 making the label Avco Records...
entitled Hold On was withdrawn from sale in the USA after the failure of the title track to sell and AVCO's subsequent financial difficulties. The group appeared on Soul Train
Soul Train
Soul Train is an American musical variety show that aired in syndication from October 1971 to March 2006. In its 35-year history, the show primarily featured performances by R&B, soul, and hip hop artists, although funk, jazz, disco, and gospel artists have also appeared.As a nod to Soul Trains...
on May 26, 1973. Sammy Strain and Ernest Wright left the group, although both would eventually return.
Ernest Wright left in 1971 to join Tony Williams
Tony Williams (singer)
Tony Williams was the lead singer of the Platters from 1953 to 1960. Williams was born in Elizabeth, New Jersey, and died in New York of emphysema....
' Platters
The Platters
The Platters were a vocal group of the early rock and roll era. Their distinctive sound was a bridge between the pre-rock Tin Pan Alley tradition and the burgeoning new genre...
. He was replaced by the returning Kenny Seymour, who was again replaced after a short time by Bobby Wade. Strain left in 1972 to join the O'Jays
The O'Jays
The O'Jays are an American R&B group from Canton, Ohio, formed in 1963 and originally consisting of Eddie Levert , Walter Williams , William Powell , Bobby Massey and Bill Isles. The O'Jays were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2004, and The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2005...
, and was replaced by Harold Jenkins (who had already been functioning as the group's choreographer). Jenkins and Seymour had previously performed together in the Impacts. Little Anthony left for a second (more successful) attempt at a solo career. The trio of Collins, Wade, and Jenkins continued as "the Imperials". Clarence Collins left in 1988, and was replaced by Sherman James. They then toured as "Bobby Wade's Imperials". James left in 1992, and was replaced by Ron Stevenson.
Reunion
That same year, Collins, Wright, Strain, and Little Anthony reunited for a concertConcert
A concert is a live performance before an audience. The performance may be by a single musician, sometimes then called a recital, or by a musical ensemble, such as an orchestra, a choir, or a musical band...
at Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan and located at 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Streets, situated on top of Pennsylvania Station.Opened on February 11, 1968, it is the...
. This reunion proved to be a success. When the decision was made for the foursome to tour together again, Wade relinquished the Imperials name, with his group becoming "Bobby Wade's Emperors". They became the house band
House band
For the British band that existed from 1984-2001, see The House BandA house band is a group of musicians, often centrally organized by a band leader, who regularly play an establishment. It is widely used to refer both to the bands who work on entertainment programs on television or radio, and to...
at Caesars Palace
Caesars Palace
Caesars Palace is a luxury hotel and casino located on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada, an unincorporated township in Clark County, Nevada, United States in the Las Vegas metropolitan area. Caesars Palace is owned and operated by Caesars Entertainment Corp....
in Las Vegas
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
. At this point Sammy Strain left the O'Jays, and permanently returned to the Imperials. 1992, the year of the group's reformation, just happened to also be the 40th anniversary of Dick Clark's American Bandstand
American Bandstand
American Bandstand is an American music-performance show that aired in various versions from 1952 to 1989 and was hosted from 1956 until its final season by Dick Clark, who also served as producer...
, and he invited the Imperials to appear as part of the televised special celebration.
On August 30, 1997, the group was featured on NBC's Today show as part of that show's "Summer Concert Series", and appeared on two popular PBS specials; Rock, Rhythm, and Doo-Wop, and Soul Spectacular: 40 Years Of R&B in 2002 and 2003, respectively. Also, during this period, they recorded two new CDs: Little Anthony & the Imperials – Live: Up Close & Personal (the group's first ever live album), and Pure Acapella, an all a capella CD showcasing the group's vocal talents on several classic 50's doo-wop songs, including their own hit, "Two People In The World", which was written by Imperials member Ernest Wright. These two recordings marked the first time that the classic line-up had recorded together in over 30 years.
Anthony, Collins, Wright, and Strain continued touring as "Little Anthony and the Imperials", until Strain retired in 2004, and Harold Jenkins returned to take his place.In 2010, Jenkins also retired,and was replaced by Robert DeBlanc.http://www.littleanthonyandtheimperials.com/info.htm#Robert , the Imperials are (along with the Dells
The Dells
The Dells are an R&B and crossover musical group. Their successful recordings spanned more than four decades. Formed in 1952 after attending high school together, the Dells' repertoire has included doo-wop, jazz, soul, disco and contemporary rhythm and blues...
), one of few 1950s-era R&B groups still touring with the great majority of their original members (Gourdine, Collins and Wright). They are also one of the very few late 1950s-based groups to successfully re-invent themselves and go on to maintain consistent recording success well into the 1960s/1970s.
