The Spaniels
Encyclopedia
The Spaniels were an American
R&B
doo-wop
group, best known for the hit "Goodnite, Sweetheart, Goodnite".
They have been called the first successful Midwestern
R&B group. Some historians of vocal groups consider Pookie Hudson to be the first true leader of a vocal
group, because the Spaniels pioneered the technique of having the main singer solo at his own microphone, while the rest of the group shared a second microphone.
in Gary, Indiana
as Pookie Hudson & The Hudsonaires. They changed their name to The Spaniels that spring and, upon graduation, became one of the first two artists to sign with Vee-Jay Records
, the first large, independent Afro-American owned record label
. The group recorded their initial release, "Baby It's You" on May 5, 1953. Released in July, the song reached #10 on Billboard
s R&B
chart
on September 5, 1953.
In Spring 1954, "Goodnite Sweetheart, Goodnite" hit number twenty-four on Variety
's pop chart, and rose to number five on Billboards R&B chart. The Spaniels played regularly at the Apollo, The Regal and other large theaters on the Chitlin circuit.
The line-up changed numerous times over the ensuing years.
The Spaniels were the top selling vocal group for Vee Jay. The band broke up when the label went bankrupt in 1966, but in 1969, the group reformed, releasing hits like "Fairy Tales" in 1970. An entire new generation was exposed to the group's music when "Goodnight, Sweetheart, Goodnight" was featured prominently in the movies
, American Graffiti
and Three Men and a Baby
.
Two Spaniels groups later performed simultaneously: one in Washington, D.C.
, and the original group still based in Gary.
The D.C. based group, with Pookie Hudson and Joe Herndon
, appeared on the PBS special, Doo Wop 50
.
Hudson died in Des Moines, Iowa
on January 16, 2007, after a lengthy battle with cancer
. Courtney, Jr. died on September 18, 2008, after suffering a heart attack.
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...
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...
group, best known for the hit "Goodnite, Sweetheart, Goodnite".
They have been called the first successful Midwestern
Midwestern United States
The Midwestern United States is one of the four U.S. geographic regions defined by the United States Census Bureau, providing an official definition of the American Midwest....
R&B group. Some historians of vocal groups consider Pookie Hudson to be the first true leader of 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, because the Spaniels pioneered the technique of having the main singer solo at his own microphone, while the rest of the group shared a second microphone.
Original members
The original members included:- Thornton James "Pookie" Hudson (June 11, 1934 – January 16, 2007)
- Ernest Warren
- William "Billy" Carey
- Willie C. Jackson
- Opal Courtney, Jr. (November 22, 1936 – September 18, 2008)
- Gerald Gregory
Career
The group debuted in late 1952 at Roosevelt High SchoolTheodore Roosevelt High School (Gary)
Theodore Roosevelt High School is a four year public high school of the Gary Community School Corporation in Gary, Indiana, United States...
in Gary, Indiana
Gary, Indiana
Gary is a city in Lake County, Indiana, United States. The city is in the southeastern portion of the Chicago metropolitan area and is 25 miles from downtown Chicago. The population is 80,294 at the 2010 census, making it the seventh-largest city in the state. It borders Lake Michigan and is known...
as Pookie Hudson & The Hudsonaires. They changed their name to The Spaniels that spring and, upon graduation, became one of the first two artists to sign with Vee-Jay Records
Vee-Jay Records
Vee-Jay Records is a record label founded in the 1950s, specializing in blues, jazz, rhythm and blues and rock and roll. It was owned and operated by African Americans.-History:...
, the first large, independent Afro-American owned record 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,...
. The group recorded their initial release, "Baby It's You" on May 5, 1953. Released in July, the song reached #10 on Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
s R&B
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States.The chart, initiated in 1942, is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African American, venues. Dominated over the years at various times by jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, soul,...
chart
Record chart
A record chart is a ranking of recorded music according to popularity during a given period of time. Examples of music charts are the Hit parade, Hot 100 or Top 40....
on September 5, 1953.
In Spring 1954, "Goodnite Sweetheart, Goodnite" hit number twenty-four on Variety
Variety (magazine)
Variety is an American weekly entertainment-trade magazine founded in New York City, New York, in 1905 by Sime Silverman. With the rise of the importance of the motion-picture industry, Daily Variety, a daily edition based in Los Angeles, California, was founded by Silverman in 1933. In 1998, the...
's pop chart, and rose to number five on Billboards R&B chart. The Spaniels played regularly at the Apollo, The Regal and other large theaters on the Chitlin circuit.
The line-up changed numerous times over the ensuing years.
The Spaniels were the top selling vocal group for Vee Jay. The band broke up when the label went bankrupt in 1966, but in 1969, the group reformed, releasing hits like "Fairy Tales" in 1970. An entire new generation was exposed to the group's music when "Goodnight, Sweetheart, Goodnight" was featured prominently in the movies
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...
, American Graffiti
American Graffiti
American Graffiti is a 1973 coming of age film co-written/directed by George Lucas starring Richard Dreyfuss, Ron Howard, Paul Le Mat, Charles Martin Smith, Cindy Williams, Candy Clark, Mackenzie Phillips and Harrison Ford...
and Three Men and a Baby
Three Men and a Baby
Three Men and a Baby is a 1987 comedy film starring Tom Selleck, Steve Guttenberg, Nancy Travis , and Ted Danson, and directed by Leonard Nimoy, in his first non-Star Trek movie directorial role. It follows the mishaps and adventures of three bachelors as they attempt to adapt their lives to...
.
Two Spaniels groups later performed simultaneously: one in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, and the original group still based in Gary.
The D.C. based group, with Pookie Hudson and Joe Herndon
Joe Herndon
Walter Joseph Herndon is an American R&B and soul singer, former bass singer of a version of doo-wop group The Spaniels and the current bass singer for The Temptations.-Biography:...
, appeared on the PBS special, Doo Wop 50
Doo Wop 50
Doo Wop 50 was a PBS pledge drive special created and produced for PBS member station WQED-TV by TJ Lubinsky, grandson of Herman Lubinsky...
.
Hudson died in Des Moines, Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
on January 16, 2007, after a lengthy battle with cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
. Courtney, Jr. died on September 18, 2008, after suffering a heart attack.
External links
- Marv Goldberg's Article on The Spaniels
- The Spaniels at Destination Doo Wop
- The Spaniels at the Vocal Group Hall of Fame
- The Spaniels via soul-patrol.com
- Answers.com entry
- A Cappella News
- Oldies.com article on The Spaniels
- [ Allmusic]
- Interview with member Don Porter at UC Santa Barbara - February 2000 via archival edition of website Njs4ever