The Five Sharps
Encyclopedia
The Five Sharps were a short-lived vocal group from Queens, NY. They are best known today for their recording of "Stormy Weather". "Stormy Weather" is today considered one of the most collectible doo wop singles ever released. After the group broke up, several of the members went on to join other groups, such as The Videos
.
s and soda pop.
First tenor Bobby Ward remembers that sales of "Stormy Weather" were so bad that he and the other members had to buy their own copies even though they'd never been paid for the recording in the first place. The song was released on Jubilee #5104.
. While in his care, however, the record was broken. Slim admitted in June 1965 that the record "broke under [his] arm" on the way home from the studio, but at other times he claimed that his pet raccoon
, Teddy, had broken the disc by sitting on it.
Slim assured his angry customer that he would replace the broken record. He put up a sign in his store offering $25 in credit for a 78 of the song and $50 for a 45 rpm single. When weeks went by without any takers on his offer, Slim raised the rewards. Slim then went to the owner of Jubilee Records
, Jerry Blaine
, to get him to reissue the original. He was told that "Stormy Weather" was one of a batch of 80 masters which had been destroyed in a fire.
Since Jubilee, in 1952, had been releasing singles on both the 78 and 45 formats, collectors assumed that there must be a 45 somewhere (even then, collectors valued 45s much more than 78s). None ever surfaced, however, and only a handful of 78's of "Stormy Weather" have ever been found.
and the Flamingos
, and later, formed the '70s band Creative Funk. The other members, pianist Tommy Duckett, Mickey Owens, and Bobby Ward, left the music industry until 1975, when four of the surviving group members performed at the Academy of Music in New York.
The Videos
The Videos is the first compilation DVD by Brandy. It features all her videos from 1994 to 1999 . It was released on VHS in 1999 in the U.S., and re-issued in 2000 as a DVD; in Germany, the DVD was released in 2005.- Track listing :#Baby#Brokenhearted The Videos is the first compilation DVD by...
.
The recording of "Stormy Weather"
In 1952, after months of performing at local functions, The Five Sharps were spotted by a producer and taken into a studio to record two songs. The group recorded their own "Sleepy Cowboy" and the standard "Stormy Weather". The session took most of the day and they were paid in hot dogHot dog
A hot dog is a sausage served in a sliced bun. It is very often garnished with mustard, ketchup, onions, mayonnaise, relish and/or sauerkraut.-History:...
s and soda pop.
First tenor Bobby Ward remembers that sales of "Stormy Weather" were so bad that he and the other members had to buy their own copies even though they'd never been paid for the recording in the first place. The song was released on Jubilee #5104.
The 78
In late 1961, record collector Billy Pensabene found a 78 rpm copy of the record and brought it to Times Square Records, run by Irving “Slim” Rose. Slim borrowed the record to play on his “Sink Or Swim With Swingin' Slim” radio show on WBNXWKDM
WKDM 1380 is a United States ethnic brokered radio station serving New York City and owned by Multicultural Broadcasting. The station broadcasts in Mandarin Chinese, 24 hours a day from Monday to Friday.-History:...
. While in his care, however, the record was broken. Slim admitted in June 1965 that the record "broke under [his] arm" on the way home from the studio, but at other times he claimed that his pet raccoon
Raccoon
Procyon is a genus of nocturnal mammals, comprising three species commonly known as raccoons, in the family Procyonidae. The most familiar species, the common raccoon , is often known simply as "the" raccoon, as the two other raccoon species in the genus are native only to the tropics and are...
, Teddy, had broken the disc by sitting on it.
Slim assured his angry customer that he would replace the broken record. He put up a sign in his store offering $25 in credit for a 78 of the song and $50 for a 45 rpm single. When weeks went by without any takers on his offer, Slim raised the rewards. Slim then went to the owner of Jubilee Records
Jubilee Records
Jubilee Records was a record label specializing in rhythm and blues along with novelty records. It was founded in New York City in 1946 by Herb Abramson. Jerry Blaine became Abramson's partner. Blaine bought out Abramson's half of the company in 1947. The company name was Jay-Gee Recording...
, Jerry Blaine
Jerry Blaine
Jerry Blaine was a bandleader, label owner, record distributor, and singer who recorded 18 sides for the Master and Bluebird labels in 1937-1938.-Biography:...
, to get him to reissue the original. He was told that "Stormy Weather" was one of a batch of 80 masters which had been destroyed in a fire.
Since Jubilee, in 1952, had been releasing singles on both the 78 and 45 formats, collectors assumed that there must be a 45 somewhere (even then, collectors valued 45s much more than 78s). None ever surfaced, however, and only a handful of 78's of "Stormy Weather" have ever been found.
The re-recording
In 1964, as the legend of the song grew, Jubilee hired a new group of musicians, under the name of The Five Sharps. They then recorded a new version of "Stormy Weather". It was released as Jubilee 5478, a 45 single. This version isn't nearly as collectible as the first version.After "Stormy Weather"
Cuffey was diagnosed with leukemia and died in the early '60s. Bassett joined late-period incarnations of both the DriftersThe Drifters
The Drifters are a long-lived American doo-wop and R&B/soul vocal group with a peak in popularity from 1953 to 1963, though several splinter Drifters continue to perform today. They were originally formed to serve as Clyde McPhatter's backing group in 1953...
and the Flamingos
The Flamingos
The Flamingos were a doo wop group from the United States, most popular in the mid to late 1950s and best known for their 1959 cover version of "I Only Have Eyes for You".-Early quintet:...
, and later, formed the '70s band Creative Funk. The other members, pianist Tommy Duckett, Mickey Owens, and Bobby Ward, left the music industry until 1975, when four of the surviving group members performed at the Academy of Music in New York.