Little Anthony and the Imperials released their first new LP in several years in October 2008, entitled "You'll Never Know", and they performed on the Late Show With David Letterman
Late Show with David Letterman
Late Show with David Letterman is a U.S. late-night talk show hosted by David Letterman on CBS. The show debuted on August 30, 1993, and is produced by Letterman's production company, Worldwide Pants Incorporated. The show's music director and band-leader of the house band, the CBS Orchestra, is...
on August 26, 2008. On their Discovery
Discovery (Daft Punk album)
Discovery is the second studio album by the French house duo Daft Punk, released in March 2001. It marks a shift in the sound from Chicago house, which they were previously known for, to disco, post-disco and synthpop-inspired house...
album, the electronic music duo Daft Punk
Daft Punk
Daft Punk are an electronic music duo consisting of French musicians Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo and Thomas Bangalter . Daft Punk reached significant popularity in the late 1990s house movement in France and met with continued success in the years following, combining elements of house with synthpop...
sampled
Sampling (music)
In music, sampling is the act of taking a portion, or sample, of one sound recording and reusing it as an instrument or a different sound recording of a song or piece. Sampling was originally developed by experimental musicians working with musique concrète and electroacoustic music, who physically...
Little Anthony and the Imperials' 1977 recording of "Can You Imagine" for the track "Crescendolls".
Their Top 20 Pop hit, "Shimmy Shimmy Ko-Ko Bop" was sung by young actors Jared Rushton
Jared Rushton
Jared Michael Rushton is an American musician and former actor. He is best known for his roles in numerous late eighties films including Honey, I Shrunk the Kids, Big, and Overboard. He has been nominated for a total of two Saturn Awards and two Young Artist Awards...
and David Moscow
David Moscow
David Raphael Moscow is an American actor. His first major role was as the young Josh Baskin in the 1988 film Big, in which his character was magically transformed into an adult played by Tom Hanks.-Early life:...
in a scene in the 1988 Tom Hanks
Tom Hanks
Thomas Jeffrey "Tom" Hanks is an American actor, producer, writer, and director. Hanks worked in television and family-friendly comedies, gaining wide notice in 1988's Big, before achieving success as a dramatic actor in several notable roles, including Andrew Beckett in Philadelphia, the title...
hit movie Big.
Awards
Little Anthony and the Imperials received the Rhythm and Blues FoundationRhythm and Blues Foundation
The Rhythm and Blues Foundation is an independent American nonprofit organization dedicated to the historical and cultural preservation of rhythm and blues music....
's Pioneer Award in 1993. They were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame
Vocal Group Hall of Fame
The Vocal Group Hall of Fame was organized to honor outstanding vocal groups throughout the world. It is headquartered in Sharon, Pennsylvania, United States. It includes a theater and a museum....
in 1999 and the Long Island Music Hall of Fame
Long Island Music Hall of Fame
The Long Island Music Hall of Fame is an organization whose office is located in Port Jefferson, New York. It was incorporated in July 2005 under the New York State Board of Regents as a non profit organization and holds a provisional charter to operate as a museum in the state of New York...
on October 15, 2006. On January 14, 2009, it was announced that Little Anthony and the Imperials had been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum is a museum located on the shore of Lake Erie in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, United States. It is dedicated to archiving the history of some of the best-known and most influential artists, producers, engineers and others who have, in some major way,...
. In addition to Anthony, Wright, Collins, and Strain, Original Imperials member Nathaniel "Nate" Rogers was also present to be honored. The group was inducted by longtime friend, Miracles member Smokey Robinson
Smokey Robinson
William "Smokey" Robinson, Jr. is an American R&B singer-songwriter, record producer, and former record executive. Robinson is one of the primary figures associated with Motown, second only to the company's founder, Berry Gordy...
. In October 2009, the group performed "Two People in the World" at the 25th Anniversary Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Concert.
Imperials member Sammy Strain is one of the few artists in popular music history who is a double Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee, having been inducted with The O'Jays
The O'Jays
The O'Jays are an American R&B group from Canton, Ohio, formed in 1963 and originally consisting of Eddie Levert , Walter Williams , William Powell , Bobby Massey and Bill Isles. The O'Jays were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2004, and The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2005...
in 2005 and the Imperials in 2009.
Anthony and the Imperials were inducted into Mohegan Sun's Wolf Den Hall of Fame on January 8, 2011, Anthony's 70th birthday.
Hit singles
- "Tears On My Pillow / Two People In the World". End 1027 (July 1958) - POP #4, R&B #2
-
- Original pressings shown as by "The Imperials", later changed to "Little Anthony and the Imperials"
- "So Much / Oh Yeah". End 1036 (December 1958) - POP #87, R&B #2
- "Wishful Thinking / When You Wish Upon A Star". End 1039 (March 1959) - POP #79
- "A Prayer And A Juke Box / River Path". End 1047 (June 1959) - POP #81
- "Shimmy, Shimmy, Ko-Ko-Bop / I'm Still In Love With You". End 1060 (November 1959) - POP #24, R&B #14
- "My Empty Room / Bayou, Bayou, Baby". End 1067 (April 1960) - POP #86
- "Please Say You Want Me / So Near Yet So Far". End 1086 (February 1961) - POP #104
- "I'm On The Outside (Looking In)I'm On The Outside (Looking In)"I'm On The Outside " is a 1964 hit song by Little Anthony and the Imperials, issued on DCP Records. It was a Billboard Top 20 Pop hit, peaking at #15. Written by Teddy Randazzo and Bobby Weinstein, this was the group's comeback single, ending a long period of inactivity by the group...
