The Ravens
Encyclopedia
The Ravens were an American
R&B
vocal
group
, formed in 1946 by Jimmy Ricks and Warren Suttles. They were one of the most successful and most influential vocal quartets of the period, and had several hits on the R&B chart in the late 1940s and early 1950s.
, later moving to Jacksonville, Florida
. During World War II
, he moved to New York City
, where he worked as a waiter in Harlem
and met Warren "Birdland" Suttles, from Fairfield, Alabama
. In early 1946, they decided to form a vocal group, and recruited Leonard "Zeke" Puzey, who had recently won a talent contest at the Apollo Theater
, and Henry Oliver "Ollie" Jones. They found a manager, Ben Bart, and an accompanist, Howard Biggs, and made their first recordings for Bart's small Hub record label. They called themselves the Ravens, and so initiated the trend for vocal groups to name themselves after birds - groups who later followed included The Orioles
, The Crows
, The Larks
, The Robins
and The Penguins
. Although the group were strongly influenced by The Ink Spots
, The Delta Rhythm Boys
and The Mills Brothers, they used Ricks' bass
voice, rather than a more conventional tenor
, as the lead on many of their recordings, and this became their trademark style. Their material was also more varied, including elements of pop
, jazz
, R&B, and gospel
styles.
After their initial single, "Honey", Jones left the group and was replaced by Maithe Marshall. The contrast between Ricks' bass voice and Marshall's tenor became integral to their success. In 1947 the Ravens left the Hub label to join National Records
, and had immediate hit
s on what was called at the time the "race records" chart with a version of "Ol' Man River
" (from the musical Show Boat
) and "Write Me A Letter", which rose to no. 5 on the "race" chart and crossed over to the pop chart. Their run of successes on what came to be known as the R&B chart continued through to early 1950, with the basic line-up of Ricks, Suttles, Puzey and Marshall essentially remaining together for several years. Their version of "Count Every Star" (1950) was later used in the film
, Revolutionary Road
.
The Ravens primarily existed to showcase bass singer Ricks; in this they were successful, such that Ricks' voice became the standard against which every rhythm and blues bass was measured for the next generation. Although the group had relatively few chart hits, they were popular in concert
, commanding a fee of $2,000 dollars a night. The group recorded for Columbia Records
and its subsidiary OKeh
in 1950, before moving to the Mercury
label. In 1951 Marshall and Puzey both left; Joe Van Loan became a long-term replacement for Marshall as lead tenor, and there were various other shorter-term group members. The group had their final hit on the R&B chart in late 1952, when "Rock Me All Night Long" rose to no. 4, the highest position the group reached in their career.
In 1953 they moved to the Jubilee
label, but with the rise of rock and roll
their style became increasingly unfashionable. After several earlier breaks from the group, Suttles left for the final time in 1954. Ricks left for a solo
career in 1956. After his departure, the group was led by Joe Van Loan, who at one point brought his brothers Paul and James into the group; however, the group finally disbanded in 1958.
Ricks recorded as a solo singer without notable success for a number of labels, including Atlantic
where he also recorded with LaVern Baker
and Little Esther. In 1971, he and Suttles temporarily revived the Ravens, with additional members Gregory Carroll and Jimmy Breedlove. At the time of his death, at the age of 49 in 1974, he was the vocalist for the Count Basie
orchestra
. Suttles, Puzey and Marshall also appeared together as the Ravens, in 1974.
The Ravens were inducted into The Vocal Group Hall of Fame
in 1998. In 2006, Suttles accepted the Harlem Jazz & Music Festival 2006 Rhythm & Blues award on the group's behalf.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
R&B
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...
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
Musical ensemble
A musical ensemble is a group of people who perform instrumental or vocal music. In classical music, trios or quartets either blend the sounds of musical instrument families or group together instruments from the same instrument family, such as string ensembles or wind ensembles...
, formed in 1946 by Jimmy Ricks and Warren Suttles. They were one of the most successful and most influential vocal quartets of the period, and had several hits on the R&B chart in the late 1940s and early 1950s.
Career
Jimmy "Ricky" Ricks was born in Adrian, GeorgiaAdrian, Georgia
Adrian is a city in Emanuel and Johnson Counties in the U.S. state of Georgia. The population was 558 at the 2010census.The Johnson County portion of Adrian is part of the Dublin Micropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
, later moving to Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Florida in terms of both population and land area, and the largest city by area in the contiguous United States. It is the county seat of Duval County, with which the city government consolidated in 1968...
. During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, he moved to New York City
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...
, where he worked as a waiter in Harlem
Harlem
Harlem is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Manhattan, which since the 1920s has been a major African-American residential, cultural and business center. Originally a Dutch village, formally organized in 1658, it is named after the city of Haarlem in the Netherlands...
and met Warren "Birdland" Suttles, from Fairfield, Alabama
Fairfield, Alabama
Fairfield is a city in Jefferson County, Alabama, United States. It is part of the Birmingham–Hoover Metropolitan Area. The population was 12,381 at the 2000 census. As of 2006, the Census estimates the population to be 11,547.-History:...
