Fresh off a stint in the Army, friends Harvey Fuqua and Bobby Lester formed a duo in 1949 in Louisville. In 1951, Fuqua moved to Cleveland and formed the Crazy Sounds with vocalists Danny Coggins and Prentiss Barnes. Lester joined them later.
In 1952, while performing in Cleveland, the Crazy Sounds auditioned for the club’s management. They in turn got in touch with DJ Alan Freed, who upon hearing them, became their manager. In 1953, Freed renamed the group the Moonglows. They signed with Freed’s Champagne label, but their recordings failed, and Coggins left the group, replaced by Alexander Walton.
In September 1953, Freed moved to WINS in New York. His success led the Moonglows to a deal with Chess Records, a much more successful label. Their first Chess single, “Sincerely,” led by Lester, hit #1 on the R&B charts and made the Top 20 of the pop charts.
Freed was unashamed of the wealth he generated from payola, which ended up being his downfall. He gave the rooms in his mansion names like the Decca Room and the Columbia Room. It’s questionable just how much money Harvey Fuqua and the boys got for themselves under Freed’s management.
This particular song was intended for really slow dancing, the kind that Henry Miller characterized as “sex with your clothes on.”
This last single marked the end of the group. Harvey Fuqua went to Detroit to work with a fellow named Berry Gordy. The rest was history.
Wagging to the right! Wagging to the left. LOL!
Good evening, Sand...((HUGS))...time for puppy teeth to fall out, huh? He’s growing up...not a baby anymore.
What if they’re left-tailed doggies? :D