/ Please Go". DCP 1104 (August 1964) - POP #15, R&B #8
- Re-released in 1966 on Veep 1240
- "Goin' Out Of My Head / Make It Easy On Yourself". DCP 1119 (October 1964) - POP #6, R&B #6
- Re-released in 1966 on Veep 1241
- "Hurt So Bad / Reputation". DCP 1128 (January 1965) - POP #10, R&B #3
- Re-released in 1966 on Veep 1242
- "Take Me Back / Our Song". DCP 1136 (June 1965) - POP #16, R&B #15
- Re-released in 1966 on Veep 1243
- "I Miss You So / Get Out Of My Life". DCP 1149 (September 1965) - POP #34, R&B #23
- Re-released in 1966 on Veep 1244
- "Hurt / Never Again". DCP 1154 (December 1965) - POP #51
- Re-released in 1966 on Veep 1245
- "Better Use Your Head / The Wonder Of It All". Veep 1228 (April 1966) - POP #54; UK #42
- "You Better Take It Easy Baby / Gonna Fix You Good (Every Time You're Bad)". Veep 1233 (August 1966) - POP #125
- "It's Not The Same / Down On Love", a/ANTHONY & The IMPERIALS. Veep 1248 (October 1966) - POP #92
- "Don't Tie Me Down / Where There's A Will There's A Way To Forget You", a/ANTHONY & The IMPERIALS. Veep 1255 (February 1967) - POP #123
- "I'm Hypnotized / Hungry Heart", a/ANTHONY & The IMPERIALS. Veep 1278 (February 1968) - POP #98
- "Out Of Sight, Out Of Mind / Summers's Comin'In". United Artists 50552 (July 1969) - POP #52, R&B #38
- "The Ten Commandments Of Love / Let The Sunshine In". United Artists 50598 (October 1969) - POP #82
- "Don't Get Close / It'll Never Be The Same Again". United Artists 50625 (January 1970) - POP #116
- "World Of Darkness / The Change". United Artists 50677 (June 1970) - POP #121
- "Help Me Find A Way (To Say I Love You) / If I Love You". United Artists 50720 (November 1970) - POP #92, R&B #32
- "I'm Falling In Love With You / What Good Am I Without You". Avco 4635 (April 1974) - POP #86, R&B #25
- "Hold On (Just A Little Bit Longer) / I've Got To Let You Go (Part 1)", a/ANTHONY & The IMPERIALS. Avco 4651 (March 1975) - POP #106, R&B #79
- "Who's Gonna Love Me / Better Take Time To Love", a/The IMPERIALS. Omni 5501 (May 1978) - R&B #73
- Original pressings shown as by "The Imperials", later changed to "Little Anthony and the Imperials"
Albums
- We Are The Imperials, featuring Little Anthony -- End LP 303 (1959)
- Shades of the 40's -- End LP 311 (1960)
-
- The above two albums were issued only in mono
- I'm On The Outside Looking In -- DCP DCL-3801 (Mono)/DCS-6801 (Stereo) (1964) -- Pop #135
- Re-released in 1966 on Veep VP 13510 (Mono)/VPS 16510 (Stereo)
- Goin' Out Of My Head -- DCP DCL-3808/DCS-6808 (1965) -- Pop #74
- Re-released in 1966 on Veep VP 13511/VPS 16511
- The Best Of Little Anthony & The Imperials -- DCP DCL-3809/DCS-6809 (1965) -- Pop #97
- Re-released in 1966 on Veep VP 13512/VPS 16512
- Payin' Our Dues -- Veep VP 13513/VPS 16513 (1966)
- Reflections -- Veep VP 13514/VPS 16514 (1967)
- Movie Grabbers -- Veep VP 13516/VPS 16516 (1967)
- The Best of Anthony & The Imperials, Volume 2 -- Veep VPS 16519 (1968)
- The above four albums shown as by "Anthony & The Imperials"
- Out Of Sight, Out Of Mind -- United Artists UAS 6720 (1969) -- Pop #172
- On A New Street -- Avco AV-11012 (1973)
- The above two albums were issued only in mono
External links
- Little Anthony and the Imperials discography
- Little Anthony and THE IMPERIALS' 2009 RRHOF induction
- The IMPERIALS' 2009 RRHOF induction INTERVIEW PRESS CONFERENCE.
- Ronnie Allen's January 22, 2009 radio interview show with Anthony Gourdine
- Soul Patrol AUDIO INTERVIEW with SAMMY STRAIN of THE IMPERIALS and The O'Jays
- Bobby Wade's Emperors home page
- [ Allmusic page on Little Anthony and the Imperials]
- Little Anthony & The Imperials
- Long Island Music Hall of Fame
- Little Anthony & THE IMPERIALS' Vocal Group Hall Of Fame page
- FUTURE ROCK HALL: Little Anthony & The IMPERIALS: NOW INDUCTED into the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame.
- Little Anthony & The Imperials' Facebook page