. In early 1946, they decided to form a vocal group, and recruited Leonard "Zeke" Puzey, who had recently won a talent contest at the Apollo Theater
Apollo Theater
The Apollo Theater in New York City is one of the most famous, and older, music halls in the United States, and the most famous club associated almost exclusively with Black performers...
, and Henry Oliver "Ollie" Jones. They found a manager, Ben Bart, and an accompanist, Howard Biggs, and made their first recordings for Bart's small Hub record label. They called themselves the Ravens, and so initiated the trend for vocal groups to name themselves after birds - groups who later followed included The Orioles
The Orioles
The Orioles were a successful and influential American R&B group of the late 1940s and early 1950s, one of the earliest such vocal bands who established the basic pattern for the doo-wop sound....
, The Crows
The Crows
The Crows were an American R & B singing group who achieved commercial success in the 1950s. The group's first single and only major hit, "Gee", released in June 1953, has been credited with being the first Rock n’ Roll hit by a rock and roll group...
, The Larks
The Larks
The Larks were an African American vocal group, active in the early 1950s. They were not the same group as the Los Angeles-based Larks featuring Don Julian.-Original members:...
, The Robins
The Robins
The Robins were a successful and influential American R&B group of the late 1940s and 1950s, one of the earliest such vocal bands who established the basic pattern for the doo-wop sound.-Original members:...
and The Penguins
The Penguins
The Penguins were an American doo-wop group of the 1950s and early 1960s, best remembered for their only Top 40 hit, "Earth Angel ", which was one of the first rhythm and blues hits to cross over to the pop charts...
. Although the group were strongly influenced by The Ink Spots
The Ink Spots
The Ink Spots were a popular vocal group in the 1930s and 1940s that helped define the musical genre that led to rhythm and blues and rock and roll, and the subgenre doo-wop...
, The Delta Rhythm Boys
The Delta Rhythm Boys
The Delta Rhythm Boys were an American vocal group active for over 50 years in the 20th century. The group was first formed at Langston University in Langston, Oklahoma in 1934 by Elmaurice Miller, Traverse Crawford, Essie Joseph Adkins and Otha Lee Gaines...
and The Mills Brothers, they used Ricks' bass
Bass (voice type)
A bass is a type of male singing voice and possesses the lowest vocal range of all voice types. According to The New Grove Dictionary of Opera, a bass is typically classified as having a range extending from around the second E below middle C to the E above middle C...
voice, rather than a more conventional tenor
Tenor
The tenor is a type of male singing voice and is the highest male voice within the modal register. The typical tenor voice lies between C3, the C one octave below middle C, to the A above middle C in choral music, and up to high C in solo work. The low extreme for tenors is roughly B2...
, as the lead on many of their recordings, and this became their trademark style. Their material was also more varied, including elements of 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...
, jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
, R&B, and gospel
Gospel music
Gospel music is music that is written to express either personal, spiritual or a communal belief regarding Christian life, as well as to give a Christian alternative to mainstream secular music....
styles.
After their initial single, "Honey", Jones left the group and was replaced by Maithe Marshall. The contrast between Ricks' bass voice and Marshall's tenor became integral to their success. In 1947 the Ravens left the Hub label to join National Records
National Records
National Records was a record label that was started in New York by Albert Green in 1945 and lasted till early 1951.Big Joe Turner was signed at the outset and remained until 1947. Billy Eckstine was also a big seller for the label as were The Ravens...
, and had immediate hit
Hit record
A hit record is a sound recording, usually in the form of a single or album, that sells a large number of copies or otherwise becomes broadly popular or well-known, through airplay, club play, inclusion in a film or stage play soundtrack, causing it to have "hit" one of the popular chart listings...
s on what was called at the time the "race records" chart with a version of "Ol' Man River
Ol' Man River
"Ol' Man River" is a song in the 1927 musical Show Boat that expresses the African American hardship and struggles of the time with the endless, uncaring flow of the Mississippi River; it is sung from the point-of-view of a dock worker on a showboat, and is the most famous song from the show...
" (from the musical Show Boat
Show Boat
Show Boat is a musical in two acts with music by Jerome Kern and book and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II. It was originally produced in New York in 1927 and in London in 1928, and was based on the 1926 novel of the same name by Edna Ferber. The plot chronicles the lives of those living and working...
) and "Write Me A Letter", which rose to no. 5 on the "race" chart and crossed over to the pop chart. Their run of successes on what came to be known as the R&B chart continued through to early 1950, with the basic line-up of Ricks, Suttles, Puzey and Marshall essentially remaining together for several years. Their version of "Count Every Star" (1950) was later used in the film
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...
, Revolutionary Road
Revolutionary Road (film)
Revolutionary Road is a 2008 American drama film directed by Sam Mendes, from screenplay by Justin Haythe, starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet. It is based on the 1961 novel of the same name by Richard Yates....
.
The Ravens primarily existed to showcase bass singer Ricks; in this they were successful, such that Ricks' voice became the standard against which every rhythm and blues bass was measured for the next generation. Although the group had relatively few chart hits, they were popular in concert
Concert
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...
, commanding a fee of $2,000 dollars a night. The group recorded for Columbia Records
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
and its subsidiary OKeh
Okeh Records
Okeh Records began as an independent record label based in the United States of America in 1918. From 1926 on, it was a subsidiary of Columbia Records.-History:...
in 1950, before moving to the Mercury
Mercury Records
Mercury Records is a record label operating as a standalone company in the UK and as part of the Island Def Jam Motown Music Group in the US; both are subsidiaries of Universal Music Group. There is also a Mercury Records in Australia, which is a local artist and repertoire division of Universal...
label. In 1951 Marshall and Puzey both left; Joe Van Loan became a long-term replacement for Marshall as lead tenor, and there were various other shorter-term group members. The group had their final hit on the R&B chart in late 1952, when "Rock Me All Night Long" rose to no. 4, the highest position the group reached in their career.
In 1953 they moved to the Jubilee
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...
label, but with the rise of rock and roll
Rock and roll
Rock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...
their style became increasingly unfashionable. After several earlier breaks from the group, Suttles left for the final time in 1954. Ricks left for 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 in 1956. After his departure, the group was led by Joe Van Loan, who at one point brought his brothers Paul and James into the group; however, the group finally disbanded in 1958.
Ricks recorded as a solo singer without notable success for a number of labels, including Atlantic
Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records is an American record label best known for its many recordings of rhythm and blues, rock and roll, and jazz...
where he also recorded with LaVern Baker
LaVern Baker
LaVern Baker was an American rhythm and blues singer, who had several hit records on the pop chart in the 1950s and early 1960s. Her most successful records were "Tweedlee Dee" , "Jim Dandy" , and "I Cried a Tear" .-Early life:She was born Delores LaVern Baker in Chicago, Illinois...
and Little Esther. In 1971, he and Suttles temporarily revived the Ravens, with additional members Gregory Carroll and Jimmy Breedlove. At the time of his death, at the age of 49 in 1974, he was the vocalist for the Count Basie
Count Basie
William "Count" Basie was an American jazz pianist, organist, bandleader, and composer. Basie led his jazz orchestra almost continuously for nearly 50 years...
orchestra
Orchestra
An orchestra is a sizable instrumental ensemble that contains sections of string, brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments. The term orchestra derives from the Greek ορχήστρα, the name for the area in front of an ancient Greek stage reserved for the Greek chorus...
. Suttles, Puzey and Marshall also appeared together as the Ravens, in 1974.
The Ravens 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 1998. In 2006, Suttles accepted the Harlem Jazz & Music Festival 2006 Rhythm & Blues award on the group's behalf.
Original members
- Jimmy "Ricky" Ricks (James Thomas Ricks, August 6, 1924 – July 2, 1974) (member 1946-1956)
- Warren "Birdland" Suttles (February 20, 1925 – July 24, 2009) (1946-1948, 1949-1950, 1952-1954)
- Leonard "Zeke" Puzey (1926 – October 2, 2007) (1946-1951, 1953)
- Henry Oliver "Ollie" Jones (December 9, 1923 – October 4, 1990) (1946-1947)
Later members
- Maithe Marshall (Maithe Williams, d. November 1989)
(1947-1951) - Joe Medlin (1948)
- Richie Cannon (1948-1949)
- Louis Heyward (1950-1951)
- Joe Van Loan (December 6, 1926 – 1976)
(1951-1958) - Louis Frazier (1951-1952, 1954-1956)
- Jimmie Steward (1951-1956)
- Tommy Evans (1954, 1956)
- Willie Ray (1956-1957)
- Willis Sanders (1956-1957)
- Bob Kornegay (1956)
- David "Boots" Bowers (1956-1958)
- Paul Van Loan (1957)
- James Van Loan (1957)
- Aaron "Tex" Cornelius (1958)
- Grant Kitchings (1958)
Piano
- Howard Biggs (1946-1949)
- Bill Sanford (1949-1957)
- Bill Chambers (1957-1958)
External links
- http://www.doowopcaferadio.com/Ravens.html Detailed history of group, by Billy VeraBilly VeraBilly Vera is an American singer, actor, writer and music historian.-Life and career:Vera was born in Riverside, California. He began his singing career in 1962 as a member of the Resolutions. He went on to write several songs throughout the early 1960s, writing for the likes of Barbara Lewis,...
, 2003] - Detailed discography
- http://www.vocalgroup.org/inductees/the_ravens.html'The Ravens' Vocal Group Hall of FameVocal Group Hall of FameThe 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....
Page] - Jimmy Ricks discography
- New York Daily News, Obituary of Warren Suttles